Podcast
Daily Dental Podcast
Hosted by Addison Killeen DDS · EN
Dentists are stressed and sometimes need help focusing on the right stuff to succeed in business and life. The goal of this daily short podcast is to share information, tips, and stories - gleaned from the Dental Success Network community - that will help you become a better dentist, business owner and human.
65episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
844. Three Rules for Better Leadership
4d ago00:05:09Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Dr. Killeen shares a framework from Coach Lou Holtz that applies perfectly to dentistry and leadership: do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care. These three ideas offer a practical guide for how to lead patients, teams, and yourself each day. In dentistry, doing the right thing builds trust, doing your best drives steady improvement, and showing people you care creates lasting relationships. While simple, these habits shape culture more than any mission statement or policy ever could. Strong leadership does not have to be complicated. Often, the best principles are the ones simple enough to live out every day.
Transcribe →843. Managing vs. Leading
5d ago00:03:32Tap to summarizeDr. Killeen explores an important distinction between management and leadership in a dental practice. Management is about keeping the daily tasks moving, from schedules and supplies to claims and patient flow. It keeps the practice running. Leadership is different. It is about priorities, culture, and directing the team’s energy toward what matters most. A practice can manage many small tasks well while still missing bigger issues that affect long term success. Pause and ask whether you are simply managing the day or truly leading the practice forward. Both matter, but leadership is what creates lasting progress.
Transcribe →842. History Leaves Cues
1w ago00:05:36Tap to summarizeDr. Killeen discusses a powerful idea inspired by historian Timothy Snyder: understanding patterns from the past can help us make better decisions in the present. While today’s economic pressures may feel new, business owners have faced rising wages, higher costs, and uncertainty before. In dentistry, that means there are practical levers we can still control. Strong culture, smart cost management, thoughtful fee updates, contract reviews, and better efficiency all help practices stay healthy during challenging times. Think like a leader and look at the bigger picture. When we recognize patterns, we can respond with clarity instead of panic.
Transcribe →841. What Patients Are Really Buying
1w ago00:05:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Dr. Killeen shares a powerful reminder about case acceptance and patient communication. Patients are not truly buying crowns, aligners, or procedures. They are buying relief, confidence, comfort, and peace of mind. When we focus only on technical details, we can miss what matters most to the patient. Clear communication means helping them understand how treatment improves their life, not just what will be done clinically. Trust, confidence, and simplicity drive decisions. When patients feel understood and see the real benefit of treatment, saying yes becomes much easier.
Transcribe →840. Lean Into Discomfort
1w ago00:04:54Tap to summarizeDr. Killeen offers a perspective to help reframe tough or demanding days in the practice. While comfort is everywhere in modern life, real growth tends to show up in moments that feel a little difficult or unfamiliar. Improvement often comes with discomfort. Whether it is learning a new system, having better patient conversations, or giving and receiving feedback, those moments of effort are usually signs that progress is happening. Reframe discomfort as part of the process. When something feels challenging, it may be a sign that you and your team are moving in the right direction.
Transcribe →839. Build Belief First
2w ago00:05:19Tap to summarizeToday, Dr. Killeen breaks down an idea behind motivation that many leaders overlook. While we often focus on energy or incentives, true motivation comes from three things: behavior, benefit, and most importantly, belief. If someone does not believe their effort will lead to a better outcome, they are unlikely to fully engage. This shows up in everything from case acceptance to team growth. When belief is low, effort follows. But when belief is strong, people push further, improve faster, and stay committed through challenges. One of your most important roles as a leader is to build belief. Through consistent encouragement and real examples of progress, you can help your team see what is possible and perform at a higher level.
Transcribe →838. The Power of Staying Consistent
2w ago00:04:19Tap to summarizeDr. Killeen reflects on a quote from Charlie Munger and how the idea of waiting applies far beyond investing. In a dental practice, real success rarely comes from big moments or quick wins. It comes from consistently doing the simple, often repetitive things that move the practice forward. Weekly meetings, morning huddles, and ongoing conversations with your team may not feel exciting, but they are what shape culture and drive long term growth. Over time, those small actions begin to compound and create meaningful change. Patience and consistency often matter more than chasing the next big idea. Steady effort, repeated over time, is what builds a strong and successful practice.
Transcribe →837. Think Beyond Your Field
2w ago00:03:38Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Dr. Killeen explores the idea that while specialization is important, some of the most valuable insights come from outside your field. We are often trained to stay within our lane, but many powerful concepts can be applied across disciplines in surprising ways. Just the same in dentistry, ideas from areas like psychology, business, or even sports can improve communication, leadership, and systems. When we start connecting knowledge from different fields, we open the door to better thinking and new solutions. Stay curious beyond dentistry. Sometimes the best ideas for your practice come from places you would not expect.
Transcribe →836. Smart People, Better Decisions
2w ago00:05:31Tap to summarizeDr. Killeen explores an important truth that intelligence alone does not guarantee good decisions. History shows that even highly capable leaders can make costly mistakes when factors like overconfidence, limited perspective, or groupthink get in the way. In dentistry, decisions around hiring, systems, and patient care carry real weight. The goal is not perfection, but building habits that lead to better outcomes over time. Seeking input, staying open to new information, and being willing to adjust course are what separate good decision makers from the rest. Stay curious and humble. Asking one simple question, what might I be missing, can lead to clearer thinking and better choices.
Transcribe →835. Borrowing Better Decisions
2w ago00:04:19Tap to summarizeDr. Killeen takes a closer look at how we make decisions and why the biggest ones are often the hardest. While small choices fill our day, it is the larger decisions that shape our careers, practices, and relationships over time. Many of us rely on simple tools like pros and cons, but those often fall short when uncertainty and long term impact are involved. Instead of trying to figure everything out alone, there is real value in learning from people who have faced similar decisions before. Better decisions do not always come from more thinking, but from better perspective. Sometimes the fastest way forward is to borrow wisdom from those who have already walked the path.
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