About this episode

Dr. George Hariri discusses the challenges and strategies of transitioning from an associate to owner with dentist Elizabeth.

In this episode of Practice Underwater, Dr. George Hariri sits down with a dentist, Elizabeth, to discuss the initial hurdles she faced following an associate to owner transition. They analyze her impressive growth as a new dentist, jumping from a projected $1.2M to a $1.4M finish within eight months, while exploring dental business strategies to manage a bursting 3,000-patient base with only 11 hygiene days. The core strategic debate centers on whether to simplify the schedule via a fee-for-service model or expand into a multi-doctor setup by hiring another dentist, a dilemma complicated by real estate constraints discussed through a Shared Practices framework. This is a must-listen for any dentist weighing the long-term flexibility of group practice against the streamlined profitability of staying solo. In this episode: • Scaling production from a projected $1.2M pace to over $1.4M. • Managing a bottleneck of 3,000 patients with only 11 hygiene days. • The strategic debate: dropping insurance versus hiring an associate. • Evaluating real estate options for a growing team. • Balancing clinical autonomy with family flexibility. Whether navigating an associate to owner transition…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. George Hariri

Guest: Elizabeth

Topics covered

• group practice
• solo dentist
• associate to owner transition
• dental business strategies
• patient management
• real estate options

Keywords

• group practice opportunities
• dental practice ownership
• fee-for-service model
• hygiene days
• insurance
• associate hiring
• real estate constraints

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Shared Practices

More episodes of Shared Practices | Your Dental Roadmap through Practice Ownership

• Ask George – How Aspiring Dental Practice Owners Can Build a Real Business, Not Just a Job · April 27, 2026 · 30 min
• The CEO Mindset: Mastering Dental Business Strategies to Close the Trust Gap · April 20, 2026 · 44 min
• Ask George: The Real Reason Dental Practice Profitability Is Higher Today Than In The Golden Age · April 13, 2026 · 31 min
• How to Choose the Right First Job If Your Goal is Dental Practice Ownership · April 6, 2026 · 31 min
• Ask George - Does Dental Practice Ownership Still Make Sense Today? · March 30, 2026 · 36 min
• The #1 Reason Dental Practice Ownership Enters an Ugly Duckling Phase and How to Survive It · March 23, 2026 · 32 min

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