How to Grow a Dental Practice: Scott Leune’s Strategy for Building a Multi-Location Dental Business

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune dives deep into what it really takes to achieve sustainable dental practice growth. He challenges the traditional advice many dentists follow—like adding associates too early or opening new locations before the practice is ready. Instead, he outlines a step-by-step path rooted in profitability, strategy, and leadership.

Dr. Scott Leune shares that most dentists expand out of frustration—because their schedules are too full, they’re overworked, or they feel stuck. But growing too soon, without the right margins or systems in place, often leads to stress, lost income, and broken operations. This episode offers a better way.

Scott introduces a clear framework designed to help you transition from solo practitioner to CEO dentist—someone who works less, earns more, and leads with purpose. Whether you’re looking to add your first provider or build a multi-location dental practice, this episode lays the groundwork.

If you’ve been wondering how to grow a dental practice while protecting your time, profit, and peace of mind, Scott Leune’s approach offers a smarter strategy for long-term dental business growth.

Key Highlights of this episode

Dr. Scott Leune shares a new model for dental practice growth—one that reduces risk, increases profit, and protects your time. Below are the core insights he delivers in this episode, all aimed at helping you grow smarter, not harder.

Avoid the Trap of Fast Expansion

Dr. Leune emphasizes that many dentists expand too quickly—hiring associates or opening second locations before their first practice is truly healthy. He warns that weak margins and bloated overhead create unnecessary stress and often lead to financial losses. Expansion without margin is expansion on thin ice.

Build on a Strong Financial Foundation

Scott believes that all dental business growth must begin with a solid base. For him, that means:

• Profit margins high enough to absorb the risks of growth
• Overhead ideally under 50%
• Operational efficiency that ensures every dollar earned isn’t being wasted

He urges dentists to stabilize their core business before they even consider scaling.

Master the Fundamentals First

Before bringing in associates or opening new offices, Scott teaches us to focus on internal improvements:

• Drop low-paying insurance plans that drag down profitability
• Strengthen patient retention and case acceptance
• Become a master at filling your own schedule

These moves increase revenue without increasing workload—setting the stage for smarter dental practice growth strategies.

Raise Fees Before You Add Space

Dr. Leune explains that one of the best strategies for growth is simply raising your fees. If you’re fully booked, don’t immediately think expansion—think pricing. Higher fees improve margins, reduce pressure, and attract patients who value quality over discounts. It’s the cleanest way to scale without extra chairs or staff.

Specialize to Increase Income and Time

Scott encourages dentists to narrow their clinical focus as they grow. Instead of continuing general dentistry, the CEO dentist should shift to high-value, high-efficiency procedures like:

• Implants;
• Invisalign;
• Sleep apnea therapy;
• Botox and aesthetics;

These services bring in more revenue per hour and separate your role from the day-to-day demands of general dentistry.

Leverage the “Micro-Practice” Model

He recommends building a “micro-practice” within your existing organization. The idea: use empty chairs and already-paid-for resources to deliver high-value procedures with almost no overhead. Scott shows how this approach allows the owner to generate six or seven figures in income with minimal hours—while associates handle the general load.

Redefine the Goal: Freedom

Scott Leune shares that the real outcome isn’t just more revenue—it’s time and freedom. He believes the CEO dentist should only be in the chair 1–2 days a week, focused on strategic, profitable cases. This setup gives the owner time to lead the business rather than being buried in it.

Scale Safely and Sustainably

Dr. Leune outlines how this model makes multi-location dental practice growth far more sustainable. With high margins and minimal owner hours, the practice is well-positioned to:

• Secure financing;
• Retain top talent;
• Continue expanding without burnout;
• Eventually sell for strong equity;

You can also check Managing 2 to 10 Locations in Your Dental Practice

A Smarter Path to Growth

This episode lays out a new way of thinking for dentists who want to know how to grow a dental practice without sacrificing their peace of mind. By focusing on profitability, specialization, and strategic leadership, Scott Leune offers a roadmap that works in real life—not just on paper.