2431: Navigating Growth Curves Without Burning Out Your Team
The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
Release Date: 01/26/2026
The Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with longtime friend and marketing leader Joshua Scott for a wide-ranging conversation that blends entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth. Josh shares what it’s really like to scale a company through a “building year,” why infrastructure equity matters more than short-term profit, and how navigating overlapping growth curves can feel both challenging and energizing. They dive into predictable success, avoiding shiny-object syndrome, balancing ambition with fulfillment, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the...
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On today’s episode, Ryan Gross, founder of CMO Share, reveals how his background in experiential marketing—from zoos to Disney—perfectly translates into the world of dental marketing. He shares how understanding human behavior, data-driven decisions, and simple brand visibility tactics can significantly grow a practice. Ryan breaks down everything from choosing the right name and logo to leveraging brochures, shirts, and local partnerships for powerful brand repetition. He explains why operational efficiency drives marketing ROI, how missed phone calls are costing you thousands,...
info_outlineThe Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
On today’s episode, we bring you Dr. Mark Costes’ second impactful presentation from the Music City SCALE 2025 event. In this talk, Dr. Costes blends tactical strategy with raw vulnerability as he opens up about achieving his lifelong financial goals—only to find himself exhausted, unfulfilled, and deeply unhappy. He shares the pivotal moment that led him to rethink success, prioritize fulfillment, and build a model for personal and professional transformation. You’ll learn about the six foundational areas that determine practice health, how to avoid burnout with smarter...
info_outlineThe Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes is joined by Bill Keith and Ben Kacos for an in-depth crash course on DSOs—what they are, how they’ve evolved, and why every dentist should understand their growing impact on the profession. This conversation dives into the history of dental consolidation, the rise of private equity in the industry, and what those infamous EBITDA multiples really mean for your practice valuation. The trio compares doctor-to-doctor transitions with DSO sales, laying out the pros, cons, and critical factors like tax strategy, risk mitigation, and personal goals....
info_outlineThe Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with longtime friend and respected dental entrepreneur Tiger Safarov, founder of Zen One. Tiger shares his incredible immigrant journey—from arriving in the U.S. not knowing English to building a thriving dental construction company, and later pivoting to launch a tech platform revolutionizing dental supply management. They dive into Tiger’s inspiration for Zen One, the evolution of the platform from a scrappy startup to a streamlined, AI-powered solution, and his deep commitment to supporting private dental practices in an increasingly...
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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes welcomes back DSI Black Belt coach and seasoned dental entrepreneur Dr. Summer Kassmel for a power-packed, tactical conversation on case acceptance. Summer walks us through her step-by-step strategy to improve treatment plan acceptance, starting with clearly defined pillars of care and a unified team approach. She emphasizes the importance of consistency, calibrating with hygienists, and tailoring communication to the patient’s personality without overwhelming them. From managing chief complaints to using analogies patients understand, she...
info_outlineThe Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
On today’s episode, we continue with part two of Dr. Mark Costes’ compelling first presentation at the Music City SCALE 2025 event. In this segment, Dr. Costes delivers a deep dive into key challenges facing today’s dental practice owners—employee retention, the nationwide hygiene shortage, and the harsh reality of PPOs. He shares actionable strategies to improve team culture, build loyalty through better leadership, and transform non-producers into practice contributors. Drawing on Stoic philosophy, he urges owners to focus only on what they can control—systems, leadership,...
info_outlineThe Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
On today’s episode, we bring you part one of Dr. Mark Costes’ powerful presentation from the Music City SCALE 2025 event. With decades of experience as a multi-practice owner and founder of the Dental Success Institute, Dr. Costes shares why most dentists hit a wall when trying to “produce their way out” of business problems. He explores the foundational importance of fixing broken infrastructure—like poor systems, leadership gaps, and toxic culture—before chasing growth through production or marketing. You'll also hear how his coaching organization has helped hundreds of...
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On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes welcomes Dan Van Eps, Senior Director at Henry Schein Dental Practice Transitions, for an in-depth look at the world of dental practice sales, valuations, and the often misunderstood role of brokers. With nearly three decades of experience in the dental space—including founding a dental IT company and helping scale Carr Healthcare Realty—Dan brings a rare, well-rounded perspective to what makes practices valuable and how dentists can successfully navigate a sale. From breaking down DSO vs. doctor-to-doctor transactions, to why a $2 million...
info_outlineThe Dentalpreneur Podcast w/ Dr. Mark Costes
On today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes is joined by Steve Steinbrunner of Provide, powered by Fifth Third Bank, for a deep dive into the current state of dental lending. Despite economic uncertainty and mixed signals from the broader market, Steve shares why Provide is seeing record-breaking activity in financing dental startups, acquisitions, ground-up builds, and real estate purchases. They discuss how interest rate trends are actually opening new doors for practice owners, what separates successful borrowers from risky ones, and why bringing in the right advisors is more critical than...
info_outlineOn today’s episode, Dr. Mark Costes sits down with longtime friend and marketing leader Joshua Scott for a wide-ranging conversation that blends entrepreneurship, leadership, and personal growth. Josh shares what it’s really like to scale a company through a “building year,” why infrastructure equity matters more than short-term profit, and how navigating overlapping growth curves can feel both challenging and energizing.
They dive into predictable success, avoiding shiny-object syndrome, balancing ambition with fulfillment, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people as you grow. This episode is packed with honest reflections on business, creativity, and knowing when enough is enough.
Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast!
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