The PPO Exit Playbook: Patient Retention Strategies That Work with Gary Takacs | Ep. 34
"The common denominator of offices that have successfully resigned (from PPO plans) is they are more relationship-driven than transactional." — Gary Takacs In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, host John Stamper sits down with renowned dental consultant Gary Takacs to discuss what actually happens when practices reduce PPO participation. Rather than focusing solely on insurance negotiations, the conversation centers on patient experience, relationship-building, treatment acceptance, verbal skills,…
Ivoclar Shares How to Turn Education Into a Powerful Business and Clinical Strategy | Ep. 33
In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, host John Stamper sits down with Angela Severance of Ivoclar to discuss why clinical education remains one of the most overlooked drivers of operational success in modern dentistry. Drawing from her experience as a chairside dental assistant and educator, Angela explains how education improves adoption of new materials, increases clinician confidence, and strengthens patient trust. The conversation explores workflow-based learning, team onboarding, restorative…
How Top Dental Teams Protect Margins While Maintaining Clinical Excellence | Ep. 32
"What goes in the mouth and stays in the mouth. It's not always about price. It's also about time." – Rhonda Durante In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, hosted by John Stamper and brought to you by Dental City, Rhonda Durante, Founder of DSO Connect, explains how dental practices can navigate rising operational costs, declining insurance reimbursements, and increasing supply chain complexity without sacrificing clinical outcomes. The conversation explores how manufacturers, distributors, and…
[Inside Scoop] Why Dentists Use Endocator® to Support Successful Root Canals | Ep. 31
In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, host John Stamper sits down with Dr. Ryan Walsh and Dr. Michael Miyasaki to discuss how objective ATP testing is changing the way clinicians evaluate root canal cleanliness. The conversation focuses on the Vista Apex Endocator®, a chairside diagnostic device that measures ATP levels remaining inside the canal system after instrumentation and irrigation. The guests explain how clinicians traditionally relied on technique and experience to determine whether…
You Don't Need All the Answers: How to Lead During Change | Ep. 30
"It's not rocket science. None of this is rocket science. All of it is based on basic human behavior." – Betsy Mitchell In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, host John Stamper sits down with leadership expert Betsy Mitchell to explore one of dentistry's biggest challenges in 2026: leading teams through constant change. From DSO integration and regulatory shifts to technology adoption and staffing shortages, dental practices face a growing number of operational pressures that require adaptive…
Why Every DSO Needs a Trusted Supplies Distributor Partner Before Scaling
In this special episode of Beyond the Operatory, host John Stamper sits down with John, Jordan, and Riley from Dental City, a dental supplies distributor, during the 2026 Dykema Conference, to discuss the realities of dental group growth, DSO expansion, manufacturer partnerships, and the infrastructure required to keep dental practices supplied with the products they need. The conversation highlights how consolidation continues to reshape the profession, creating new pressure around forecasting,…
How Kulzer’s iCEM® Universal Plus Supports Predictable Clinical Outcomes | Ep. 28
"Technology will help the end product. But it's not only technology. The technique is important to take advantage of that technology." Prosthodontist Dr. Roberto Macedo shares how he achieves predictable restorative outcomes using standardized adhesive cementation protocols and Kulzer's ISM Universal Plus cement system. Drawing on more than 25 years of clinical experience, Dr. Macedo explains why long-term success in restorative dentistry comes from combining proven products, repeatable workflows, and…
Strategic Planning for Dentists: The Framework for Sustainable Growth | Ep. 27
"We're not doing it for the systems part. We're doing it to operate efficiently so we actually reduce stress in the practice." – Ken Mathys In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, hosted by John Stamper and proudly brought to you by Dental City, Ken Mathys breaks down the operational frameworks that separate high-performing dental practices from those constantly fighting fires. From strategic planning and annual business reviews to KPI tracking and daily huddles, this conversation provides a…
From Insurance Dependence to Practice Growth with Gary Takacs | Ep. 26
"A $1,000 annual maximum once covered 13 to 14 crowns. Today, it may only cover one crown." In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, host John Stamper sits down with Gary Takacs, widely known as dentistry's "Podfather," to examine the growing movement toward reduced PPO dependence and fee-for-service dentistry. Drawing from more than 45 years of experience and exposure to over 1,800 dental practices, Gary explains why many offices are reevaluating insurance participation and why a reported 78% of…
How Pulpdent’s Smart Restorative Materials are Reshaping Dentistry
"70% of restorations that we now place today are replacements for existing restorations." In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, hosted by John Stamper and proudly brought to you by Dental City, Dr. Neville Hatfield joins Michael Jeffery, Director of Product & Strategy at Pulpdent, to discuss the role of bioactive restorative materials in modern dentistry. The conversation explores recurring restoration failures, adhesive margin breakdown, remineralization science, and why clinicians are increasingly…
The Hygienist Mindset Shift that Increases Treatment Acceptance
"You're not taking money from them [patients] to gain more production for your office. You're doing care for them to get them into a healthier state." — Brenda Alberts In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, host John Stamper sits down with Brenda Alberts, RDH, MS, Dental Hygiene Program Director at Midstate Technical College, to explore one of dentistry's most debated topics: the relationship between patient care, treatment acceptance, and production. Brenda explains why hygienists should view…
Stop Losing Chair Time: How Solmetex Systems Drive Dental Practice Efficiency | Ep. 23
“Time is money, but in dentistry, it’s chair time—and that’s everything.” In this episode of Beyond the Operatory, host John Stamper sits down with Brian Mergentime, Director of Dealer Partnerships at Solmetex, to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of practice performance: waterline compliance, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. What starts as a conversation about EPA regulations quickly evolves into a bigger truth—every minute your operatory is down costs more than you…