Podcast Summary

Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: Annie Sawyer, Director at 3D Dentists
Host: Ariana Portolatten (Becker's Healthcare)
Guest: Annie Sawyer, Director at 3D Dentists
Date: September 20, 2025
Length: ~12 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation with Annie Sawyer, Director at 3D Dentists, a dental education and practice growth company. Annie shares her insights on the current state of the dental industry, focusing on major challenges such as staffing shortages, mental health, and access to care. She also discusses the transformative impact of technology and AI, what excites and worries her about the industry's future, and the skills healthcare leaders need to remain successful.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Annie Sawyer’s Role and Background (00:13–01:41)

• Annie introduces herself and her 15 years of experience in the dental service organization (DSO) space.
• She explains 3D Dentists’ mission: “We offer courses, workshops to help dental professionals improve their practices by combining clinical techniques with business strategies.” (00:23)
• 3D Dentists is described as a community-driven, dentist-owned company led by practicing dentists Dr. Tarun Agarwal (“T Bone”) and Dr. Sully Sullivan.

“At 3D, the dentists and teams that collaborate with us… have somebody that's still working… they understand everything that's happening right in the day to day life.” (00:49)

2. Major Issues Facing Dentistry Today (01:41–02:30)

• Annie identifies staffing challenges, mental health, and access to care as the top issues:
  • Staffing problems increase pressure on owners, teams, and patients.
  • These issues are interconnected and create strain throughout the dental ecosystem.

“Staffing challenges, mental health and access to care are… the biggest issues that I'm currently following… they all combine, you know, and play into each other.” (01:51)

3. Addressing Staffing Challenges (02:30–03:48)

• High turnover and shifting employee expectations have “changed the landscape” for staffing in dentistry and dental organizations.
• There’s a need for leaders to adapt to changing expectations around work-life balance, scheduling flexibility, and efficiency.
• 3D Dentists aims to help practices become more adaptable for better retention and loyalty.

“It’s a time of pivot for everybody in a leadership role… really being adaptable and helping others find solutions.” (02:43)

4. Mental Health in Dentistry (03:48–05:29)

• Dentistry continues to have elevated rates of mental health challenges and burnout.
• The pandemic exacerbated burnout among dental hygienists, increasing pressure on remaining dentists.
• 70% of dentists report being burnt out.
• Annie sees hope in new technology and AI, which can alleviate pressures by automating and optimizing processes.

“70% of dentists report being burnt out. And so that’s crazy.” (04:37)
“We’re leveraging technology to help with that.” (05:23)

5. Excitement and Concerns About Dentistry’s Future (05:29–08:24)

Excitement:

• AI and technology are having a major positive impact—from diagnosing to administrative tasks.
• 3D Dentists actively uses solutions like Overjet, Care Stack, and Voice Stack.
• There’s a new willingness among dental professionals to embrace change and innovation.

“AI has been a game changer for us.” (05:59)
“What excites me even more is how well the dental profession has embraced the new technologies…” (06:17)

Concerns:

• The overwhelming pace of new technology can lead dentists to “get caught in the weeds” and make poor investment decisions.
• Annie emphasizes the importance of having trusted advisors to evaluate solutions.

“Getting caught in the weeds is something that us in the dental professional can very easily do.” (07:00)
“Workflows are proven and consistent and get beautiful results.” (07:55)

6. What Effective Healthcare Leaders Need (08:24–10:12)

• Leaders must be people-centric and practice empathy and transparency.
• Data-driven decision making is crucial—don’t rely solely on intuition or opinions.
• Leaders need to be tech-savvy to help teams adapt and grow.
• Embracing digital transformation is vital for both private practices and DSOs.

“Leaders will need to be empathetic… and then transparency, collaboration with the teams as well.” (08:45)
“Instead of relying on our intuition or our opinions, it’s important for us leaders to use the data and analytics.” (09:11)

7. The Risks of Not Adopting New Technology (10:12–11:50)

• Companies and practices that don’t invest in new technology risk losing efficiency and falling behind.
• Annie observes that early adopters (like Dr. Agarwal and Dr. Sullivan at 3D Dentists) are setting the pace for the industry.
• DSOs and private practices willing to embrace technology are more likely to survive and thrive.

“Dentistry isn’t slowing down from a tech standpoint. And so the sooner they get into this now, like is the better.” (10:35)
“I think you'll see different names leading the way in the DSO space… private practices survive because they've adopted this.” (11:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 01:51 | Annie Sawyer | “Staffing challenges, mental health and access to care are… the biggest issues that I’m currently following…” | | 04:37 | Annie Sawyer | “70% of dentists report being burnt out. And so that’s crazy…” | | 05:59 | Annie Sawyer | “AI has been a game changer for us.” | | 06:17 | Annie Sawyer | “What excites me even more is how well the dental profession has embraced the new technologies…” | | 07:00 | Annie Sawyer | “Getting caught in the weeds is something that us in the dental professional can very easily do.” | | 08:45 | Annie Sawyer | “Leaders will need to be empathetic… and then transparency, collaboration with the teams as well.” | | 10:35 | Annie Sawyer | “Dentistry isn’t slowing down from a tech standpoint. And so the sooner they get into this now, like is the better.” |

Episode Flow & Key Timestamps

• 00:00–01:41 – Introduction, Annie’s background, 3D Dentists mission
• 01:41–02:30 – Key issues in dentistry: staffing, mental health, access
• 02:30–03:48 – Staffing challenges and adapting leadership
• 03:48–05:29 – Mental health and the impact of technology
• 05:29–08:24 – What excites and worries Annie about dentistry’s future
• 08:24–10:12 – Leadership qualities for the future
• 10:12–11:50 – Importance of adopting technology
• 11:50–12:04 – Wrap-up and thanks

Conclusion

Annie Sawyer provides a timely and informed look at the pressing issues and bright opportunities in dentistry today. She emphasizes the importance of adaptability, empathy, data-driven decision making, and tech adoption for the success of both leaders and practices. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in how dental organizations can thrive amid change and complexity.