The Dental Lighthouse with Dr. Jason Tanoory

133: Stop Holding Bad Meetings and Start Leading Better Ones

In this episode, Dr. Jason breaks down why meetings get such a bad reputation and how to turn them into one of your most powerful leadership tools. He walks through the core meeting types every practice should consider, how to structure them, who should be in the room, and why agenda discipline matters more than you think.
You’ll learn how to avoid meetings that turn into complaint sessions, how to use data to drive real decisions, and how to create clarity and accountability without burning out your team. From weekly team meetings to leadership huddles to one-on-ones, Jason shares practical frameworks you can adapt to your practice size and leadership style.
If meetings feel like a waste of time in your office, this episode will show you why and what to do differently starting now.
Listen in and learn how to stop holding bad meetings and start leading better ones.

132: Why Your Best Employee is Burnt Out

Your best employee is reliable, loyal, and gets everything done. They are the one you trust. The one who picks up the slack. The one who always figures it out.
And they are probably exhausted.
In this episode, Dr. Jason unpacks a real coaching conversation with a high-performing office manager who finally said the quiet part out loud. She was overwhelmed, burning the candle at both ends, and running out of capacity.
This episode dives into:
Why building your practice around “unicorns” is dangerous
How great employees quietly absorb the work of two or three people
The hidden cost of constant training, onboarding, and fire-fighting
Why burnout is usually a systems problem, not a people problem
How late-night texts, constant urgency, and chaos steal time from families
The power of one-on-ones, daily check-ins, and real communication
Why assigning time to your calendar is not optional if you want sustainability
If your practice “works” because one person is holding everything together, this episode is your wake-up call. Great teams are built on systems, clarity, and protected time, not quiet sacrifice.
Listen in if you want to keep your best people healthy, engaged, and actually with you for the long haul.

131: Why a Full January Does Not Mean a Healthy Practice

January is busy. The schedule is packed. Production looks great. And a lot of dentists walk around feeling pretty good about it.
Here’s the hard truth. A full January does not automatically mean you are running a healthy practice.
In this episode, Dr. Jason breaks down why early-year busyness is often borrowed momentum from last year, not proof that your systems are working. Patients delayed treatment. Insurance reset. January always feels good. The real question is what happens in February and March.
Jason unpacks:
Why January production can create a false sense of security
The difference between being busy and being sustainable
The KPIs that actually predict future schedule health
Why rushed hygiene and new patient exams quietly kill future production
How avoiding discomfort now creates bigger problems later
What “experiencing the pain now” really looks like in treatment planning
This episode is a reminder that strong months are built on fundamentals, not luck or seasonal waves. If you want a full schedule all year, not just a great January, this conversation is for you.
Listen in, slow down, and make sure your current success is something you can actually maintain.

130: Rip the Band-Aid Off: One-on-Ones, Raises, and the Conversations Leaders Avoid

In this episode of the Dental Lighthouse Podcast, Dr. Jason Tanoory takes you behind the curtain of a real coaching call with a fast-growing practice owner who knows the truth every leader eventually faces. Growth breaks systems before it breaks revenue.
The practice is thriving. Revenue is climbing. The team is growing. And yet the wheels are starting to wobble because the hard conversations keep getting postponed.
This episode tackles what most leaders avoid until it hurts:
How to start one-on-one meetings without opening the floodgates to surprise raise requests
Why avoiding clarity feels kind but actually creates resentment
How to set expectations around compensation without being reactive
What sustainable leadership looks like in a 3.5 to 4+ million dollar practice
How to hold people accountable in real time without embarrassing them or damaging trust
Jason walks through practical frameworks for one-on-ones, compensation timing, accountability conversations, and follow-up systems that actually stick. No theory. No leadership buzzwords. Just real talk from inside an actual coaching session.
If you are growing fast, leading a bigger team than you ever have before, or feeling the quiet tension that comes from conversations left unsaid, this episode is your sign.
Rip the Band-Aid off. Your team will thank you later.

129: Rules of the House, Posting the Speed Limit & Maintaining Accountability | Part Two

Part Two gets real practical, real fast.
J.D. pushes the conversation past “feedback is important” and straight into the messy scenarios leaders actually face: buying a practice with an existing team, inheriting an old culture, and trying to introduce a new set of expectations without lighting the place on fire.
Jason breaks down:
What you’re really buying in an acquisition (hint: cash flow and culture… and sometimes baggage with a name tag)
Vision vs. core values: what’s non-negotiable from the owner, and where team buy-in matters
How to roll out “rules of the house” when your team is 5 people vs. 25 people
Why early-stage owners struggle most at 2–3 locations and what Jason would do differently (spoiler: build a monster flagship first)
How peer-to-peer accountability should work up, down, and sideways in the org chart
What to do when feedback is given well, but it’s not received well
How leaders avoid collecting everyone’s “problem monkeys” and instead coach people to handle hard conversations themselves
When something isn’t “your lane,” how to escalate it the right way, and the leadership question behind it all: Is this a hill I’m willing to die on?
If Part One was about posting the speed limit, Part Two is about enforcing it, especially when you’re new, growing fast, or inheriting a team that’s been doing 55 in a school zone for years.
Listen in if you’re building a culture that actually wins, not just one that looks good on a poster.

128: Rules of the House, Posting the Speed Limit & Maintaining Accountability | Part One

What happens when the rules are not posted and everyone is driving at a different speed?
In Part One of this episode, Jason Tanoory is put in the hot seat by returning guest J.D. for a real, unfiltered conversation about feedback, accountability, and leadership inside a dental practice.
This is not theory. This is lived experience.
Jason breaks down why feedback is not optional if you want a healthy team, why avoiding hard conversations is actually selfish, and how unclear expectations quietly destroy culture. They dive into the difference between competency issues versus behavior issues, why one is easier to coach than the other, and how leaders can create an environment where feedback is expected, received, and acted on.
You’ll hear practical language for tough conversations, why “posting the speed limit” matters more than being liked, and how core values only work when they are clearly defined, consistently reinforced, and actually lived out.
If you’ve ever struggled with giving feedback, receiving feedback, or working in a practice where the rules feel fuzzy, this episode will hit close to home.
Part Two goes even deeper. Start here.

127: From The Vault: Struggling to Manage Conflict Between Team Members? Don't Forget These 2 Rules!

This is a replay of one of our most downloaded episodes. If you’re newer here, this one’s a must-listen.In this insightful episode, we dive into the challenges of fostering teamwork and accountability within dental practices. Host Jason Tanoory unpacks common tensions among team members, from feelings of inequity to misunderstandings around workload. He introduces actionable strategies like prioritizing "team-focused" over "I-focused" tasks and building a culture of peer-to-peer accountability.
Discover how implementing structured checklists, encouraging open communication, and embracing the principles of servant leadership can create a stronger, more cohesive team environment. If you’re looking to enhance collaboration and trust within your practice, this episode is packed with practical tips and thought-provoking insights.
Tune in to learn how fostering mutual understanding and accountability can lead your team to collective success!

126: From The Vault: The Cliff Notes on Being a Great Leader

This is a replay of one of our most downloaded episodes. If you’re newer here, this one’s a must-listen.This hour-long episode is exactly what the title promises—Jason’s no-fluff guide to the actual habits, mindsets, and behaviors that define great leadership in a dental practice. Pulled straight from his coaching work and years in the trenches, this isn’t about lofty ideas. It’s about clarity, consistency, and courage.
He covers:
Why most “leadership problems” are actually clarity problems
How to stop being the hero and start building real accountability
The danger of trying to be liked instead of respected
How to use the “5C’s” and servant leadership in real-world situations
Packed with real stories and hard-won lessons, this episode is a roadmap for docs who want to lead without burning out—or bailing out.
Whether you’re new to leadership or just tired of feeling stuck, this one’s worth every minute.

125: From The Vault: These 2 young docs are WAY ahead of where I was at their age

This is a replay of one of our most downloaded episodes. If you’re newer here, this one’s a must-listen.In this insightful episode of The Dental Lighthouse, Jason Tanoory sits down with Blake and Colin, two ambitious young dentists who are redefining what it means to succeed early in their careers.
The conversation dives into their approaches to managing debt, building strong relationships with banks, and making calculated decisions for growth. Colin shares his bold strategy for leveraging high-risk opportunities to accelerate progress, while Blake offers wisdom on balancing optimism with responsibility in a competitive market.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, this episode is filled with practical advice and inspiring stories to motivate you.

124: From The Vault: Does Your Case Acceptance Suck? If So, Give This a Listen!

This is a replay of one of our most downloaded episodes. If you’re newer here, this one’s a must-listen.
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of patient care and treatment coordination with Michelle, a seasoned expert in helping patients navigate complex dental decisions. Michelle shares her unique approach to building trust with patients, guiding them through treatment options, and finding creative financing solutions that ensure they receive the care they need.
From discussing credit scores and financing plans like Cherry and Compassionate Finance to managing expectations and closing larger treatment cases, Michelle's insights are invaluable for treatment coordinators and dental professionals alike. Tune in to learn how she uses empathetic listening, clear communication, and a natural ability to connect with patients to drive successful case acceptance.
Whether you're a new treatment coordinator looking for guidance or a seasoned professional seeking fresh ideas, this episode is packed with actionable tips you can implement right away.