A Dentist’s Guide to Paying Less in Taxes with Travis Slade, CPA
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Release Date: 09/29/2025
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Episode Description Most dentists think of compliance as a background concern—something administrative, abstract, or handled by “the office.” In reality, it’s one of the highest-risk, most overlooked areas of modern dental practice. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with Evan Sampson, a healthcare attorney with over a decade of experience advising dentists and healthcare organizations on fraud, waste, abuse, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation. Evan has served as General Counsel to a major dental support organization and held senior compliance...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Register for the live meeting: Download the Injection Molding Guide: In Part 2 of this powerful series, Dr. Melissa Seibert continues her in-depth conversation with cosmetic dentist and AACD leader Dr. David Eshom, exploring the deeper psychological, business, and interpersonal frameworks that underpin a thriving fee-for-service practice. Together, they unpack the realities of transitioning away from insurance dependence, the emotional traps dentists fall into, and the communication strategies that safeguard both the patient relationship and the...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Register for the live meeting: Download the Injection Molding Guide: n Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with cosmetic dentist and AACD residency preceptor Dr. David Eshom for a powerful conversation that reframes how dentists think about photography, diagnosis, communication, and case acceptance. Drawing from more than 20 years of comprehensive cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Eshom reveals why extraoral photography—not intraoral cameras, not radiographs—is the single most effective tool for building trust and helping patients...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Register for the live meeting: Download the Injection Molding Guide: In Part 2 of this powerful two-part series, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits back down with renowned oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Scott Bolding, whose orthopedic-driven approach to TMJ diagnostics and surgery is reshaping how dentistry understands joint disease. If you’ve ever wondered why TMJ patients get “punted” from provider to provider, why MRI-based diagnosis never became mainstream, or how degenerative joint pathology silently derails orthodontic and restorative outcomes, this...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Description: In this episode, Dr. Scott Bolding — leading oral and maxillofacial surgeon and airway reconstruction expert — dismantles the outdated belief that sleep apnea is primarily a soft-tissue problem. He explains why the bone dictates the obstruction, why skeletal repositioning is the true driver of airway patency, and how maxillary advancement, mandibular rotation, and hyoid biomechanics can radically transform patient physiology. You’ll also hear how CBCT, DICE, and...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on His interdisciplinary approach to dentistry is founded in both empirical research and clinical experience. He attended the University of Washington for both his undergraduate and graduate studies where he received his D.D.S. degree in 1995 and an M.S.D. and certificate in Prosthodontics in 1998. For his entire career, Dr. Kinzer has been committed to furthering the art and science of dental education. His unique ability to impart complex clinical processes in a logical, systematic and clear...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Email me: dr.melissaseibert@gmail.com Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on In this second installment of Dental Digest’s conversation with Dr. Jonathan Esquivel, host Dr. Melissa Seibert and her guest push deeper into the artistry, biology, and discipline required to restore anterior implants that are as functional as they are beautiful. While Part 1 introduced Esquivel’s framework of space, volume, and time, this episode focuses on the next frontier—provisionalization, emergence-profile design, and the E-B-C concept that...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Email me Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on In this episode of Dental Digest, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with prosthodontist and educator Dr. Jonathan Esquivel for part one of an enlightening two-part series that explores the biologic and aesthetic complexities of implant restoration. Known for his meticulous approach and his evidence-based framework of space, volume, and time, Dr. Esquivel brings clarity to one of dentistry’s most challenging frontiers: the anterior aesthetic zone. They begin by examining why...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Email me: Dr.melissaseibert@gmail.com Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Episode Summary In this powerful continuation of their two-part conversation, Dr. Melissa Seibert and Dr. David Attia dive beyond digital workflows to confront the deeper philosophical questions shaping modern implant dentistry. Building on last week’s discussion of data stacking, SmileCloud integration, and biologically driven design, this episode explores the nuanced realities of aesthetic-zone decision-making, ethical treatment planning, and the human side...
info_outlineDental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on In this first of a two-part series, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with Dr. David Attia—an international educator leading the charge in digital and implant dentistry—to explore how advanced technologies are revolutionizing multidisciplinary care. Together, they unpack how tools like SmileCloud, CBCT segmentation, and 3D facial scanning are allowing clinicians to “stack” digital data for unparalleled treatment precision. Dr. Attia shares how virtual patient workflows have streamlined...
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Episode Description
Taxes are one of the biggest expenses a dentist will ever face—but most aren’t taught how to navigate them. In this episode of Dental Digest Podcast, host Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with dental CPA Travis Slade of Allure Dental Accounting to unpack how dentists can stop leaving money on the table and start keeping more of what they earn.
Whether you’re an associate paid as a 1099 or W2, or a practice owner managing overhead, this episode gives you the clarity you need on entity structures, deductions, and retirement strategies. Travis breaks down:
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The real difference between 1099 vs W2 compensation—and why it matters for your taxes.
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What an LLC actually does (and doesn’t do) for dentists, and when an S-corp makes sense.
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The write-offs you should be taking (CE, insurance, supplies, even your dental school kit) vs. the ones that could get you into trouble.
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How to avoid red flags that increase audit risk, and what happens if the IRS does come knocking.
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Practical guidance on automobile deductions, home office use, travel expenses, and meals.
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The power of a SEP IRA and other retirement accounts for lowering your tax bill while building long-term wealth.
Travis’ advice is built on years of working almost exclusively with dentists, which means you’ll hear exactly what’s “ordinary and necessary” in the eyes of the IRS for your profession. You’ll walk away with actionable insights to protect yourself legally, maximize deductions ethically, and structure your finances to support both your practice and your future.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re missing deductions, overpaying in taxes, or confused about what entity type to choose—this episode is a must-listen.