Podcast
The Thriving Dentist Show
Hosted by Thriving Dentist Show – Takacs Learning Center · EN
The Thriving Dentist Show by Gary Takacs guides dental practice owners and dentists in creating a profitable practice with financial independence while delivering hallmark-level quality of care.
Gary's lively discussions run the gamut from eye-opening lessons for you to become successful.
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How to Serve Patients Who Put Off a Visit to the Dentist Because of Fear
1w ago00:50:05Tap to summarize42% of Americans put off the dentist indefinitely because of fear and most of them are already in your market. In this episode, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah unpack one of dentistry's biggest untapped opportunities: the anxious patient. They cover why fearful patients stay silent, the psychology of control and the simple "stop signal" that puts patients at ease, sedation options worth knowing, and the SEO and landing page strategy for reaching patients who search "afraid of going to the dentist." Plus, a live discovery - men are far more likely to avoid the dentist than women, an underserved segment hiding in plain sight. Want to know how many anxious patients you're missing and where your practice is leaving growth on the table? Book a free 30-minute Practice Growth Assessment with an Ekwa dental marketing advisor. You'll get a review of your new patient acquisition, an audit of your top 3 growth bottlenecks, and a simple action plan to keep. No pitch, no pressure. Book yours at ekwa.com/td
Transcribe →Important Details to Consider when Adding an Associate Dentist
2w ago00:59:15Tap to summarizeGary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah on the complete guide to hiring an associate dentist: why the DDS is not a hiring filter, the 54% indifference statistic, Gary's four-area screening framework, the #1 mistake practices make, compensation on adjusted production, and the mentoring rhythm that determines long-term success. Plus, Naren's AI search marketing segment.
Transcribe →An Effective System to Respond to After Hours Inquiries from Potential New Patients and for New Patient Calls that go to Voice Mail
3w ago00:40:25Tap to summarizeMost dental practices lose new patients the moment a call goes unanswered - and most don't know it's happening. In this episode of The Thriving Dentist Show, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah break down the after-hours and missed-call response system every dental practice needs in 2026. Inside: why 95% of new patients won't leave a voicemail, the 60-second response standard, when Book Now buttons help (and when they kill new patient numbers), and the simple audit every practice should run on its own phone system. Plus the wake-up call: a $15M multi-location practice that was missing 1,400 calls a month with no idea it was happening. Bonus guest segment from Dr. Jeff Buske on the work-to-home transition no one in dentistry talks about. Want to find out how many calls YOUR practice is missing? Book a free Marketing Strategy Meeting with Ekwa - we'll pull your actual call data: ekwa.com/td Want help building the after-hours response protocol? Book a free Coaching Strategy Meeting with Gary Takacs: thrivingdentist.com/csm
Transcribe →How to Determine an Appropriate Fee Schedule
4w ago00:45:18Tap to summarizeGary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah dig into why dentists underprice their work, how the UCR percentile system sets fee ceilings in your zip code, what insurance companies actually pay (and where they downgrade), and why only 0.24% of dentists — 1 in 400 have fees set at the 80th percentile of their market. You'll also learn the annual fee-increase rhythm Gary recommends, how to handle the patient conversation without ever "announcing" a fee increase, and when value pricing works in a dental practice. Essential listening for any practice owner reviewing their dental fee schedule in 2026.
Transcribe →Dos and Don'ts in the World of AI Search and Zero-Click Search
May 600:47:04Tap to summarizeGary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah on how to stay visible and trusted in the new AI search era. ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Bing AI are already recommending dental practices and the signals they use are different from traditional SEO. This episode tells you exactly what to fix, what to build, and how to get your AI report card.
Transcribe →The Leadership Mindset Needed for the Next Era of Dentistry
Apr 2900:47:26Tap to summarizeGary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah on the three leadership mindsets that separate thriving practices from struggling ones: curiosity over judgment, humility, and a genuine embrace of experimentation. Plus, the solopreneur trap, how to evaluate AI and technology correctly, and the vision exercise that Gary uses with every coaching client.
Transcribe →The Investment Grade Practice with Victoria Peterson
Apr 2200:46:27Tap to summarizeGary Takacs and Victoria Peterson of Productive Dentist Academy explore what it takes to build an Investment Grade Practice — financially strong, personally fulfilling, and built to last. Two real case studies, a financial freedom formula, and a framework that changes how dentists think about their work and their future.
Transcribe →Five Business Lessons Every New Practice Owner Must Quickly Learn!
Apr 1500:37:47Tap to summarizeGary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah walk through the five business lessons every new dental practice owner must learn - fast. From why leadership is the governor on your practice's growth to why your production number is an illusion, this episode is a masterclass in running a dental business, not just a dental practice.
Transcribe →The High-Value Dentistry Growth Plan
Apr 800:50:59Tap to summarizeGary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah break down the High Value Dentistry Growth Plan - why discounting destroys trust, how to attract implant and cosmetic patients through SEO, and why call training is the most overlooked growth lever. Plus, a clinical tip from Dr. Nick Sharma: why every child should see a dentist by age one. Ready to grow your practice? Book a complimentary Marketing Strategy Meeting: ekwa.com/td Get personalized coaching with Gary: thrivingdentist.com/csm
Transcribe →Building a Prevention-Based Practice that Patients Trust
Apr 100:40:53Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Gary Takacs and Naren Arulrajah make the case for prevention-based dentistry - and give you the tools to build it. From CAMBRA and AI diagnosis tools to six digital photos and hygiene systems, this is a practical roadmap for building a practice that patients trust. Plus, Naren's marketing tip on why SEO patients spend 6x longer on your website than ad patients - and what that means for your marketing spend.
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