How Dentists Can Expand with Associates Without Losing Time, Profit, or Control
Most dentists hit a ceiling. Too many patients, not enough hours, and the constant grind of balancing clinical work with business operations. The usual answer? Hire an associate. But without a strategy, that move often backfires—leading to more stress and less profit.
In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune maps out a smarter approach to scaling your dental practice. Whether you’re considering hiring a dental associate or looking to add a second location, this episode offers a blueprint for growth that protects your time, your earnings, and your sanity.
About the Podcast – Not Your Average Dental Talk
The Dental CEO Podcast isn’t about clinical tips or the latest gadget. It’s about turning practice owners into true CEOs. Hosted by Dr. Scott Leune, the show strips away fluff and delivers straight, actionable insight on dental practice profitability, time freedom, and sustainable growth. If you want to stop being the only one doing the dentistry—and start building something bigger—this podcast is your playbook.
About the Episode – The Real Roadmap to Expansion
This isn’t a motivational pep talk. It’s a detailed breakdown of how to grow your practice intelligently. Dr. Leune uses a real-world hypothetical to show exactly what happens when a solo dentist buys a second practice and starts hiring dental associates.
He explains what goes wrong when expansion isn’t managed properly—and how to avoid falling into that trap. From setting up systems that feed high-value cases to the owner, to preventing cultural breakdown across locations, this episode is packed with the hard truths and smart moves you need if you’re serious about scaling.
About the Host – Dentist, Strategist, CEO-Maker
Dr. Scott Leune doesn’t just talk about growth—he’s lived it. A dentist by training and a strategist by passion, he’s helped hundreds of practice owners build multi-location, multi-million dollar operations. Known for his blunt, clear-eyed approach, Dr. Leune focuses on giving dentists the tools to escape the chair and lead with confidence. His philosophy is simple: grow strategically, earn abundantly, and work on your own terms. Explore the full library of Dr. Leune’s high-impact webinars.
Key Highlights – Scott Leune’s Take on Growth that Works
Hiring a dental associate isn’t a cure for burnout
Dr. Leune warns against what he calls the “associate fantasy”—the widespread assumption that bringing in an associate will immediately solve problems like stress, overwork, or lack of time. In reality, hiring without a system in place often leads to more work, not less. Owners find themselves training the new dentist, solving patient preference issues, correcting sub-par dentistry, and managing more staff. If the associate isn’t fully integrated into a well-run operation, the result is a more complex, more expensive practice—without the benefit of relief. Scott makes it clear: the right associate, in the wrong system, is a liability, not a solution.
Learn more about how to deal with burnout: https://scottleune.com/blog/breaking-free-from-burnout-real-talk-for-dentists-with-dr-scott-leune/
Begin with the end in mind
Every major decision in your dental career—especially hiring and expansion—should be mapped backwards from your ultimate lifestyle goal. Dr. Leune encourages dentists to define success not as “more patients” or “more locations,” but as time freedom, clinical joy, and financial abundance. The ideal endpoint? A multi-location group with three or more associates, where the owner no longer does recall exams, only works 1–2 days a week, and focuses exclusively on high-value procedures like implants and ortho. This isn’t a pipe dream. It’s a realistic destination—but only if your growth strategy is designed to get you there from the start.
Cross-pollinate your culture
When opening a second location, one of the biggest mistakes is treating it like a totally separate business. According to Scott, culture fragmentation kills momentum. Instead, both the owner and associate must rotate between the two practices early on. This allows the associate to adopt the systems and expectations of the original practice, while the owner brings leadership and productivity to the new location. Even more critical: transplant a few key team members from your flagship practice to the second one. Their role isn’t just clinical—it’s cultural. Their presence anchors your standards, boosts morale, and accelerates profitability.
Use hygiene-led assessments to generate owner consults
This may be the most game-changing tactic in the episode. Scott introduces a system of hygienist-driven “assessments” to identify opportunities for high-value treatment. These aren’t clinical diagnoses—they’re strategic screenings. Is the patient missing a tooth? Struggling with sleep? Showing signs of crowding? A “yes” triggers an automatic consult with the owner. This system keeps the owner’s schedule filled with profitable procedures, regardless of which location they’re working at. By shifting assessments to hygiene and using mandatory consults, the owner no longer depends on associates to feed them cases—and the business becomes far more scalable.
Leverage associate growth to reclaim time
Dr. Leune’s model flips the usual pattern. Most dentists work harder when they expand. His system ensures the opposite. As the practice scales—with three associates across two or more locations—the owner can step away from routine procedures and invest time only in the most productive, fulfilling cases. The financial results are staggering: owners can produce $800K+ a year while working just two days a week. With recall exams handled by associates and consults fed by assessments, the owner gains something most dentists never reach—control over their time and their income.
Expand with discipline
Expansion is exciting, but Dr. Leune stresses that it must be built on two pillars: profitability and cultural alignment. You shouldn’t open a second practice—or hire another associate—unless the foundation of your current operations is strong. Once those fundamentals are solid, though, Scott recommends moving aggressively toward your goals. There’s no need to delay the life you want if your practice is already stable and profitable. The key is to be focused and intentional. Expand with clarity, not chaos. Build systems that support scale—and never let ambition outpace your operations.
Final Thoughts – Build Smarter, Live Better
This episode is more than a strategy session—it’s a vision for what’s possible when you treat your practice like a business. Hiring a dental associate and opening a second location don’t have to lead to chaos. With the right systems, they unlock time freedom, clinical joy, and serious profit.
Dr. Leune challenges every practice owner to ask: are you building a job… or are you building a business that gives you your life back? If you’re aiming for the latter, this episode is your roadmap.