The Thriving Dentist Show
The Thriving Dentist Show by Gary Takacs guides dental practice owners and dentists in creating a profitable practice with financial independence while delivering hallmark-level quality of care. Gary’s lively discussions run the gamut from eye-opening lessons for you to become successful.
Episodes
October 8, 2025 • 44 mins
In this episode of the Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah reveal how patients decide within seconds whether your dental office is the right choice for them. Discover why attention spans are shrinking, how website design and trust cues shape first impressions, and which visual elements instantly turn browsers into booked patients. You’ll learn actionable strategies to help your practice stand out - including: • U...
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October 1, 2025 • 49 mins
Running a successful dental practice in 2025 takes more than production numbers. In this episode of the Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah share the five essential metrics every dentist should track to build a profitable, patient-focused, and stress-free practice. Learn how to shift from production to profitability, reduce PPO dependence, boost patient loyalty, and keep a high-performing dental team you truly en...
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September 24, 2025 • 47 mins
In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, host Gary Takacs talks with Ian McNickle, CEO of Icon Dental Partners, about the shift from DSOs to Dental Partnership Organizations (DPOs) and how they’re reshaping dentistry. Discover how true clinical autonomy, stronger ownership opportunities, and smart staffing solutions help dentists reduce insurance dependence and build lasting profitability. Whether you’re planning a transition,...
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Struggling with patients rejecting periodontal therapy? In this episode, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah share proven strategies to increase patient acceptance of conservative periodontal therapy, highlight the oral-systemic health connection, and provide simple verbal skills for hygienists to boost gum disease treatment acceptance and grow hygiene-driven production.
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September 10, 2025 • 44 mins
By 2025, almost one-third of US dentists are expected to resign from PPO plans. In this episode, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah reveal why rising costs, wage pressures, and shrinking reimbursements are making PPO participation unsustainable—and how many practices are unknowingly losing $500k+ each year in write-offs. You’ll also learn Gary’s proven six-step blueprint to reduce insurance dependence without losing patients. Listen n...
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September 3, 2025 • 46 mins
Are hidden profit killers draining your dental practice? In this episode, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah reveal 4 overlooked areas — from mishandled new patient calls to weak treatment follow-ups — that could be costing you thousands. Learn simple, proven strategies to boost conversions, improve case acceptance, and strengthen practice profitability.
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August 27, 2025 • 58 mins
In this episode, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah share the 4 proven steps to building a dental marketing funnel that attracts quality new patients and gets them to book—without depending on PPO plans. Discover how to rank higher with SEO, use Google reviews and patient stories to build trust, and train your team to turn calls into appointments. Listen now and start growing your practice with a funnel that actually works!
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August 20, 2025 • 57 mins
Discover why the new patient experience in dentistry is the key to case acceptance and loyalty. Gary Takacs shares a 7-step process to improve patient trust, reduce PPO dependence, and transition to a fee for-service dental practice.
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August 13, 2025 • 50 mins
In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs and co-host Naren Arulrajah reveal seven goals that can transform your dental practice into one that delivers greater profit, satisfaction, and balance. Gary explains how these goals work together to help you control overhead, achieve financial independence, build a strong team, and enjoy a better work-life balance—whether you run a solo or multi-doctor office. Special guest...
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August 6, 2025 • 50 mins
In this episode of the Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah address a critical financial challenge in dental practices; how to keep team member wages within a sustainable budget. With inflation and wage expectations on the rise, this episode outlines actionable strategies to maintain financial health without compromising team satisfaction. Gary shares a proven wage budget formula (28% or less of collections) and e...
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July 30, 2025 • 45 mins
Can you increase your fees without losing patients? In this powerful episode, Gary Takacs and co-host Naren Arulrajah explore the truth behind dental pricing strategies and why many practices leave tens of thousands of dollars on the table. You'll discover how a data-driven, annually recalibrated fee structure can significantly boost profitability, without raising overhead. Whether you're looking to raise your hygiene fees or compl...
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July 23, 2025 • 44 mins
Want to attract better patients, reduce PPO dependence, and grow your practice with confidence? In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah share real-world marketing lessons from thriving practices. Discover what actually works, why most dental marketing fails, and how top practices grow with long-term strategy. Book your FREE Marketing Strategy Meeting:
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July 16, 2025 • 38 mins
Struggling to hire quality dental team members? Staffing issues shouldn't hold your practice back. In this episode of the Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs interviews Trey Tepichin, co-founder of Cloud Dentistry, about a smarter, tech-powered way to solve today’s dental staffing crisis. You’ll discover why traditional hiring methods like job boards and agencies are failing—and how Cloud Dentistry helps you fill open positions in m...
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July 9, 2025 • 44 mins
What does it take to build a dental practice that’s not only profitable today but still thriving decades from now? In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, dental business coach Gary Takacs and co-host Naren Arulrajah reveal four proven strategies for long-term success in dentistry. You'll learn how to build a rock-solid dental practice foundation, reduce PPO insurance dependence, master dental marketing, and create a positive...
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July 2, 2025 • 32 mins
Ever wondered what the future of dentistry really looks like? In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs sits down with Dr. Aman Kaur, founder of Women in DSO, for an inspiring conversation about what’s changing and what’s possible. They dive into the rise of women in leadership, how DSOs are evolving, and why emotional intelligence and mentorship are becoming must-haves in every modern practice. You’ll also hear how...
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June 25, 2025 • 48 mins
In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs explores one of the most common challenges dentists face: knowing when a patient is truly ready to say yes to ideal, comprehensive care. He shares a powerful yet simple question that helps reveal your patient’s readiness - no pressure, no guessing. You’ll also hear a relatable analogy comparing comprehensive dentistry to fine dining, illustrating how the environment you crea...
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June 18, 2025 • 46 mins
Artificial Intelligence isn’t just a tech buzzword anymore - it’s transforming the modern dental practice. But how does AI actually show up in your daily workflow? In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah break down four real-world applications of AI in dentistry - from chart notes to treatment planning - and explore how these tools impact your patients, your team, and your bottom line.
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In this special 700th episode of the Thriving Dentist Show, hosts Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah ask one powerful question: “What is one thing you know now that you wish you had learned earlier in your career?” Ten amazing voices from the dental world share their honest answers, including tips on achieving work-life balance, overcoming burnout, negotiating with insurance companies, and building meaningful patient relationships. Yo...
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June 4, 2025 • 52 mins
Struggling to balance efficiency with patient connection in your dental practice? In this episode of the Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs shares expert tips on how to increase patient trust, improve case acceptance, and create a new patient experience that builds lifelong loyalty. Learn how to reduce PPO dependence while delivering exceptional care—and hear actionable local SEO strategies from Naren Arulrajah to help your dental ...
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May 28, 2025 • 38 mins
In this episode, Gary and Naren uncover the top 5 dental website mistakes that could be turning potential patients away. From outdated design and poor mobile experience to weak SEO and missing CTAs, they share practical tips to fix these issues and turn your website into a powerful new patient engine. If you're looking to improve your dental website performance, boost your search rankings, and increase new patient conversions, this...
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