Why do some orthodontic practices continue to grow while others plateau?

In this episode of The Golden Age of Orthodontics, Dr. Leon Klempner and Amy Epstein welcome back orthodontic consultant Jill Allen, founder of Jill Allen & Associates, for a practical conversation about what separates growing practices from those struggling to gain momentum.

Jill breaks down the four key sources of practice growth: dental referrals, community relationships, online visibility, and internal patient referrals, and explains how the balance between them changes as a practice matures. The discussion also explores why data, office culture, patient experience, and consistent communication all play a role in generating more starts.

They also dig into one of the most common mistakes practices make: investing more money in marketing before fixing the systems responsible for converting inquiries into consultations and consultations into starts. From unanswered leads to weak follow-up and overlooked observation patients, small breakdowns inside the practice can quietly limit growth even when marketing is working.

Whether you are building a startup, managing an established orthodontic practice, or trying to break through a plateau, this episode offers a clear framework for identifying where growth is coming from and where opportunities may be slipping away.

• The four primary sources of orthodontic practice growth and how their importance changes as a practice matures
• Why data, patient experience, and office culture are critical to generating referrals and converting more starts
• How stronger relationships with referring dentists and patients can create more sustainable growth
• Why practices should fix conversion and follow-up “leaks” before increasing their marketing spend

In this episode of The Golden Age of Orthodontics, Dr. Leon Klempner and Amy Epstein sit down with board-certified orthodontist, inventor and entrepreneur Dr. Marc Lemchen to explore how robotics can improve efficiency, support orthodontic teams and create a more memorable patient experience. Drawing on more than five decades in orthodontics, Dr. Lemchen shares the thinking behind innovations such as Dolphin Imaging, EasyRx and Zeno Robotics, along with the lessons he has learned about introducing new technology into a practice.

The conversation also examines the role robotics can play in addressing staffing challenges, reducing repetitive work and giving team members more time to focus on patients. Dr. Lemchen discusses Zeno Steril, the robotic sterilization system recognized with the 2026 AAO Ortho Innovator Award, and explains why the most valuable technology is not simply impressive to look at, but meaningfully improves consistency, workflow and the overall patient experience.

Five takeaways

1. Technology can help an orthodontic practice stand out by giving patients a memorable experience they are more likely to discuss and share.
2. Robotics can reduce the time team members spend walking, retrieving items and completing repetitive tasks, allowing them to stay focused on patient care.
3. Automated sterilization may improve workflow consistency, documentation and reliability while reducing dependence on manual processes.
4. Practices are more likely to see meaningful efficiency gains when they fully adopt a technology rather than using it selectively.
5. The strongest return on technology comes from combining measurable workflow improvements with a better, more personal patient experience.

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Orthodontics is entering a new era of personalization, precision, and digital efficiency. In this episode of the Golden Age of Orthodontics, Dr. Leon Klempner and Amy Epstein sit down with 2026 AAO Innovator Award winner Dr. Mehdi Peikar, founder of CeleBrace, to explore how artificial intelligence and fully customized braces are changing the future of treatment.

Drawing on his unique background in orthodontics, biomechanics, engineering, and physics, Dr. Peikar shares the clinical challenges that inspired the development of CeleBrace and explains how digital workflows can bring the same level of planning and personalization to fixed appliances that orthodontists have come to expect from aligner therapy. The conversation covers everything from AI-assisted treatment planning and bracket positioning to the advantages of fully customized prescriptions, indirect bonding, and digital case presentation.

The discussion also explores the business side of innovation, including how digital treatment systems can improve efficiency, reduce appointments, shorten treatment times, and create a more compelling patient experience. Dr. Peikar shares what he has learned from treating thousands of cases with CeleBrace and why he believes customization will play a central role in the next phase of orthodontic care.

• Why Dr. Peikar believes orthodontics is rapidly moving toward fully digital workflows
• How AI supports treatment planning, bracket positioning, and appliance design
• What makes a fully customized bracket system different from traditional prescriptions
• How digital indirect bonding can improve efficiency and reduce treatment visits
• Ways technology can enhance patient education and case acceptance
• What orthodontists are reporting after implementing custom digital braces
• How personalized treatment systems may help practices differentiate themselves in a competitive market
• Why Dr. Peikar sees customization as the future of fixed appliance therapy