The Dentist Entrepreneur: Unlocking Growth and Avoiding Burnout – The Dental CEO Podcast by Dr. Scott Leune

In this episode of The Dental CEO Podcast, host Dr. Scott Leune engages in an insightful conversation with Josh Linkner, a seasoned entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and jazz musician. While The Dental CEO Podcast often explores topics related to dental practice management and the nuances of running a successful practice, this episode takes a broader perspective—drawing lessons from high-level entrepreneurship and business strategy to inspire dental entrepreneurs.

Meet the Hosts: Dr. Scott Leune and Guest Josh Linkner

Dr. Scott Leune – The Visionary Behind Dental Business Growth

As the host of The Dental CEO Podcast, Dr. Scott Leune is widely recognized as a leading expert in dental practice management and dental business growth. A successful entrepreneur dentist, Dr. Leune has built and scaled multiple businesses in the dental industry, helping thousands of dentists optimize their practices for profitability, efficiency, and long-term success.

Explore all of Scott Leune’s webinars

Known for his straightforward approach to dental entrepreneurship, Dr. Leune understands that running a dental practice is about more than just clinical excellence—it requires leadership, strategy, and the mindset of a true dental entrepreneur. Through The Dental CEO Podcast, he shares insights and interviews with industry leaders, business moguls, and innovators to help dentists break free from mediocrity and build thriving, scalable businesses.

Josh Linkner – Entrepreneur, Investor, and Innovation Expert

Joining Dr. Leune on this episode is Josh Linkner, a renowned entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and best-selling author. With a career spanning multiple industries, Linkner has founded and led five tech companies, collectively valued at over hundreds of millions of dollars. As a managing partner of a venture capital firm, he has helped launch and scale hundreds of startups, returning over a billion dollars to investors.

Beyond his business acumen, Linkner is also a professional jazz guitarist, drawing powerful analogies between music and entrepreneurship—emphasizing the need for improvisation, adaptability, and creative risk-taking in business. His ability to blend creativity with business strategy makes him an invaluable voice for the modern dental entrepreneur, offering fresh perspectives on how to scale, innovate, and lead in an evolving industry.

Key Highlights from the Conversation

“Start Before You’re Ready” – A Mindset Shift for the Entrepreneur Dentist

• Linkner argues that many professionals, including dentists, get stuck in analysis paralysis, waiting for the “perfect moment” to take action.
• Leune echoes this, stating that many dentists dream of expanding, opening multiple locations, or introducing new services but hesitate due to fear of imperfection.
• Instead, dental business growth requires embracing uncertainty and being willing to learn through action.

“Break It to Fix It” – Rethinking Dental Practice Management

• Traditional thinking in dentistry often revolves around “best practices” and rigid structures, but Linkner challenges this, advocating for continuous reinvention.
• Leune believes this is particularly relevant in dental practice management, where the industry often resists change. Whether it’s patient communication, marketing, or office workflows, practices that actively “break” outdated methods can evolve into more profitable, scalable businesses.

Overcoming the “Perfectionism Trap” in Dentistry

• Linkner highlights that many high achievers—dentists included—are trapped by perfectionism, preventing them from taking creative risks in business.
• Leune acknowledges that dentists are trained to be meticulous, which is essential clinically but can be paralyzing in business.
• As a dental entrepreneur, success often comes from experimentation and adapting, not from waiting for flawless execution.

Jazz and Dentistry – The Power of Improvisation in Business

• Drawing from his background as a jazz musician, Linkner compares entrepreneurship to playing jazz—navigating uncertainty, improvising, and adapting in real time.
• Leune finds this analogy highly relevant for dental entrepreneurs, emphasizing that running a practice isn’t about following a rigid script but rather responding dynamically to new challenges and opportunities.

Boundaries, Burnout, and Leveraging Business for a Better Life

• Linkner stresses the importance of not breaking the product, where in dentistry, the dentist is the product. Overworking, failing to delegate, and neglecting personal well-being can lead to burnout.
• Leune underscores this, advising dentists to build a practice that serves their lifestyle rather than enslaving them. Effective dental practice management should allow for financial success without compromising personal health and relationships.

Big Is Not Better—Better Is Better

• Many dentists equate growth with expansion, but Linkner argues that scaling smarter is more important than just scaling bigger.
• Leune shares real-life examples of small, highly profitable dental practices where owners take home more than a million dollars annually—outperforming larger, multi-location groups that struggle with inefficiencies.
• This insight reinforces that dental business growth isn’t just about size; it’s about maximizing efficiency, profitability, and quality of life.

The Risk of Staying Still vs. The Risk of Change

• One of Linkner’s most striking points is that people overestimate the risk of change and underestimate the risk of standing still.
• Leune believes this is a crucial lesson for entrepreneur dentists who feel stuck—whether in their career trajectory, practice growth, or financial success.
• Many dentists spend years delaying decisions out of fear, only to look back and regret not taking action sooner.

Leveraging AI and Technology for Asymmetric Growth in Dentistry

• As a venture capitalist, Linkner highlights how AI and automation are reshaping industries, including healthcare and dentistry.
• Leune sees AI-driven diagnostics, automated patient management, and other tech innovations as game-changers for dental entrepreneurs who embrace them early.

Final Thoughts – Dr. Leune’s Takeaway for the Dental Entrepreneur

Reflecting on the discussion, Dr. Leune believes that the future of dentistry belongs to those who think beyond the drill and fill. The most successful dental entrepreneurs will not just be great clinicians but also visionary business leaders who embrace change, take calculated risks, and continuously reinvent their practices.