Most dentists are never taught how to lead a business, only how to practice one. So what does it actually take to build a practice that grows without burning you out?

In this episode of the Practice Pulse Podcast, Dr. Aditi Aggrawal sits down with Dr. Sara Mahmood, who opened her first practice at 27 and now leads a six-location dental group.

Sara breaks down the practical side of practice ownership, how the right teams, systems, and boundaries make clinical days easier, how she reframes burnout and fear when the pressure hits, and what integrity does for hiring and patient trust. She also gives straight advice for new grads weighing associateship versus ownership, and makes the case for why there has never been a better time for women to lead in dentistry.

If you own, manage, or plan to build a dental practice, this conversation is a practical reset on leadership, growth, and running a business you actually enjoy.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome and intro

00:31 – Opening a practice at 27

02:59 – Taking calculated risks daily

04:00 – The only thing stopping you

05:18 – Helping dentists find their voice

08:13 – Beating imposter syndrome

09:26 – Loving dentistry without burnout

14:48 – Building dentistry with integrity

18:51 – Why belief drives leadership

21:59 – Time for women to lead

25:03 – Finding your support system

26:17 – A career-defining setback

29:50 – Associate vs. ownership advice

33:34 – How AI changed dentistry

35:01 – Where to find Sara

About the Speaker

Dr. Sara Mahmood is the founder and CEO of Brush365, a six-location dental group in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, built on the promise of “Dentistry with Integrity.” Sara is a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, a SureSmile Global Clinical Partner, and a Key Opinion Leader for Philips Oral Healthcare, where she sits on the North American Advisory Board and the Continuing Education Planning Committee. She is also a current member of the Glidewell Guiding Leaders Program.

She speaks all over the world on leadership, digital dentistry, AI, and clinical innovation, including the main stage at DS World in both Las Vegas and São Paulo. She was a Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree at 32, Incisal Edge 40 Under 40 at 33, and this year she is a Dallas Business Journal Women in Business honoree.

You can reach out to Sara Mahmood through:

LinkedIn 👉 linkedin.com/in/sarathedentist/

Instagram 👉https://www.instagram.com/sarathedentist___?igsh=OWk1dnUxNGt4dGp6

Website 👉 sarahthedentist.com

If you found this podcast helpful:

👍 Like the video

💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway

🔔 Subscribe to Practice Pulse Podcast for more conversations around modern dentistry and practice growth

Dr. Eric Block almost left dentistry. Halfway through his career he was anxious, burned out, and counting the minutes until he could retire. This conversation with Dr. Aditi Agarwal is about how he turned that around, and what he's learned in 22 years of practice.

We cover:

→ The burnout and "midlife crisis" that nearly ended his career

→ Therapy, perfectionism, and why so many dentists feel this way

→ His advice for new dentists (and why your first 3 years are the minor leagues)

→ Why systems matter, and the SOP tool he built after a key staff member retired

→ Wellness coaching through the Academy of Dental Life Coaches

→ How he went fully out of network, including dropping Delta at 50% of his practice

Timestamps

00:00 Intro and welcome

03:04 How a beer bottle led to dentistry

04:40 Burnout, anxiety, and wanting to quit

05:35 Therapy, perfectionism, and people-pleasing

07:50 Writing "The Stress-Free Dentist"

08:00 The career crises every dentist faces

10:33 Shiny-object syndrome and analysis paralysis

13:01 Advice for new dentists: the minor leagues

14:38 Going "next level" and reinventing yourself

15:42 From a set path to no path: handling failure

19:31 Why systems matter, and starting Flomo

23:44 Wellness coaching and the IADLC

26:11 Reaching out for help before rock bottom

27:02 Going out of network: dropping insurance

34:25 How to reach Dr. Block, and final words

Reach Dr. Block at thestressfreedentist.com, on Facebook and LinkedIn, or eric@flomo.com.

The Practice Pulse podcast is hosted by Practice by Numbers.

Most dental practice owners assume their retirement plan is working exactly as intended. But what if hidden fees, outdated structures, and poor oversight are quietly costing your practice thousands every year?

In this episode of the Practice Pulse Podcast, Dr. Aditi Agarwal sits down with forensic 401(k) consultant Paul Sippil to uncover what most practice owners never realize about retirement plans. Paul shares insights from reviewing thousands of retirement plans and explains why many dental practices unknowingly overpay, misunderstand their fees, and miss opportunities to create stronger benefits for employees.

From hidden advisor compensation and fiduciary responsibilities to practical questions every practice owner should ask immediately, this conversation breaks down one of the most overlooked areas of practice management. If you own, manage, or lead a dental practice, this episode may completely change how you think about retirement planning.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

01:34 – Are dental practices overpaying for 401(k) plans without realizing it?

04:38 – What is causing retirement plan fees to triple or quadruple over time?

05:37 – What can a practice do immediately to mitigate escalating costs?

08:14 – Is a financial advisor necessary for fiduciary protection?

09:21 – Why should practice owners pay plan fees at the employer level instead of the participant level?

15:37 – What are the biggest misconceptions practice owners have about their plans?

20:37 – What services are advisors, administrators, and recordkeepers actually supposed to provide?

32:20 – What specific questions should a practice owner ask their current provider immediately?

35:50 – Why might an advisor be contractually limited from recommending the best providers?

About the Speaker

Paul Sippil is a forensic 401(k) consultant specializing in retirement plan transparency, fiduciary oversight, and cost optimization. Since 2009, he has reviewed thousands of retirement plans and Form 5500 filings to help business owners identify hidden fees, conflicts of interest, and inefficiencies within retirement plans. His work focuses on translating complex retirement plan structures into practical insights that help organizations reduce costs, improve transparency, and make better financial decisions.

If you found this podcast helpful:

👍 Like the video

💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway

🔔 Subscribe to Practice Pulse Podcast for more conversations around modern dentistry and practice growth

▶ Watch more episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMsQ8XtFVuXJ-smhkuEnGZMU44r1tmOyX