Shared Practices | Your Dental Roadmap To Practice Ownership | Custom Made For The New Dentist

What happens when you buy a dental practice straight out of school? Richard and Andrew get real about the wins, the painful lessons, and the strategies that make it possible. If you're dreaming of ownership, this episode is packed with practical advice—and a few hard truths.

Thinking about buying your first dental practice? In this episode, George Hariri and Richard Low revisit Shared Practices' evolved approach: acquiring “ready to grow” practices. Learn how to identify these opportunities, avoid common acquisition pitfalls, and set yourself up for sustainable growth aligned with your long-term vision.

Thinking of buying a practice? Hear how Dr. Brian Belsterling used Shared Practices’ tools to go from associate to thriving owner—without the stress. This candid interview with Richard Low unpacks the wins, setbacks, and strategy behind Brian’s path to long-term growth.

Remember Nesto’s wild story from last week? This time he’s on the mic, and he’s sharing what it’s really like to manage two totally different dental practices while building a team, coaching his associate, and chasing a dual-group-practice dream.

In this solo Practice Under Water episode, George Hariri narrates the gritty and inspiring ownership journey of “Nesto,” a dentist navigating the challenges of two practices—one thriving, one bleeding cash. George details Nesto’s path from a promising acquisition to hard financial lessons, culminating in a pivotal decision to persist with both practices. This episode is a deep dive into real-world ownership grit, strategic crossroad decisions, and long-term vision.

Richard and George explore the financial journey of a dentist’s career through three key phases: income generation, wealth accumulation, and eventual stagnation. They discuss critical decisions around practice ownership vs. DSOs, income benchmarks, and strategies for building generational wealth. This episode offers practical financial guidance for dentists navigating each stage of their career. Check out our events page for our upcoming events https://sharedpractices.com/events/

This episode features Richard Low and Alex Sharp in a deep dive on culture as a foundational driver of practice success. From turnover and team expectations to measurable metrics and mission-driven leadership, they outline how to build a culture that’s both intentional and resilient. Whether you’re just starting out or refining your systems, this conversation offers actionable strategies you can implement tomorrow. Check out our events page for all 2025 events https://sharedpractices.com/events/

Explore the essential steps to securing financing for your dental practice with Richard Low, Steve Steinbrunner, and Brian Carroll from Provide. From liquidity requirements to real estate expansion, this episode outlines best practices for both startups and acquisitions—plus details on the July Pathway to Practice Ownership event. Check out our events page https://sharedpractices.com/events/ for more details.

In this episode of Coach’s Corner, Richard and Caitlin dive into the challenges of analysis paralysis—that overwhelming feeling of having too many options and struggling to take action as a practice owner. They discuss decision-making frameworks, managing attention and focus, and avoiding the trap of endless learning without execution. Whether it’s dealing with daily operations, implementing new systems, or choosing which advice to follow, this episode provides actionable strategies to filter the noise, prioritize effectively, and actually get things done.Visit https://sharedpractices.com/events/ for all of our upcoming events!

One decision can change everything. In this episode of Ask George, we reveal why buyer’s representation isn’t optional—it’s essential. George and Richard share the biggest mistakes pre-owners make and how to spot a growth-ready practice before someone else does. Don’t miss this masterclass in practice acquisition strategy.

Dr. Brady Smith joins Dr. Richard Low for a raw, hilarious, and insightful conversation about the wild turns his dental career has taken—from owning Comfort Dental franchises to building a hygienist-less group practice, launching comedy shows, and pioneering charitable dentistry. They explore Brady’s bold social media strategy, his unfiltered patient interactions, and how making dentistry fun again can redefine fulfillment. Whether you’re into practice ownership, stand-up, or scaling without hygiene, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode of the Shared Practices Podcast, Dr. Richard Low and Dr. Alex Sharp tackle an important question: Once you’ve built a thriving practice and reached financial success, what’s next?Most dentists focus on growing their practice and increasing income, but after hitting a financial milestone, the next steps become less clear. Richard and Alex explore the challenges, mindset shifts, and opportunities for investing beyond the dental practice.

In this Coach’s Corner episode, Richard and Caitlin dive into one of the most common challenges for practice owners—getting their team to truly buy in. Spoiler alert: It’s not about throwing more money at the problem! They break down three key areas that drive real engagement: genuinely caring about your team, defining the “why” behind your practice, and clearly communicating your vision and expectations. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by a disengaged team, this episode is for you.

Expanding a dental practice is an exciting but high-stakes challenge. In this episode of Ask George, Richard and George take a deep dive into the operational and financial realities of scaling up. From hiring the right office manager to streamlining systems for efficiency, they discuss the critical steps that can make or break a growing practice.The discussion also touches on the financial stress of expansion, how to prepare cash reserves, and why managing risk wisely can mean the difference between a thriving multi-doctor office and a financial disaster. Whether you're adding an associate or considering a large-scale expansion, this episode offers real-world strategies and key insights to help you navigate the process successfully.

In this episode of the Shared Practices Podcast, Dr. Richard Low interviews Dr. Simon Wu about his journey from associate to successful practice owner in Southern California. Dr. Wu shares how he navigated the challenges of buying a practice with high overhead and low new patient flow, the strategies he used to turn it into a thriving business, and the role coaching played in his success. Listeners will gain insights on evaluating practice opportunities, negotiating PPO fees, and scaling a practice while maintaining work-life balance.

Dr. Richard Low and Dr. Alex Sharp dive into the personal financial strategies that dentists need to achieve financial escape velocity. They discuss how to manage student loans, build financial security, and make the strategic moves that lead to wealth and financial freedom. Whether you’re a new associate, an early practice owner, or looking to optimize your finances, this episode provides real-world advice on increasing income, building net worth, and making the right financial decisions for long-term success.

Expanding from one practice to multiple locations is a whole different ballgame—are you ready for it? In this episode of Ask George, Dr. Richard Low and Dr. George Hariri break down the critical decision points, from assessing your readiness to navigating the burdens of multi-practice ownership. They dive deep into the challenges of acquisitions vs. startups, the importance of long-term vision, and why patience and quality always outweigh reckless growth. If you're thinking about scaling your practice, this is the must-listen roadmap to doing it right!

In this episode, Richard Low sits down with Dr. Mohiuddin Ifaz and Lori Williams to discuss an incredible practice transformation journey. Dr. Ifaz shares how he acquired and modernized a 40-year-old dental practice with no digital systems, turning it into a thriving, fully digital, fee-for-service practice. Lori, one of Shared Practices' top coaches, details the critical role of coaching, team management, and strategy in scaling a practice successfully.

In Part 2 of our deep dive with Gregorio, we lay out the step-by-step blueprint to scale his $1.9M, 7-op practice into a $3.5M mega-group practice—all while reducing his clinical days to just two per week. George walks through the critical decisions Gregorio must make, including expanding the facility, hiring the right associate, and implementing an office manager to streamline operations. They also discuss profit-sharing vs. equity, how to finance the expansion without disrupting cash flow, and why a strategic hiring approach will be the key to long-term success.If you haven’t listened to Part 1, go back and start there for context!

In this episode of 'Practice Underwater', George Hariri sits down with "Gregorio," a real dentist with a fake name but real numbers. After a four-year journey from associate to owner, Gregorio now runs a thriving $2M practice but faces a major crossroads—how to scale his business while reducing his clinical hours. George dives into Gregorio’s background, practice dynamics, and vision for a two-day clinical work week while maintaining high profitability. They explore his implant and endo-heavy clinical mix, the bottlenecks in hygiene, and the expansion potential of his facility. Is he on the path to a $3.5M practice, or should he drop insurance first? Tune in to hear the breakdown and strategy for his next move.