The Dental Lighthouse with Dr. Jason Tanoory

123: From The Vault: Will My Insurance Pay For That?

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 of The Dental Lighthouse, host Jason Tanoory welcomes Dr. Paul Goodman, known affectionately as "Dr. Nacho," to discuss the intricacies of dental insurance and the art of managing patient expectations. With years of experience as a practicing dentist and a passion for helping other dental professionals, Dr. Goodman shares his expertise on navigating the often-confusing landscape of insurance coverage. Proven strategies to navigate tough insurance-based questions from our patients
They delve into effective communication strategies that can transform challenging conversations about treatment options and costs into opportunities for trust and understanding. Dr. Goodman emphasizes the importance of presenting clear, patient-centered solutions while balancing the realities of insurance limitations.
Listeners will gain actionable insights on how to approach insurance discussions with confidence, ensuring patients feel informed and supported in their treatment decisions. Join Jason and Dr. Goodman for this enlightening conversation filled with practical tips and the wisdom gained from years of experience in the dental field.
For more information on Dr. Goodman and his resources, visit Dental Nachos.Do you PARTICIPATE with my dental insurance?

122: Why Does My Schedule Have Holes? Anyone Else?

Every dentist knows the panic of looking at a once packed schedule and suddenly seeing empty space where production should be. Is this just a seasonal dip, or a warning sign that something upstream has shifted? In this episode, Jason unpacks an email from a doctor who is drowning in hygiene checks and new patients yet somehow watching his production tank.
Jason walks through the real culprit behind most schedule slowdowns. Spoiler: it usually isn’t marketing or patient flow. It’s rushed exams, rushed treatment presentations, and a hygiene ratio that quietly sabotages case acceptance long before you notice holes in your calendar. He breaks down the dangers of running three or four hygienists per doctor, the downstream effects on comprehensive dentistry, and why even strong offices can drift into reactive scheduling if they don’t track the right metrics.
You’ll learn the two KPIs he insists every doctor monitors weekly. You’ll also hear practical strategies for preventing exam overload, protecting your time, and spotting production dips before they hit your bottom line. If you’ve ever stared at an empty afternoon and thought “What happened?”, this episode gives you the roadmap to diagnose and fix it.
Check out thedentallighthouse.com for more information on joining the Better than Yesterday challenge.

121: Are Checklists Really That Important If We Are Still Hitting Our Numbers?

This episode tackles a question every growing practice eventually hits. If the revenue looks good and the numbers are solid, do the little systems really matter? Jason’s short answer is yes. His long answer is a masterclass in how culture cracks form long before they show up in your production report.
Jason breaks down real scenarios from coaching calls, including missed prescriptions that blow up into angry reviews and assistants skipping critical end of day steps that quietly chip away at morale. He explains why checklists are not about micromanagement. They are about protecting patient experience, preventing open loops, and preserving the trust that makes a team actually function. Numbers only tell you who produced. Systems tell you whether you can sustain it.
If you want to lead a team that wins consistently instead of accidentally, this episode gives you the clearest argument yet for why the “boring” checklist might be the most important tool in your practice.
Check out thedentallighthouse.com for more information on joining the Better than Yesterday challenge.

120: The Scarcity Mindset Associate: Fixing Culture Before It Cracks

This episode dives straight into one of the most uncomfortable and most common realities of growing a practice. You bring on a new associate who is eager, competent, and settling in well. Then out of nowhere, your existing associate starts to feel threatened. A few passive aggressive comments here, a little eye rolling there, some whispered critiques about clinical work, and suddenly the culture you worked so hard to build has a hairline fracture running right through it.
Jason breaks down exactly how to handle that moment before it spreads. You will hear how to communicate the “why” behind hiring, how to set clinical standards without micromanaging, and how to have the tough conversations that too many leaders avoid. He also walks you through the real power of peer-to-peer accountability and the point where you need to “open the kimono” so the team can help you drive behavior change.
If you’ve ever onboarded an associate, plan to, or simply want to protect the culture you’ve built, this episode is a masterclass in addressing scarcity mindset, supporting new providers, and leading like an adult when things get messy.
Check out thedentallighthouse.com for more information on joining the Better Than Yesterday challenge.

119: Better Than Yesterday Challenge

This episode is for the implementers. The people who want to feel better, lead better, and live better without overcomplicating it. Jason breaks down the new Better Than Yesterday Four Futures Challenge, a simple framework built around mind, meaning, muscle, and money that helps you tighten up your habits, get honest about your daily rhythms, and actually improve your life one day at a time.
You will hear why we are rolling out a seven day test run in December so you can trip, stumble, learn, and adjust before the full thirty day challenge starts in January. Jason walks through each quadrant in detail, explains the intention behind it, and gives practical examples for both beginners and intermediates. Whether you need help dialing in your mindset, reconnecting with people who matter, moving your body with purpose, or finally understanding your money, this episode gives you a clear starting point.
If you want the full template Kenzie built or you want to join us for the challenge, reach out. We will be going through it together inside the Dental Lighthouse community and helping each other stay on track.
If you want to join us, please email jason@thedentallighthouse.com or visit thedentallighthouse.com.

118: What Does it Take To Get To 10 Locations? An Interview with Dr. Hardik Chodavadia.

What does it really take to grow from one practice to ten thriving locations without losing your mind or your margins? In this episode, Jason sits down with Dr. Hardik Chodavadia, co owner of a ten location group in Austin, Texas, to unpack the real story behind rapid but sustainable growth. From signing his very first lease sight unseen to leading a team of more than 80 people, Dr. Hardik shares what worked, what almost broke the business, and what he would do differently if he had to start again today.
They dig into the messy middle of scaling: building from de novo instead of acquisition, bringing on partners, hiring a CEO, and learning how to lead when your role shifts from full time clinician to full time operator. You will hear how they structure their leadership team, use meetings to keep everyone aligned, centralize key functions like phones and billing, and protect culture across multiple locations.
You will learn:
How Dr. Hardik went from one six operatory startup to ten locations in under ten years
The real role of office managers and doctors in leading each practice, and why not every associate should be a “leader of record”
What their centralized model looks like for phones, claims, and billing, plus where they still keep things local
How they think about mentors, partners, and specialists as they scale clinical services
Why meetings, structure, and daily scorecard reviews are non negotiable in a multi location group
The biggest risks that keep Dr. Hardik up at night, from marketing and new patient flow to over reliance on “rock star” employees without systems
If you are serious about adding locations or turning your single site office into a true group, this conversation gives you a candid, behind the scenes look at what it actually takes.

117: How Do I Know and Deal With Being Overstaffed?

Payroll feels heavy, team feels “busy,” and your profit is not where it should be. Are you actually overstaffed or just underperforming in the right places? This episode breaks that down so you can stop guessing and start leading.
Jason walks through clear, practical benchmarks that tell you if your practice is staffed correctly or bloated, and what to do when the numbers say you have a problem. No drama, just data and hard truths.
You will learn:
How to use hygiene productivity ratios to see if you are losing money in the back
What founder docs and associates should be producing per day to justify their support team
The simple monthly “revenue per non dentist employee” metric that exposes overstaffing fast
Where admin teams usually get bloated and how to decide what to keep in house vs outsource
How to deal with C players, why avoiding those conversations is actually selfish, and how it steals from your family too
If you feel trapped by payroll but guilty about cutting staff, this episode gives you a framework to decide with confidence, protect your culture, and pay your true A and B players what they deserve.

116: Vision, Ideal Week, and a Life Lesson From My Best Friend Steve

Most dentists grind today so they can live “someday.” Bigger practice. Bigger check. Then finally unplug, be present, and enjoy life. This episode challenges that mindset with a story that changed my life for good.
I share the real lesson behind my friend Steve’s battle with brain cancer at age 47 and how his journey forced me to rethink the entire idea of grinding now so you can live later. If you think you’ll finally be happy after you sell, expand, or hit a magic number… this one will land hard.
We dive into:
• Why assuming you’ll “have time later” is the biggest lie we tell ourselves• A tactical approach to building an Ideal Week that protects your time, relationships, and health• How to be a driven entrepreneur without sacrificing your marriage, kids, or sanity• Why multitasking destroys both productivity and presence• The mindset shift that lets you win at work and at home right now, not five years from now
This is part strategy, part wake-up call. You do not get tomorrow. Stop grinding blindly. Build a life you can be proud of today.

115: First Initiation, Then Consistency, Finally Intensity

Ever feel like you’re stuck in “research mode,” analyzing your goals to death but never actually doing the thing? In this episode, Jason breaks down the simple three-step framework he’s been coaching heavily in his one-on-ones, group sessions, and even applying in his own strength training and weight loss journey.
He unpacks:
InitiationWhy the hardest part is just starting. How overthinking kills momentum, and why imperfect action always beats perfect planning. Jason explains how to move forward even when you don’t have the full plan figured out.
ConsistencyOnce you start, the magic happens in the simple, repeatable reps. Whether it’s leadership communication, dieting, budgeting, or meeting cadence with your OM, Jason shares how small consistent actions beat big bursts of effort every time.
IntensityFinally, how to ramp things up without burning yourself, your goals, or your team to the ground. Jason shares real stories from clients who set unreasonable targets, pushed too hard too fast, and how to course-correct into sustainable progress.
If you're someone who hesitates before starting, someone who goes too hard too fast, or someone who needs clarity on building systems you can actually maintain, this episode will clean up your thinking and give you a roadmap for lasting growth.
Share this with a teammate, spouse, or friend who needs a nudge to begin, a reminder to stay steady, or permission to stop redlining.

114: Removing Yourself From The Op But Not From The Office

Dr. Jason shares his 20-minute Summer Boost talk on how to step back from the handpiece without stepping out of your practice. If you are hiring your first associate or shifting more time to leadership, this is your playbook. Instead of silver-bullet answers, Jason gives you the right questions that drive clarity, capacity, and calm.
You’ll learn how to:
Define a three-year vision you can actually execute
Know if your facility and demand can support an associate
Set smart hygiene-to-doctor ratios and schedules that don’t crush morale
Onboard associates with checklists that prevent chaos
Budget your income in three buckets: clinician, CEO, owner
Build an Ideal Week so your calendar reflects your priorities
Why listen: real world, no fluff, and zero heroics. Just the mindset and systems that let eight locations run while the owner takes a two-week Italy trip. Bring a notebook. Leave with a plan.