Tiny Teeth of Tally - Risky Benefits Podcast

In this episode of Risky Benefits, the team is joined by Dr. Astrid Gonzalez to discuss the transformative approach of minimally invasive dentistry at Tiny Teeth of Tally. The podcast delves into Dr. Gonzalez's journey from a traditional dental practice to embracing a root-cause-first, patient-centered method for managing dental decay. Dr. Gonzalez shares her passion for pediatric dentistry, discussing how her new approach helps treat dental issues non-invasively, catering to individual needs and maintaining oral health with preventive care. The conversation covers the importance of managing the oral microbiome, utilizing specialized products, and the broader implications for insurance structures and overall healthcare. Dr. Gonzalez emphasizes the need for education, personalized care, and the potential for industry-wide change towards a more holistic approach to dental health. Listen to learn how minimally invasive techniques are revolutionizing pediatric dentistry and bringing about happier, healthier smiles.

To listen in and subscribe to more episodes, visit our website: fbmc.com/podcast.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Hey, thank you for listening into Risky Benefits, a podcast
that informs you on all thingsbenefits.
We've got a saying around here,benefits isn't your main
business.
It's ours.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (00:17):
Hey everyone.
Thank you for listening to RiskyBenefits, the podcast where we
celebrate those bold enough todo things differently.
And guess what?
Today we're talking about teeth,tiny ones, Meat, tiny teeth of
tally, where pediatric dentistryisn't just kid friendly, it's
root cause First minimallyinvasive and game changing.

(00:41):
So today, without further ado,we have Dr.
Astrid Gonzalez with us, and,looking forward to meeting you.
I'm looking forward to theconversation.
So yeah, Kyla, let's get intoit.
We'll start with the firstquestion.
Astrid, you ready?
Yeah, I'm ready.
All right, cool.
She's ready.
Alright, so welcome Astrid.
Thanks for coming on and, andjust generally when we start, I

(01:04):
think the most important thingwe want to do is just get, get
to know you a little bit.
So why don't you just tell us alittle bit about yourself.
Oh, thank you so much.
I'm really excited to be here.
I'm a dentist.
I've.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (01:14):
I've Been,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (01:16):
I never thought I was gonna be a
dentist, but I ended up here.
I really just liked robotics asa little kid.
I really liked being in themachine shop and playing with
tools and so, I ended up being adentist and, because of the
tools, that's really the truth.
I, it was a reasonableprogression.
However, after really findingthat I love children and I mean,

(01:42):
I was, I've been treatingchildren for.
15 years or so, something likethat.
And so in the last couple ofyears I've, especially after I
became a mom, it just became soapparent that the dentistry that
I absolutely had at one pointhad enjoyed doing

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (01:58):
it

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (01:58):
it, started to feel really
differently doing it.
And I started thinking about,I'm also an economics buff.
Okay, so I also love economicsand I really started realizing
that there was some shift herethat things weren't working
right.
What I, what I had been doing,which is what I knew every other
dentist to do, um, in managingdental decay, was, was frankly

(02:22):
not working.
My, my wait lists were foreverto get an appointment and my
patients weren't healthy, Sothat transition started about
like two years ago, and sincethen I have really embraced my,
my real passion and I'm just soexcited to move into the next
stage of my career helping treatand manage dental decay, like
the disease that it is insteadof the way that we've been doing

(02:44):
it.
So it's interesting, like I, Ihave a lot of questions, many of
which aren't on the list, andyou've asked, feel free to ask
away.
So the first question I'm gonnaask is, did you enjoy going to
the dentist as a kid?
Wow.
Great question.
You know, like I do, I thinkthat there's so many dental
questions.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (03:02):
I,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (03:02):
Yeah.
I'm like a real, like honest togoodness through and through
goody two shoes.
So I always liked to go and theyalways treat you pretty poorly,
right?
So they're always like, you'renot doing this enough and you're
not doing that enough.
And that for me, as a child thatdid speak to me, that is not for
everybody.
Right?
Most people, now that I'm adentist, I can say most people

(03:23):
don't like being spoken to thatway.
But as for me as a child, Iloved going to a place that they
just told you rules and then Icould go home and just follow
all these rules.
Okay.
And I, it gave me some guidanceas to like.
Yeah.
As a child, I liked it.
Yes.
Okay.
Second warmup question.
Yeah.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (03:40):
What

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (03:41):
of toothpaste did you pick when,
like when you were a kid?
Bubblegum, what are we talking?
I'm really glad that, yeah, thatwas mint.
A big question.
When the hygienist would ask mewhich flavors I could have, I
definitely always went for likea bubble gum or if they had like
a tropical punch.
Okay.
But sweet.
I have a sweet tooth.
Okay.
Yeah, so I definitely wasexcited about.

(04:02):
The sweet toothpaste.
Absolutely.
A sweet fluoride.
Absolutely.
All the way and a personal onehere.
How many cavities do you have?

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (04:08):
have?

marketing_1_09-10-202 (04:10):
Question.
Oh my God.
You wanna get really into it?
Yes.
So.
One of the big things that droveme to this new style of
dentistry is the fact that Ihave always been a high caries
risk person.
Okay.
I have cavities and fillings allover this mouth, and I can also

(04:31):
tell you that I

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (04:32):
I

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (04:33):
a phenomenal student in dental
school

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (04:36):
and

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (04:36):
and nobody taught me how to stop the
disease.
Interesting, huh.
Okay.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (04:41):
Yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (04:41):
Yeah.
All right.
There's, there's more.
More there.
Okay.
We're gonna

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (04:44):
evolve

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (04:45):
We're gonna unpack it.
Yes.
We're gonna unpack it.
Yes.
Trying to think of like.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (04:48):
like,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (04:49):
You know, but how many cavities am I
actively right now healing in mymouth?
We just took x-rays last week,and there's three cavities that
have shown radiographichardening, which is amazing.
So in essence, you've reversedit.
I'm reversing three cavities ofmy own at this moment.
Yeah.
Okay.
But I am a,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (05:09):
a,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (05:10):
first one to tell you that I abuse my
teeth all day, so, so I'mconstantly trying to heal my
mouth.
What I hear is like, you're aflosser.
Oh, you wanna know about whatit's like to not floss?
I mean, I know what it's like tonot floss.
You wanna know how I, how I feelabout how I can help someone who
refuses to floss.
Yeah.

(05:30):
That's just part of it, right?

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (05:32):
So like,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1 (05:32):
Really the, this style of treating
people.
Right.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (05:37):
And

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (05:37):
the wrong way of saying it.
That's just, that's, that's not,I can do better.
Um, when patients come to me andthey want, they, they'll tell me
what their picture of oralhealth is.
Mm-hmm.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (05:50):
Mm.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (05:50):
And for you it might be, how do, I
don't wanna floss, I don't liketo floss, I hate to floss and
I'm not gonna do it.
Help.
Sure.
All right.
Let's do it.
I want to be able to offer mypatients whatever it is that
they need for them to achievetheir definition of oral health.
But the model that I grew up inwas I will, when you as a

(06:13):
patient go to the dentist, thedoctor is telling you what your
goals are and what your healthshould be, and what your health
outcomes mm-hmm.
Are supposed to be.
Mm-hmm.
And that just doesn't.
Makes sense in today's worldanymore.
I have, I'm dealing with so manydifferent families, so many
different individuals, andpeople have different ideas
about what they want forthemselves, and I am here to

(06:37):
help them achieve their goals.
Okay, cool.
And people don't like to be toldwhat to do?
No.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (06:42):
So

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (06:42):
wanna make it, you wanna make it their
idea.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (06:45):
like,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (06:45):
Yes.
Yeah.
That's also come to me a lotthrough just experience, right?
Mm-hmm.
So when you're serving people,you really start to realize, it
takes a while to realize.
For me, it took me a while torealize that they were all
different.
Yeah.
Interesting.
Well, I'm sorry.
Those are all just randoms.
I like your question.
That's

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (07:02):
great.
That's great.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (07:03):
Kind get us wrong.
So, okay.
So, and you kind of alluded tothis, but most interests go into
drill, fill, repeat mode.
Um, but you at and yourcolleagues at Tally teeth are
doing things differently.
You're flipping the script and Iwould like to know what sparked
this mission and to treat theroot problem and heal rather
than just fix it.

(07:24):
Yes, absolutely.
So I'll correct you'cause it's,our office is tiny teeth of
tally.
Tiny, tiny,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (07:29):
of tally.
Tiny, not

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (07:30):
tiny teeth.
Tiny.
Um, But that's good

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (07:32):
though.
But that's good

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (07:33):
for the listeners.
Where is that located?
It's

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (07:35):
on.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (07:36):
Mahan and Riggs.
So it is really close to TMH.
So it's a central location.
Okay.
What did I call it?
Tally teeth?
Yes.
Okay.
So tiny teeth of tally.
There was a place, somethinglike that,

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (07:46):
that.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (07:46):
but no tiny teeth of tally.
Okay.
Tiny of got itally.
Got it.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (07:49):
Got it.
Yes.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (07:49):
Thank you.
But so your question about whatsparked this, um, a lot of, you
know, all of us evolved throughour lives.
For me personally, there was a,and I think very most, like most
women or most people, when youhave children, your heart grows.
And as your heart grows and youstart to realize how beautiful

(08:11):
and how much you love children,and my job up until a couple of
years ago, you have to think myjob is to take power tools to
children's heads, right?
So people might think that thatis joyful for a provider, but it
sucks.
Okay?
So to have a beautiful,gorgeous, gentle, innocent child

(08:32):
screaming.
While you're holding them, it's

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (08:34):
it's

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (08:35):
fun.
Like, that's not what anybody inmy position wakes up in the
morning saying, this is what Iwanna do today, right?
Mm-hmm.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (08:41):
Mm-hmm.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (08:41):
But you look around the room and you
realize there's no one else andthere's no other way.
And then, it only takes, I guessfor me, it took about like 12
years to figure out there has tobe another way.
Come on, they, we've done somuch.
Why are, why haven't we figuredthis out?
So in that, I started reading,it became a.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (08:58):
a,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (08:59):
Uh, real, I guess I spent the last
two years freaking out everynight after my kids go to bed,
just reading and reading andreading and not even believing
what I'm reading.
What, um, my number one resourcewas obviously the American
Dental Association.
So if you go on to the AmericanDental Association and you type
in Carrie's management, I gottaback up.
You

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (09:18):
have

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (09:18):
have to, I have to talk about.
The fact that carrie's cavitiesis just not something that we've
looked at.
In the 97% of humans are at highrisk for developing decay,
depending on what, you know, uh,literature you're looking at.
So talk to us.
Nobody knows.
Yeah, go ahead.
Like what is that?

(09:39):
Like why, so I'll give you anexample.
Okay.
Go.
So, three kids.
I've never had a cavity in mylife.
I could tell by your muscles.
But listen, my kids though.
Like they are cavity mongers.
Yeah.
They eat too many carbs.
So, and in my head I'm like, youwhat?
You don't need carbs.
How many grams of protein areyou eating a day?
Like over 200.
The fact that you know how manygrams of protein you're eating a

(10:01):
day.
I could tell when I saw you.
'cause I can see your muscles.
Okay.
Someone who's eating that muchprotein is just not creating a
hospitable environment for thefloor of their mouth.
Interesting.
Yeah, so so, I can tell likewhen I, when Yeah, that's okay.
So it's more of a holisticapproach to gen your, the
greater health of an individual.
Isn't that what people want?

(10:21):
It is, I think it's what peopledon't like.
We have a lot of cases orclients and I'm not going to
name names or anything likethat, where when you look across
their dental insurance as anexample, It's really more an
aspect of their wellness programwhen you start to think about
their dental program, becauseit's an indication, which you
well know of health.

(10:42):
I'm sure that there's anindication in gum health with,
with, Plaque and how thatimpacts your, like, obviously,
right?
Like obviously, right.
So.
You're, I'm assuming you're ahealth conscious person.
Mm-hmm.
You just told me you had 200grams of person a day.
So this is probably gonna bereally exciting for you to hear,
right?
Yeah.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (11:00):
Okay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (11:00):
Um, what happens is, can I talk
about plaque?
Can I talk about biofilm?
Exactly.
Let's go, let's, I love talkingabout plaque, right?
So,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (11:06):
So,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (11:06):
Okay, so I, so plaque, what it is, is
everybody grows plaque.
Okay?
Everybody grows plaque.
Plaque is biofilm.
We've been, and it's, and whatis in your plaque?
What's in your biofilm has to dowith your microbiome.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (11:18):
Okay?

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (11:18):
Okay?
Your flora is this.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (11:19):
this.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (11:20):
I, mean, I, we, yeah, we're on,
we're on the same page.
Right?
So the mouth is second only indiversity of, to your gut,
bacteria to your gut.
Makes sense.
But what it is, is there's abunch of stuff in there.
Okay.
Yeah.
And it's growing constantly.
So I like to equate plaque tobeing something more like the
weeds in your yard.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (11:39):
Okay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (11:39):
So the everybody grows weeds in
their yard.
Yeah.
And we all have a different wayof managing it.
You might.
Um, and we all have different,okay.
Some things happening in yard.
Someone might have a shady yard,someone has a sunny yard,
someone might spray.
Someone might just mowconstantly.
Somebody else might be out therewith the, with the screwdriver
digging em out.
Everybody grows weeds.

(12:00):
Same in the mouth.
The mouth grows plaque, that'swhat it does.
There's a ton of bacteria inthere.
So that plaque is gonna grow andthen it, guess what?
Like depending on what you feedit is how that plaque is going
to evolve.
If you feel it at carb richdiet, the.
Bad bacteria.
And I did air quotes for ourlisteners.
Yeah.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (12:19):
Yeah, but

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (12:19):
The bad bacteria is going to create
acid.
So bad bacteria eats any carp.
We always say sugar in ourindustry of dentistry, but let's
just say fermentablecarbohydrates.
Okay?
Mm-hmm.
So the

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (12:30):
Okay?
Mm-hmm.
So the

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (12:31):
bad bacteria eats fermentable
carbohydrates, and they makelactic acid.
So now the plaque, which isgenetically engineered.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (12:38):
adhere

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (12:39):
the tooth surface over billions and
billions of years.
This bacteria knows how to doone thing.
It knows how to stick to teeth,right?
Mm-hmm.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (12:47):
Mm-hmm.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (12:47):
So once it's stuck to your tooth
and now it's so sticky, right?
Like, um, I equate that adhesionto

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (12:56):
pine

marketing_1_09-10-2025_ (12:57):
pollen, Mm-hmm.
You know how it like adheres toyour car.
Yeah.
And it doesn't matter if you'redriving 80,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (13:04):
It's still there.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (13:04):
it's still there.
It's still there.
But you just wipe it.
You just walk too close to yourcarbs, it's gone.
So that's plaque, right?
So that's how plaque is stickingto the surface of your teeth.
So now that super duper stickystuff, you add carbs into it, it
will grow and, and within ityou'll have, depending on what
you feed it, MR.
200 grams of protein, you'refeeding the good

farris_1_09-10-2025_1 (13:27):
bacteria.
Okay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (13:29):
Okay, when it comes to caries, but
still really, I think I couldsay like maintaining the pH of
the mouth is important, butstill.
So when you take fermentablecarbohydrates, you feed that
plaque, the plaque will nowcreate acid.
You have acid adhered to thetooth.
We've all known forever to.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (13:46):
decay

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (13:46):
Acid is what is demineralizing?
The tooth

farris_1_09-10 (13:50):
demineralization

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (13:50):
the same thing as the tooth losing
density for our osteoporosispeople.
Okay?
Okay.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (13:55):
Okay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (13:55):
So why is the tooth losing density?
Because there's acid adhered toit.
But if the same patient, sameperson, just eats more protein,
then now the good bacteria.
And I put that in air quotestoo, because there's no such
thing as good or bad bacteria,but like the, the less
cariogenic bacteria will takefor, um, protein and they will

(14:20):
create, They make, they makeammonia.
So they make ammonia, which issuper basic.
So now somebody who, so somebodywho eats a lot of protein, they
only, they have their mouth inam more

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (14:33):
alconan

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (14:34):
so.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (14:35):
So typically

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (14:36):
who has more protein might be more
at risk for, for developingcalculus.
Calculus is stuff you have toscrape off the teeth.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's where 200 grams ofprotein get the party sprayed

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (14:47):
sounds

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (14:48):
nails on a chalk, I think cd and
they're like, this guy's gonnabe fun.
Yeah.
So scraping of the, so thatstuff that's calcifying on the
two surface.
That's, I mean, that's plaquejust being calcified.
Okay.
Okay.
Yeah.
But anyway, so managing the acidin someone's mouth, and the
reason that I'm really, really,you have to think decay is a

(15:11):
disease of childhood because ofthe childhood diet, right?
Mm-hmm.
And then once you get intoadulthood, I'm just not as
familiar with all of thosedisease patterns because that's
not what I've been seeing,right?
I only really spend my, mycareer looking at children,
which is.
Primarily virgin teeth.
Mm-hmm.
Teeth that haven't been cut.
Once your teeth have been cutonce the tooth crystal has been

(15:31):
cut, you're down.
Like, like the answer is,there's no more healing.
It let your dentist patch it up.
Like that's what we have to do.
But, um, tooth structure can behardened

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (15:42):
and I

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1 (15:43):
really just like to tell people, I, I'd
rather be looked at like adermatologist.
Okay.
Who is going to recommend theright cream?
To heal the ulcer mm-hmm.
In your heart tissue.
Right.
But so that's a, the importantthing that con that at what
resonates in my head, like it'sconstant is the fact that I, I,

(16:05):
was not.
Taught this in dental school.
Hmm.
Interesting.
I mean, it goes, so, I mean, itgoes back, if you think about
Kyla's question was more aboutgetting away from drill fill,
repeat mode and then flippingthe script, you know, and the
mission to kind of treat theroot of the problem.
So there you have it.

(16:26):
I mean, that's, it's about thebacteria.
There you go.
That's the tie back.
So it really is about thebacteria in your mouth and what
you're feeding it and how you'refeeding it.
Okay.
But I mean, you have patientswith, uh,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (16:35):
uh, sorry,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1 (16:35):
sorry.
I'll keep going forever.
Keep going to the next question.
No,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (16:39):
No, I,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (16:39):
it's interesting.
I mean, it's interesting.
So it, you're giving me, you'repainting a picture with a broad
brush in my mind of like, okay,I go in to, um, tiny teeth of
Tallahassee tally, tiny teeth oftally.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (16:51):
Shoot.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (16:52):
We're gonna get it.
by the end.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (16:53):
egg.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (16:53):
T three.
T three.
Um, so you, all right, so I goin into tiny teeth of tally.
And it, the experience is like,yes, we're gonna clean your
teeth, but we're gonna have aconversation.
It sounds almost like more of aneducational experience, and that
probably ties back to why you'resaying, Hey.
I like to have more of like a,it, it sounds almost more like a

(17:13):
coaching session on, Hey, here'show everything impacts you here,
just based on the decisions youdo or don't make.
And so this is how this impactsthe biome in your mouth.
This is how it impacts whetheryou're creating greater levels
of density for your teeth orwhether you're decaying those
teeth and so on and so forth.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (17:31):
You're

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (17:31):
it's more preventative.
Coach.
Yes.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (17:33):
Yes.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (17:34):
Thank you.
Thank you.
That speaks to my heart.
Thank you.
So I, I guess it does stand toreason that you could say you're
going against decades of commonsense.
Dental thinking could beconsidered a risky thing, or
meaning if everybody believesthis and you go against that,
the whole community could belike, what are you doing?
That's the belief is aninteresting thing.

(17:55):
It's not the belief.
That's, that's holding dentistsback from adopting this model.
It's our current pay structure,obviously.
So, we are highly incentivizedto do perform surgery.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's where, when you'retalking to colleagues.
It's not like you go intodentistry thinking, I want my
patients to be unhealthy so thatI make money.

(18:16):
That's not our goal.
It's just the, the shift ishappening now and the money is
always the, In our country, it'swhat drives change, right?
So the fact is, is that as wemove towards a more medical.
Management of Carrie's approach,the one of the driving force is

(18:39):
always gonna be economics.
So whether it's a patient comingin saying, I'm gonna insist on
this type of care and I'mwilling to pay for it.
Um, but the other side of it isthe insurance companies are the
number one backers of this.
Because they see the, they, whatthey call it is value-based
care.
So the insurance companies havealready been backing this style

(18:59):
of dentistry for a while

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (19:01):
and promoting

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (19:02):
and, and, and how would you say
funding a lot of this, right?
And what They're out, whatthey're wanting to do is to pay
patients value-based care modelswhere they pay.
The doctor to keep the patienthealthy.
Healthy.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
So I have Exactly.
So paying for prevention.
Exactly.
So I get, me personally, I getyearly bonuses for the patients

(19:26):
that I have decreased theircaries risk or the patients that
I'm keeping at low caries risk.
So I get a bonus check.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (19:31):
check.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (19:31):
Once a year from the, from one
insurance company.
That is a nice bonus check.
But that's the way I, I mean, I,the way I believe it should be.
I mean,'cause on our side onthat, once it gets to the
healthcare side, you're talkingabout catastrophic claims or
you're talking abouthypertension, hyperlipidemia,
you're talking about, you know,high blood, pre, all the things
that are chronic diseases thatthen lead to catastrophic.

(19:55):
Claims.
So how do I reduce claims?
How do I increase presenteeism?
Make sure people can be at work.
And then you look at theMississippi Heart study, which
is where they started inMississippi, looking at humans
from birth all the way throughto death.
Their, and they studied theirhearts all the way through to
better understand how what youeat as a child and how growing

(20:16):
up in a community where friedfoods and so on and so forth,
like what is the actual impacton a child by the time they're
nine.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (20:22):
nine,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1 (20:23):
What's the actual impact on a child by
the time they're 15?
What's the actual impact on thatindividual by the time they're
25 and now for a through a spanof their life, they have a
control group where they canlook at that versus somebody
who's not been eating that wayand basically say, okay, now we
understand how the decisionswe're making when we're young
are truly crippling us by thetime we're 30.

(20:45):
And that's, in essence like whatyou're saying.
You're, you know, The healthcareInsurance world knows that they
understand that.
Now,

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (20:54):
Yeah,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_ (20:54):
there's a whole world of, of, of, of
issues there.
Like 60% of somebody's medicalspend is actually in
prescriptions in a given year.
But those prescriptions are forchronic diseases.
Caries is a chronic disease.
So there you have it.
Right.
And so I like, and so I thinkwhat we're starting to see is,

(21:16):
is like we've had clientsbasically say tie the wellness
program to dental.
So we have, we send a bus out, awellness bus that offers dental,
checks.
And then we'll do a wellnesscheck at the same time so that
we can help on the medical sideand they'll pay for it.
And so it's there, you know,outside of outcomes, there's, it

(21:37):
sounds like multidisciplinarycollaboration.
Right.
I'm getting so excited.
So yeah, we're starting to seesome of that, and we're starting
to push for some of that on ourend.
So it's very interestingconversation.
It's not a conversation I've hadwith a dentist.
So this is, yeah.
Super cool.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (21:51):
Are,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (21:51):
Are, are, are any of the Local
dentists, parents or localcommunity, how are they
responding to it?
Are you kidding me?
Parents are basically like, thisis great for my kid, but what
about me?
But what about me?
So I, we've had to create like,openings.
Now I'm seeing adults, becauseadults want real preventative
care.

(22:12):
They, people want to keep theirbody parts.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (22:14):
Yeah.
They

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (22:15):
Yeah.
They don't want you to drillthem away.
Keeps falling out of your mouthis not like, kind of thing.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (22:19):
people want

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (22:20):
Yeah.
But, um, so the, thedifficulties is, is that.
My diseases decay.
But as you get into adults, youreally start to see dry mouth
take effect.
Yeah.
And so as we get older, you knowall of the medications that
you're talking about, all ofthem cause dry mouth, I feel
like turtle mouth.
you even have a name for it.
I do

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (22:40):
because they turtle mouth,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_ (22:40):
because they because they go, they live
as a turtle.
It's.
Sorry, I can't believe you havea name for it.
I just said, it's so sad I saidit.
They're very uncomfortable.
Everyone at that dry mouth isvery uncomfortable, and so the
dry mouth makes managing yourteeth much more challenging.
Yeah, so that's why I'm reallynot poised, like I'm just not in

(23:01):
a position where I can take careof adults appropriately to the
way that I know they should begetting taken care of.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (23:07):
Okay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (23:07):
But for as far as I've seen in the
Tallahassee community, I don'tthink anyone else is.
Providing that type of care atall.
If I were to see adults, um, ona more regular basis, I would
definitely be doing some salivatesting.
Not only looking at the flow,but looking at the quality and
then helping my patients.
Can you reverse Lack of saliva?
You can treat it right.

(23:28):
Okay.
So, and you really have tofigure out what that's a
symptom.
But

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (23:32):
But I

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (23:33):
I mean, I, I get like dehydration
is one thing, like drinking morewater.
That's not really what'shappening.
That's what I figured.
That's why asked.
No, it's medications.
So medications are gonna causedry mouth all and like, um, you
know, cancer, when you're on allthe medicine, the first thing
that happens, it doesn't matterwhat medication you're on, if
you're on anything that istrying to stop something, it is
also causing you.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (23:51):
you.

marketing_1_09-10- (23:52):
Interesting.
Hmm.
Okay.
I didn't know.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that is gonna be start if youstart asking your friends,
everyone has dry mouth once youget to like a certain age.
Right.
That's the thing.
And so then your teeths reallystart to deteriorate once you
don't have appropriate saliva.
The thing with kids is they haveamazing saliva, they have
boatloads on it.
They're everywhere.
Yeah.
So like shirts, everything.
Exactly.

(24:12):
So, uh, for treating children,you just don't need to.
I haven't found any real, realneed to.
Dive into that, to dive into thesaliva Their saliva's

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (24:21):
saliva

marketing_1_09-10-20 (24:21):
definitely malfunctioning in some way if
they're getting caries becausethe

farris_1_09-10-2025_14 (24:24):
saliva's

marketing_1_09-10-2025 (24:25):
saliva's supposed to buffer the acid.
So how sometimes you can, youcan think about it as treating
the teeth, but you can alsothink about treating the saliva.
What do I do in this mouth toget the disease process to

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (24:37):
be stopped,

marketing_1_09-10- (24:38):
interrupted.
Uh, reversed in my case.
'cause I'm a maniac, right?
Of course.
I wanna reverse my cavities.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (24:44):
Okay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (24:45):
Okay.
When you, but not everybodydoes.
When you say carrie's, what if,if a listener's like, Hey, she
said carrie's.
What does that mean?
Say that, what is it?
What is that?
Sorry.
So we, um, so cavities is, uh,not a real term.
Carrie's is the.
Name of the chronic diseasewhere your teeth dissolve.
Perfect.
In your mouth.
Thank you.

(25:05):
Thank you.
No, that's super, super helpful.
Yeah.
I'm gonna start saying it Cares,cares.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (25:09):
Dunno what

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (25:09):
I'm so sorry.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (25:10):
many

marketing_1_09-10-2025 (25:10):
Carrie's disease, you definitely have
carrie's disease and so when andbut really when you're reading,
when you guys are in theinsurance world, so you
understand like it's not just ablanket, this is what everybody
needs.
It's really a discussion withthe patient to figure out what
their risk is and the risk inthe mouth.
There's a bunch of differentdiseases you can get, but the
most common one across theplanet is caries cavities.

(25:32):
The, the yard description's areally good analogy.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Because kind of to your point,it's like some people have more
shades, some people have moresun.
I mean, the reality is it istrue, like when you think about
even like from a fitnessperspective and coaching or
guiding somebody on losingweight.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (25:49):
weight.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (25:50):
You, you can't treat each person the
same, right?
Like their metabolic rate perperson is gonna be different.
And like right out the gateyou're having issues and heaven
forbid that they have diabetesor some other issue that you
don't know about and you'retelling.
So realistically, yeah, I meanit could be very specialized to
the individual.
I would, I would think, whichmakes it more necessary, right,

(26:15):
to have somebody who'spassionate about it, because
otherwise you just want to kindof.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (26:19):
of.

marketing_1_09-10-2025 (26:20):
Blanket, give a answer to everybody and
get'em out the door.
Yeah, and that's, I mean, that'swhat the, like speaking to your
question of how are peoplereceiving it?
people are basically justfreaking out.
They're like, are you kiddingme?
You don't want to drill on myteeth?
Yeah.
You want to partner with me inme achieving health for myself.

(26:40):
Hold on.
And my family, wait a minute,this is like.
People are just absolutelyexcited about having someone who
wants them to stay whole astheir healthcare provider.
Absolutely.
So you mentioned that you haveone specific insurance carrier
that reimburses you.
What, what about the industry asa whole?

(27:02):
Like what are you seeing there?
That's a really good question.
That is much more so whathappens with dentist with dental
insurance is that it's.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (27:09):
So fragmented

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (27:11):
that there's, I mean, in our
practice, I don't know, we havelike, let's say we have 6,000
patients.
We probably have, I don't know,500 insurance plans.
Mm-hmm.
It's insane.
You know, like how manyinsurance plans do I have that
are just two people on thatinsurance plan is'cause they
work for this company that theparent company is here and
there.
So you end up with this, thedental benefits market, even

(27:32):
though there's a lot ofsimilarities from insurance plan
to insurance plan, there's justso much.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (27:38):
much.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (27:39):
You know, diversity within it that
you can't, you, it's really hardto, to, say what's happening in
every plan.
Yeah.
But did I answer your question?

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (27:52):
well,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (27:53):
it, it, it, it almost seems like it,
it's a, a, the onus is a littlebit on us as consultants, like

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (27:58):
Like understanding what

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (28:00):
the medical providers are trying to
accomplish and understandinglike someone like you and what
you're trying to accomplish, togo and help with the negotiation
process of, Hey, we know this isbest for our client, our
consumer.
Um, we know that if, if, like,if I bring you in and you're
providing this service at TinyTeeth of Tally, we did it.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (28:23):
Yay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (28:24):
did it.
And I say to like, CHP locallyas an example.
I say, listen, there's all thesedental providers, but this
particular one is focusing moreon reducing, um, health factors
that are going to contribute tounhealthy teeth, but that's also
gonna contribute to lower claimsand healthier people.

(28:44):
You know, it's on us to go andnegotiate, I think, a little bit
on your behalf with the carrierto say, we need to steer more
people to this person.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (28:52):
Right.
Her

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (28:53):
Not just,

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (28:53):
blown.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (28:53):
well, 'cause conceptually,

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (28:55):
right?

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (28:55):
what?
Hold on a second.
Oh God.
I mean, conceptually.
Oh, my, because the other, thealternative is, is that you
guys, how does that happen?
Why has this never happenedbefore?
Where have you been?
All my life.
Yeah.
I, I, I, I think, I think, yeah,it's like most things, uh.
Like, you're either not payingattention, you don't know you,
you're not aware that certaindental practices are, are,

(29:18):
looking at life differently.
But I think like our role as aconsultant is to have a say in
steerage.
And what I mean by steerage is.
is,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (29:27):
is.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (29:28):
Take for example, a, a knee
replacement.
We do this in medical all thetime.
If I know that there are threehospitals locally and of the
three, if you get a kneereplacement done at hospital A,
B, and C, I know the cost foreach one.
In addition, I know the recoverystats and how well people
recover, meaning the qualityscore for each one.

(29:50):
If I know the quality score forhospital C is higher than
hospital A and hospital C'scheaper than hospital A, then I
create a plan design that steerspeople to hospital B, and I
create a copay design that makesit more expensive to go.
Basically, I'm, I'm making iteasy to do the right thing.
Right.
Similarly, if you have a dentalpractice that's doing that, you

(30:11):
would want to create steeragetoward the practice that's
helping with the overallholistic health aspect of your
population.
I'd love it if the insurancecompanies would share with me
their data on my rates of.
how

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (30:23):
Seats how do I

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (30:24):
do I get that?

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (30:24):
that?

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (30:25):
And that, I think would be a phone
conversation with, uh, you know,some of the people at the
different, but will they show meThey wouldn't release to that
comparison of that to somebodyelse?
I think they would, I think theywould, if it benefits them and
it

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (30:36):
be definitely

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (30:37):
them to steer more people in a
direction that, that is going toreduce chronic disease.
I'm like, I haven't had thisrelationship.
I have, I've, yes.
I want your help, please.
Thank you.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (30:50):
Yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (30:52):
I mean, I, I, that, that's where
my brain goes, just sittingbecause we're both on different
sides of the fence, but we playin the same sandbox, you know
what I mean?
Kind of thing.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, and, and so that is quitethe mixed metaphor, I guess the,
the deal is though, when youreally think about it, it's
like, okay, so you have a skillset.
Even like CHP or any carrier hasa skill set and the consultant's

(31:15):
job is then to look across allthe skill sets and say, how do
we navigate this for theconsumer?
Mm-hmm.
Some of them don't do the jobright and, and that creates a
negative opinion.
But some of us are actually outthere saying, okay.
If we're gonna reduce overallcosts, people complain about
their premiums.
Well, you want your premiums togo down.
There's only three ways to makethat happen.

(31:36):
One, you shop the carrier andyou try to get the best deal you
can, but that's not a long termsolution.
That's literally somebody'sbuying the book and then they're
gonna jack the rates up a yearlater.
You know?
The second one is, is you cutbenefits out, meaning, I, I, I
reduce your benefit, and so you,you pay less.
And that doesn't help you withretention and it doesn't help
you with recruiting or any otherfactor.

(31:58):
The The last one, three is likeyou get healthier.
Like if your people gethealthier, then the costs go
down'cause you have less claims.
And so from the perspective ofdental, it's like, well, the
average dental.
Claims amount is like two and ahalf claims per year per person.
When you kind of forecast outthat I expect that many visits

(32:19):
from the patients.
So yeah,

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (32:20):
Yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (32:21):
I agreed.
So like as a consultant, when Ilook at it, that's generally
what I would as.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (32:24):
I would assume,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (32:25):
Zoom, but medical's more like 12, it's
10 to 12.
And the healthier you are, thelower that is.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
And so

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (32:32):
It.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (32:33):
it's like, am I trying to bend the
curve of two visits or am Itrying to bend the curve of 12
visits in a possiblecatastrophic claim?
If you're asking me where I'mgonna spend my time, like any
consultant, I'm gonna go to thebar chart and I'm gonna take
that highest one and I'll belike, this is the biggest bang
for your buck.
But what people then ignore is,is yeah, but the.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (32:51):
Impact

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (32:52):
the decisions you make that we're
seeing over here.
This is your leading indicatorversus your lagging indicators,
which is now I had a heartattack,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (32:58):
now I had a heart attack,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (33:00):
And it's like, well, great.
So what are the things we needto do to get ahead of the heart
attack?
Well, unfortunately the two anda half claims over here is
driving a big component of thatis that the Mississippi study
that that ties into all of the,the different studies that are
out there.
One of them being the miss.
But this is, this is, so this isyour understanding of like kind
of the flow, how it all tiestogether.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (33:19):
Yeah,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_ (33:20):
Really, I'm I'm, really I'm, really,
excited to have thisconversation.
I'll tell you that.
Yeah.
So I mean, like, and then youthink about the average person
out there who just gets mad.
'cause they're like, well, he'stelling me to eat less fried
food.
And it's like, well, listen,there's a whole education
process that has to happen hereof, of, okay, let's just talk
about.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (33:38):
like

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (33:39):
The food, you know, the food pyramid
and what everybody's always toldyou about what you should eat,
and it's like, okay, really,somebody needs to sit down with
every single person and helpthem understand, like, look,
your basal metabolic rate tellsyou like how many calories
you're gonna burn in a day.
Then you have to have a basicunderstanding of how many
calories you're putting intoyour body every day.

(33:59):
Mm-hmm.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (33:59):
Mm-hmm.

marketing_1_09-10-2025 (34:00):
Wouldn't hurt to know how many of those
are coming from protein, howmany are coming from fat, and
how many are coming fromcarbohydrate.
You know what I'm saying?
And oh, by the way, everybody'sday looks different.
If you're working a a garbagetruck and you're on your feet
and you're hoofing it all daylong, basal metabolic rate plus
a certain amount of caloriesburned, you can eat more.
But if you're sitting behind adesk at a computer, and let's

(34:22):
just say your bas basalmetabolic rate is like 1400
calories a day, and maybe youburned an extra 500 just
throughout the whole rest of theday.
I mean, you're at 1900 calories,but you're probably eating like
3000.
Right, right.
For lunch and those, so theright, and so now all of a
sudden

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (34:39):
you're going

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (34:39):
that fried chicken, right.
And so now you hit themicrobiome issue because let's
talk about what they're eating.
So their teeth are decaying,they're progressing towards
like.
Less saliva in their mouth, butalso'cause of all of their
other, uh, diseases, right?
And, and then the medicines thatthey're taking for those
diseases.
And then you add on to that.
Oh, by the way, now I'm obeseand as a result, my blood

(35:01):
pressure's higher.
Uh, maybe I'm pushing orprogressing towards diabetes.
And so now

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (35:08):
Now

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (35:08):
get into a scenario where people are
showing up to work less.
They're sick more, they're lesspresent with their families.
Depression starts to increase.
Like you could literally gothrough the gamut with somebody
and say, here's how this impactsyour life.
Yeah.
This is how this impacts yourlife.
And oh, by the way, there'sthese people out there called
actuaries who are literally.

(35:29):
Looking at all your decisionsand saying, this person's gonna
die by the time they're 63.
And they know someone knows.
They know it because when youget a life insurance policy,
right?
Like literally.
Literally, if you, like, if you,Gary Breca,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (35:45):
And

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (35:45):
I'm not endorsing anything he does
or doesn't say, but he was oneof those people that worked at
the carrier.
Who was doing that analysis ofpeople and, and in, and he tells
his own story.
He says, in the process of doingthis, I realized I could call
this person and say, Hey, if youdon't do these things, you'll
live longer.
But, but he's technically notallowed to do that because it's

(36:06):
hipaa.
Right?
And so he's like, I'm gonna quitmy job.
Doing this and I'm gonna gocreate a job and teach and I'm
gonna tell them don't do thesethings.
Mm-hmm.
And so I think like the world iswaking up to it.
I haven't heard the world wakingup to it in dentistry, which is
it's trend that started,started.
Well, what I gonna say is I feellike you hear about all this
stuff as healthcare industry asa whole and, and medical and

(36:28):
wellness, but you don't hearabout it specific to the
industry.
So it's very cool, like, I mean,and across all the functions,
I'm sure.
You know, are there any otherareas that are starting to think
this way?
Is there something for visionor, you know, who knows?
Like, that's great.
Well, we had a question on hereabout is, uh, it was, is, is it
correct to say that currentreimbursement model rewards
surgeries and invasivetreatments rather than

(36:49):
preventative ones?
But I think like we all, like,we, we get it.
Like people in life, it's like,it's just that people want, but
people wanna Sorry to interrupt.
No, go ahead.
Go ahead.
People wanna pay, people want togo to the dentist to pay, like
they expect that they're goingto, They know they're gonna hate
getting their teeth drilled on,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (37:07):
but they,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (37:08):
they they're, they, are.
When we're talking about howthey're receiving it, when I
say, look, rub this cream on it

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (37:13):
Uh,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (37:14):
three times a week, um, they're like,
oh no, they don't want itsometimes.
And, and you're like, oh, they'drather be drilled on they, well,
it is like list three.
It's really hard to changepeople's perception of what.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (37:25):
what,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (37:26):
When they expect your, the dentist to
act a certain way.
Mm-hmm.
So that's been, I have, I guessI can, I've seen some of that,
but it's, it, there is some ofthat people, people ex.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (37:40):
Expect

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1 (37:40):
Expect the dentist to drill on their
teeth.
I say it's like blisteringbecause if it doesn't burn, I
don't feel like it's working.
Yeah.
And and that's what I mean whenI say that.
And your point is well made.
It's like it's more if theydon't, don't do like an invasive
procedure.
I didn't get my money's worth.
Yeah.
And oh, by the way, I'm onlycoming like two and a half times
a year, maybe two times a year.
No, those are the, no, that'swhen it's good.

(38:01):
Most people wanna come onceevery five years.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (38:04):
Yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (38:04):
Well, even worse, right?
Like that's not good.
Yeah.
I see what you're saying.
They're coming for their, sowhen they come, it is a big
event because they've beendelaying, delaying, delaying.
It's been building up, buildingup, building up, and now it's,
there's an issue.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
And that's why they're coming.
Yeah.
And so when I'm trying to sell$40 tubes of paste to put in
your mouth or in your kid'smouth, it.
People just don't expect tospend$40 on that.

(38:27):
What they expect is to waituntil it's a disaster.
Okay?
And I'm gonna fork over 3000bucks.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (38:33):
And

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (38:34):
not that I'm gonna like a

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (38:35):
no, it's like a root

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (38:35):
of 3000 bucks, but I, I've been
telling you to buy the

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (38:39):
40

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (38:39):
too for a while.
You just kind of.
Didn't think of me like adermatologist caring for the
outside.
Um, I, I personally try toremind people constantly that
I'm tired of looking at theinside of people's teeth.
Like, leave me on the outside.
I'd rather talk my way throughthis disease.
It makes me think of, this isfunny, it makes me think of

(39:00):
football.
It's like when you teach a

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (39:01):
a

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (39:02):
If you're an outside linebacker,
where do they play that song?
Right?
You play from the outside in.
Right, because you have to haveoutside containment.
And so in my head I'm like,that's like your teeth.
Like you're basically saying Iwanna work from the outside in.
Yeah.
Like I, I wanna createcontainment that starts on the
outside and then we'll work in.
But if you do a good job on theoutside, we won't make it to the

(39:23):
inside.
We'll never know that I was agood den.
I mean outside, well, outside oflike basic cleanings and Got it.
Like, but that's from theoutside in.
What's the outside strategy?
And then we'll go.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
It's kind of interesting.
Yes.
It's a defensive strategy.
So where do you see the industrygoing?
Like, oh, towards this health,health, wellness?

farris_1_09-10-2025 (39:45):
Absolutely.
I

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (39:46):
mean, it's gonna change the business
model that every dentist isaccustomed to because most of
the treatment that.
I mean, we're talking aboutdoing minimally invasive care.
Most of it is literally cleaningyour teeth more frequently in or
rubbing cream on it.
Or, you know, I have an arsenalof candies and chews and

(40:09):
lollipops that taste deliciousand are full of protein, right?
So they, uh, you know, there'sprebiotic and probiotic laws,
vitamin.
It's amazing.
There's amazing.
Once we shift from invasivedentistry to a minimally
invasive or non-invasive ortopical type of dentistry where
we're doing chronic diseasemanagement instead of trying to

(40:32):
patch up the holes.
Then from all of the, the,failures of prevention, I see
the scale is different becausethe hygienist will be the ones
delivering most of the carewhere a dentist currently is
incentivized for most of thework that comes out of their
hands.
This is now also shifting a lotof the intervention burden to

(40:56):
the hygiene team to, and reallyempowering them to be able to
provide the preventative carethat they set out to do.
So the dental practices I expectwill grow.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (41:06):
Mm-hmm.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (41:06):
In sheer volume because now the
dentist can actually care for afar larger number of patients
and we're still gonna be incharge of doing the surgical
intervention.
Right.
Because

farris_1_09-10-2025_14 (41:15):
surgical it's

marketing_1_09-10-2025 (41:15):
surgical intervention isn't going away.
Yeah.
But you can manage a lot morehealthy people than you can sick
people, if that makes sense.
Mm-hmm.
With your auxiliary team.
So I see a restructuring of,yeah, a restructuring of of
things, but I think it's gonnahappen pretty darn soon.
It's Like

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (41:33):
It's

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (41:33):
Like coffee is to CrossFit or burn or
orange theory, meaning, youknow, people are like, okay, I
want to create an ecosystem.
So if I buy a building, I wannabuy a building that can have
multiple businesses within it.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (41:49):
And

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (41:50):
you ask yourself, well what
businesses do I put in it?
Well, glad you asked.
You know what I mean?
Like, I'm gonna put a coffeeshop and then I'm gonna put a
workout facility.
'cause people are gonna comework out and then they're gonna
go next door and then they'regonna get a coffee.
And if they work out in theafternoon, they might wanna go
get a lunch, so maybe I'm gonnacreate a, a sandwich shop.
And it's like, how do I create aplace that one, if they come in

(42:12):
for one thing, it begets themgoing and doing another thing.
Right.
And so you saidmultidisciplinary

farris_1_09-10-20 (42:18):
collaboration and so

marketing_1_09-10 (42:18):
collaboration and so Right.
So conceptually you start to

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (42:20):
think

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (42:20):
think about, well, what are the
components of health that needto be impacted?
Right.
And how do they then tie into.
This pathway towards a betterexistence for a person?
Well, you, that's also cheaper,right?
Like you, maybe you have aprimary care physician, maybe
you have a dental person, andmaybe you have a vision person.
Maybe you have a dietician.

(42:41):
You know what I'm saying?
And so then the questionbecomes, if I can figure out the
right pathway through thesepeople on the preventative side.
Then on the long term, youshould have less claims and
lower, um, catastrophic loss.
Right.
And so that's where some, it'slike the field of dreams.
It's like if you build it,they'll come, they'll come.

(43:03):
Mm-hmm.
Right?
And then you start to think,well, okay, start in one
community and do it in onecommunity, and let that be

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (43:10):
the,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (43:10):
the, model for other communities.
Um, there's gotta be an elementto that, that you do have the
general thought process thatlike, I think every consumer
has, like, take orthopedics.
Nobody decides to become anorthopedic surgeon so that they
can tell you to go use bands andlike, you know, heal your

(43:30):
shoulders so that you don't needshoulder surgery.
Like, that's not why they wentto school to become a surgeon.
Mm-hmm.
You know?
Yeah.
And so.
You don't expect to go to anyorthopedic clinic and have them
say, well, let me give you thisrehab thing so that you don't
need the surgery.
What they say is happy to do thesurgery, and oh, by the way,
first I need an x-ray.

(43:51):
And it's like, but I didn'tbreak a bone.
And they're like, but I need anx-ray.
And then they're like, and now Ineed an MRI.
And you're like, well, why did Iget the X-ray?
Well, I had to make sure youdidn't break a bone, but I know
I didn't break a bone.
Like it's not like I fell off a.
Ladder.
You know what I mean?
Like I was doing, putting abackpack on a hook and I heard
something make it pop.

(44:12):
Yeah.
So, but, but this is, and herestarts the, where the average
consumer looks at it and they'relike, you're taking advantage.
Of me.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (44:19):
me.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (44:20):
You know, and this is where distrust
comes from, and this is wherelike, I think there's an opening
for new because people are tiredof feeling like they are being
taken advantage of a pincushion, right?
Yeah.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (44:31):
Yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (44:32):
So it, it, it, what, what I think
it stands to reason is thatpeople are looking at you and
they're saying, okay, thisperson's not trying to give me a
surgery.
This person's basically givingme a plan of attack, that if I
follow it, it'll prevent thesurgery.
And this is not making, it'smaking them less money.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (44:50):
Yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (44:51):
This person's being honest, to me,
they care.
That's the gen, probably thegeneral logical thought process.
I don't think they think we'remaking less money.
People think that, do they soundsuper rich, but, but

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (45:00):
but

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (45:00):
and irrespective it's a different
form of care.
It seems like you are trying to

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (45:05):
avoid,

marketing_1_09-10-20 (45:06):
especially with children.
Parents don't want to hear, ohmy gosh, I have to get my kids.
Like, they have anxiety aboutit.
The kids have,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (45:13):
have anxiety about

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (45:14):
the worst.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (45:14):
worst.
It's

marketing_1_09-10-202 (45:14):
Terrible, worst.
Yeah.
And then you're like, you know,I don't know about, like, I'll
say this and if my parents hearthis, I love you and I don't,
there's no issue.
But when we were, we didn't havea lot of money when we were
kids.
Dad was in the military.
Mom at the time didn't work.
And so I went to get my wisdomteeth and my parents couldn't
pay to put me under.
And so whatever I was awake.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (45:32):
awake.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (45:33):
But while I was awake, the
anesthesia wore off.
Like because the guy didn't giveme enough as he was cutting
into, and unfortunately had,they had to.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (45:39):
to

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (45:40):
My jaw, they were wrapped around my
jaw.
so it was not the best procedureand it lasted for a very long
time.
And my shirt when I walked outwas covered.
It was wet, soaking wet andsweat.
And my mom was like, oh my gosh,what have we done?

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (45:52):
I'm so

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (45:53):
I'm so sorry.
So to this day, they feel superguilty about it, but I think
about.
That.
Yeah.
And I think about like our kids.
I, I told my wife, I was like,we will pay for anesthesia,
right?
And you think about like thiskind of stuff, and it's like,
well, if you can avoid that andyou can avoid having to have
that kind of an experiencebecause you're, you, you're,

(46:15):
you're, you're doing thingsdifferently that are, that are
avoiding it.
Like why the heck wouldn't you?
Yeah.
Right.
And so as I process a lot ofthat, like.
Yeah, I think it's super cool.
I think it's super cool.
Thank you.
As somebody who, you know,didn't have the greatest, I, I
still to this day don't have aproblem going to the dentist,
but zero cavities.

(46:35):
Zero cavities.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (46:36):
I mean,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (46:37):
I have that.
I consider

farris_1_09-10-2025_14 (46:38):
consider

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (46:39):
why, I consider that being very
fortunate, we know you'regetting chipped down.
You know, I do get chipped downand I do get yelled at about.
My gums all the time.
Lost it.
But like, I do consider myselfsuper fortunate from that
perspective.
And I felt really bad watchingthe kids.
'cause I'm like, my goodness, I,you know, they have so many, you
want me to make a toothpasterecommendation that would

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (46:59):
Yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (47:00):
and thematically break down the
calculus instead of you havingto get it screened off?
Is it?
Well, I'll, I'll give it to you.
Okay.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (47:04):
Okay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (47:05):
Tell the world.
Tell, tell the world.
Don't tell the world.
Um, and you're gonna, it's gonnahave to spend$7 on it, on
Amazon.
It'll be okay.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (47:13):
Okay.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (47:14):
live fresh and has a.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (47:15):
a,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (47:15):
has.
You could get a couple ofoptions with or without bubbles
and with or without fluoride.
Also, did you know people thatyou can use your FSA dollars for
things like toothpaste?
Oh, there you go.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (47:25):
Are you

marketing_1_09-10-2025 (47:26):
Alright.
Lip fresh?
You heard that.
You know exactly

farris_1_09-10-2025_14 (47:29):
calculus

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (47:29):
for ne, but your dentist should be
offering you the toothpaste thatspeaks to your disease.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (47:36):
Right.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1 (47:36):
Right.
I think isn't that like thebest, if I could help people by
helping them pick out thetoothpaste that they use, and I
never have to pick up my drilland put it to a two year old's
head.
I would be like super happyabout that existence.
You know what, you could, youknow what, it's an, I don't know
if you're interested or not, butsocial media's such an

(47:58):
interesting world these days,and I'm just thinking if you did
like little blips like thatwith, with your company's thing
in the background and just like,Hey, toothpaste, influenza

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (48:09):
coming in.
Well,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1 (48:10):
coming in.
Well, it's like not even justtoothpaste, right?
Like whatever the differentthings are you think people
should be doing, that'sdifferent than what dentists are
telling people nowadays.
And at some point sometoothpaste companies be like,
I'll sponsor this lady.
I mean like there's just a newways to make income.
Mm-hmm.
And new ways to advertise yourbusiness.
And maybe that's being thatnobody else is really doing

(48:31):
that.
And that's a different model youhave.
It could be a fun little.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (48:33):
little

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (48:34):
Way to push your business.
Thank

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (48:36):
you.
Yeah,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (48:37):
Yeah, thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah, absolutely.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I think you're completelycorrect.
Yeah.
I couldn't agree with you more.
I don't know how, and I mean, Isee stuff on teeth all the time
on social media.
Yeah.
Like random stuff, you know?
You know, like

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (48:51):
like a.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (48:52):
we're gonna get off topic.
Let's, we'll talk about it offthere.
No.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (48:55):
I mean, it's

marketing_1_09-10- (48:55):
Interesting.
But yeah,

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (48:56):
yeah, I mean,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (48:56):
you get like some beautiful mouth
child to be like, I love thistoothpaste and I, you know,
whatever.
And

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (49:03):
yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (49:03):
then their mom has a million
subscribers and they postedmore.
Well, I say all of this to saylike, if you're listening to
this podcast, like be be on thelookout for tiny teeth of tally
and maybe

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (49:14):
tiny teeth of

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (49:15):
out to me.
Maybe we see Astrid on socialmedia.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (49:17):
I would

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (49:18):
I would love it.
Get some, some, I have not.
Camera shot, you know, some

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (49:21):
dental tape tapes.
Um,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (49:24):
So, okay, let's, yeah.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (49:25):
yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (49:26):
Can you share a moment with us that
you, you're like, this was worthit.
This, all of this research, allthis staying up late at night
reading after my kids have goneto bed.
What, what is a mom a story thatyou can share that, um, well, I,
I had these family of, I mean,it's just, it's countless
patients.
It's countless patients, and Idon't wanna get too much into

(49:47):
the medicine of it.
But, um, what I can say for sureis, is that my life is different
now because I'm happier.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14 (49:54):
happier.
Her,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (49:55):
Um, when I started first got started
getting into learning aboutminimally invasive dentistry and
what we call medical managementof Carries.
I, I've met a couple of mentorsand they were like, they kept
talking about how happy you willbe and you are like, how happy.
Like this makes you.
and what I can say is, is I'venever been more energetic in the

(50:17):
morning, and I've always lovedmy job.
I've always loved my job, butthe, the, pride that I can feel
like walking through areeverywhere I walk.
I.
See kids, and I'm like, ifparents want to bring them to
me, I can pretty much

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (50:34):
It's

marketing_1_09-10-2025 (50:34):
whatever they want me to, whatever they
decide they want me to do, but Ican treat a child with.
So with this incredibly hugearsenal of treatment options
that will work for that patient.
Mm-hmm.
And when I'm able to do that forspecial needs kids that are
nonverbal for a 3-year-old whohas a lot of fear for, I mean,
every.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (50:53):
every, every.
every,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (50:54):
kid.
And you can come up with astrategy that works for that
family.
It makes me that, that pride andthat joy is something that's
been personallytransformational.
That's cool.
So it's um, it's definitely abeautiful thing.
Like I said from the beginning,I was really happy to be here
'cause it's my favorite thing totalk about.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (51:12):
cool.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (51:12):
But helping people be healthy.
Is something that is, well, Ifound my passion.
I found my passion for the restof my career.
I got 20 more years and I'mreally excited about doing this.
Very cool.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
That's very cool seeing where itgoes.
So, well, I know where you see,pediatric dentistry heading for
you.
I mean, how, where do you see itgoing for the, for the market

(51:32):
and for kind of your, this way?
So if you were to, so I thinkthe best thermometer for this is
what is presented at theAmerican Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry Annual Session, whichI'd love to go to.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (51:44):
to.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (51:45):
Um, and if anyone is on the
selection committee, I did justapply to the

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (51:49):
speaker there.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_ (51:50):
speaker there.
That's fine.
Um, but, um, it was on how tomake money doing this type of
care in a PPO insuranceuniverse.
For the last three years, thisis pretty much the only thing
they've been talking about.
Last year they did an eighthour, which I couldn't go to,
but the last, last year they didan eight hour.
Intensive, what would you callit?

(52:12):
Educational thing?
Yeah.
Teaching these, these,techniques, these advanced
caries management techniques.
I bet.
So it's happening.
I bet you

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (52:20):
if

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (52:21):
if you, if you talked to like Matt

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (52:23):
Olinger

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (52:24):
Vicky Whaley and some of our people
that manage one of our largecases on, uh, that that, on
dental, that we could probablyeven create an arrangement with
you where.
You put together an educationalseminar or something that's
virtual.
I just have four hours last week

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (52:41):
Yeah.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (52:41):
the tall Bet you school t

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (52:43):
for

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (52:43):
you up north.
We could do like a seminarbecause dental issues is one of
their biggest issues.
Yep.
And you could do an educationalevent for all of'em.
I love to teach.
Well, we'll, we'll have, have todo a follow up and connect.
Yay.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (52:56):
Yay.

marketing_1_09-10-2 (52:56):
Hallelujah.
Thank you.
Uh, so the next thing on here isyour lightning round.
I'm gonna let Kyla do thelightning round.
Yeah.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (53:02):
All right.

marketing_1_09-10-202 (53:04):
Lightning round.
No drilling down too deep.
That's why I'm gonna let Y'allare laughing, right?
Okay.
All right.
You ready?
Yes.
All right.
Best part of working with kids.
Oh, love.
Love,

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (53:19):
love,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (53:20):
love, I love children.
Go next.
Fluoride varnish or sealants.
Go to super ca, hero ca, capefour Teeth,

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (53:28):
mark.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (53:28):
um,

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (53:29):
Say that.

marketing_1_09-10-2025 (53:29):
fluoride varnish or sealants?
Uh, it depends on their risk.
Okay.
That carries risk.
Okay.
If you weren't a dentist, whatwould you be?
A teacher or a cake decorator?
A cake decorator.
Ah, secret.
Yeah.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141 (53:44):
talent.
Talent.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (53:45):
No, I'm not good at it, but it seems
entertaining.
I'm laughing because I'm likecake.
She loves sweets and cake.
And you're a dentist?
Yes.
And I have cat.
I'm my number one patient.
Don't, it's like, you know whatI mean?
It's like when you go to acounselor.
You can know.
It doesn't mean you wanna do it100%.

(54:05):
I'm like, okay, fair enough.
Yeah.
All right, I hear you.
It makes sense.
But no, it makes perfect sense.
Okay.
Fill in the blank.
Tiny teeth, big heart.
Thank you.
Head.

farris_1_09-10-2025_1418 (54:17):
mouth.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141811 (54:18):
I think that tiny teeth they get
is fine.
I like the wet mouth.
Wet mouth.
We all know that's dog.
You know, wet kids.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (54:24):
warm heart.
Wet nose warm.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (54:26):
Okay, well, what if they're sick?

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (54:28):
sick?

marketing_1_09-10-2025_141 (54:28):
Then they're their heart's

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (54:30):
sad.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14181 (54:30):
Oh man.
Poor dry nose dog.
That's funny.
All right.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (54:38):
Aw.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (54:39):
Aw, I feel like we just totally beat
up the dry nose dog.
Anyway.
All right, so fan.
All right, Thank you.
Um, last question.
So we, we kinda reserve like onelast question for everybody.
It's, it's, it is basic, right?
Is there anything else you wantour listeners to know?
Aw, that's, um, uh, um, you canread more about minimally

(55:04):
invasive dentistry on our TinyTeeth tally website.
There is a dedicated page onminimally invasive dentistry, or
you can go to the AmericanDental Association and read
about caries management.
Hmm.
And there's lots of resourcesthere.
And of course everything isevidence based and la la, la,
la.
It's just a matter of gettingthe word out there.

(55:25):
And if there's a dentist outthere that wants to connect,
let's connect.
Let's go out.
Let's do it.
Okay.
Yeah.
Well, that's super cool.
Thank you.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (55:33):
you.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (55:34):
Yeah, thank you.
Thank you for coming.
Thank you guys for listening.
Thank you.
Super appreciate it.
Um, thank you to all thelisteners out there.
If any of you have anyquestions, please contact us or
look for any information on [e-mail].
And just one more time, I justwanna make sure.

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (55:52):
sure,

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1418 (55:52):
Um, it's a plug for you web address,
www.tinyteethoftally.com.
Awesome.
Tiny, you can fill out

farris_1_09-10-2025_14181 (56:01):
teeth

marketing_1_09-10-2025_1 (56:02):
tally.
Yes.
And you can fill out new patientpaperwork right on there.
It's all electronic.
It's all there.
See for moms.
Okay.
Well Astrid.
And Dads.
And dads.
That's cool.
Um, thank you very much.
Thank you.
And, uh, remember to all thelisteners out there, you can
listen and subscribe on anypodcast app.

farris_1_09-10-2025_141811 (56:20):
app.

marketing_1_09-10-2025_14 (56:21):
Thank you and have a great day.