The Real Talk of Dental

049: The Most Undervalued Person in Your Practice | Wayne Glassoff

Dental assistant digital workflow training is the missing piece between the technology your practice already paid for and the results you're still waiting on. Practices across the country are dropping six figures on intraoral scanners, 3D printers, and CAD/CAM systems, then handing the keys to team members who were never properly trained on any of it. The technology sits. The ROI doesn't come. And the dental assistant, who could be running that entire workflow, is still being treated like the lowest rung on the ladder. Brandi Marzolino, 20-year dental industry vet and leadership coach, sits down with Wayne Glassoff, co-founder of the Digital Dental Assistant Academy (DDAA), to dig into what's actually broken. Wayne spent 20 years on the vendor and manufacturer side, selling SprintRay 3D printers and watching dentists reject technology with one excuse: "My team can't learn this." That excuse launched a company. The DDAA launched March 1, 2026, as the first structured education platform built specifically to train dental assistants in digital workflow execution, from intraoral scanning to 3D printing to simple design. Wayne and Brandi also go there on loyalty, toxic dental sales culture, and what it actually looks like to define success on your own terms. You’ll learn: * Why dental assistant digital workflow training is the single biggest bottleneck holding digital dentistry adoption back, and what most practices are doing instead of fixing it * What co-founder Wayne Glassoff saw while selling 3D printers at SprintRay that convinced him the real problem was never the technology, it was the training * How the Digital Dental Assistant Academy trains dental assistants to own the full digital workflow, from scanning to printing to design, so practices finally get ROI on their technology investment * Why dental assistants remain the most undercompensated and underutilized team members in dentistry despite doing more hands-on work than almost anyone else in the office * What loyalty actually looks like in dental sales and why Wayne says it's harder to find than people want to admit, on both sides of the relationship * The difference between a high-pressure sales approach and the consultant-educator approach Wayne built his entire 20-year career on, and why dentists responded to it * Why the real bottleneck in digital dentistry is not the technology or the budget, it is that 85 to 90 percent of the digital work still sits with the dentist when it should be flipped 🔗 Join the community and submit your anonymous questions: https://www.therealtalkofdental.com [https://www.therealtalkofdental.com] 🔗 Learn more about The Empowered LeadHERship Program for Women in Dental: https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] 🔗 Boundary Boss GPT: https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss [https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss] We talk about: 00:00 Introduction and why dental assistants inspired this episode 07:00 Why dental assistants are the lowest paid despite doing the most 06:00 Why dentists hesitate to hand digital tools to their assistants 07:00 Wayne's 20-year journey from Monster.com to dental technology sales 09:00 The dentist objection that launched the Digital Dental Assistant Academy 11:00 How Wayne and his co-founder landed on the same idea at a Chicago trade show 14:00 The bottleneck holding digital dentistry back in practices right now 18:00 What loyalty really looks like in dentistry and why it is hard to find 21:00 How changing commission plans breed rep disloyalty across the big three distributors 24:00 Is dog-eat-dog sales culture still alive on the vendor side of dentistry 29:00 Why smart people resist coaching and accountability the most 34:00 Wayne's sales philosophy: consultant and educator, not salesperson Connect with Wayne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-glassoff-7a93898/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-glassoff-7a93898/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wglassoff/ [https://www.facebook.com/wglassoff/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wayne_glassoff_3dprints_teeth/ [https://www.instagram.com/wayne_glassoff_3dprints_teeth/] Website: https://theddaa.com/ [https://theddaa.com/] Connect with me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/ [https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/] https://courageandjoyatwork.com/ [https://courageandjoyatwork.com/] https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] Phone: 616-682-6222 #DentalAssistant #DigitalDentistry #DentalWorkflow #DentalTraining #DentalAssistantLife #DentalTech #DentalTeam #DentalPractice #DentalBusiness #DentalPodcast #RealTalkOfDental #BrandiMarzolino #DentalLeadership #DentalCulture #DigitalDentalAssistant #3DPrinting #IntraoralScanner #DentalSales #DentalBurnout #DentalAssistantEmpowerment

048: Affairs, Death, and Practice Valuation: Protect What You Built | Mary Fisher-Day

A dental practice emergency exit plan is the document that protects everything you built if the unthinkable happens. And most dentists don't have one. Whether it's an unexpected death, a contentious divorce, a disability, or a personal decision you'll deeply regret, the cracks that destroy practices usually don't come from outside. They come from you. In this episode, Brandi Marzolino, 20-year dental industry veteran and host of The Real Talk of Dental, sits down with Mary Fisher-Day, CEO of The Dental Business and decades-long expert in dental practice transitions and valuations. Mary has been called in for divorces, sudden deaths, murder-suicides, plane crashes, and affairs that ended in six-figure losses. She breaks down exactly what an emergency directive looks like, why your practice loses value every week after you're gone, and what dentists are doing right now that's quietly destroying what they've worked so hard to build. The takeaway is simple: don't be an idiot, and don't leave your family holding the mess. You’ll learn: * A dental practice emergency exit plan gives your family access to funds and a roadmap the moment something goes wrong, so your kids aren't waiting on a GoFundMe while the practice loses value weekly. * Practice culture directly affects your valuation number, because buyers see the chaos in your collections data even when you think you've hidden it. * Keeping a toxic team member to avoid conflict is one of the most expensive decisions you can make as a practice owner, and the cost shows up in your numbers. * Divorce from a workplace affair doesn't just hurt your marriage. It can trigger a forced practice valuation and hand half your business to someone walking out the door. * A baseline practice valuation updated every few years functions as a life insurance policy for your practice, and it gives your family control instead of panic in a crisis. * When a dentist dies without an emergency directive in place, the practice can lose 10 to 15 percent of its value per week, and the family is left making impossible decisions while grieving. * The behaviors that ruin dental practices rarely involve clinical mistakes. They are the ones that are entirely within your control. 🔗 Join the community and submit your anonymous questions: https://www.therealtalkofdental.com [https://www.therealtalkofdental.com] 🔗 Learn more about The Empowered LeadHERship Program for Women in Dental: https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] 🔗 Boundary Boss GPT: https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss [https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss] We talk about: 00:00 Welcome to The Real Talk of Dental 01:30 Why doctors take advice from the wrong people 05:00 What a practice transition expert actually sees 09:00 Should dentists sleep with their team members? 12:00 How an affair triggers a forced practice valuation 14:00 Treating your team wrong and what it costs you 17:00 The doctor who got arrested on the golf course 19:30 Anger in the operatory: it still happens 21:00 What is really cracking your practice foundation? 27:00 What is included in an emergency exit plan? 31:00 When a dentist dies with nothing in place 34:00 The 2016 plane crash that changed everything 37:00 Why dentists avoid emergency planning and why that's a mistake 39:00 The theme of this episode: don't be an idiot Connect with Mary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dental-business/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-dental-business/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thedentalbusiness/ [https://www.facebook.com/Thedentalbusiness/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedentalbiz/ [https://www.instagram.com/thedentalbiz/] Website: https://thedentalbusiness.com/ [https://thedentalbusiness.com/] Connect with me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/ [https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/] https://courageandjoyatwork.com/ [https://courageandjoyatwork.com/] https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] Phone: 616-682-6222 #DentalPractice #EmergencyExitPlan #DentalPracticeValuation #PracticeTransition #DentalBusiness #DentistLife #DentalLeadership #PracticeProtection #DentalCulture #DentistDivorce #DentalSuccession #PracticeOwner #DentalPodcast #RealTalkOfDental #BrandiMarzolino

047: The Most Underrated Leadership Skill in Dentistry | Ralf Tomandl

What actually makes someone a great leader? It's not charisma. It's not confidence. And it's definitely not having all the answers. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with Ralf Tomandl, COO of HR for Health, to explore the leadership lessons that only come from real life experience. From surviving cancer and supporting a special needs child through life-threatening health challenges, to helping dental leaders navigate growth, culture, hiring, and team development, Ralf shares the experiences that shaped his perspective on leadership, resilience, and authenticity. Together, they unpack why so many dentists struggle when transitioning from clinician to leader, the hidden dangers of trying to emulate other people's leadership styles, and why self-awareness may be the most important leadership skill of all. This conversation goes far beyond business strategy. It's about becoming the kind of leader people genuinely want to follow. You’ll learn: * Why authenticity is one of the most powerful leadership advantages * The leadership mistake many growing dental organizations make * Why employees don't care about your business the way you do * How personality often matters more than technical skill when hiring * The difference between running one practice and scaling multiple locations * Why great clinicians are not automatically great leaders * How ego becomes a roadblock to organizational growth * The importance of hiring people who can eventually replace you * What adversity teaches about resilience, empathy, and leadership * Why asking for help is often the strongest leadership move you can make * How leaders can create cultures built on trust and honesty * The mindset shift required to successfully scale a dental organization 🔗 Join the community and submit your anonymous questions: https://www.therealtalkofdental.com [https://www.therealtalkofdental.com] 🔗 Learn more about The Empowered LeadHERship Program for Women in Dental: https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] 🔗 Boundary Boss GPT: https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss [https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss] We talk about: 00:00 Introduction to Ralf Tomandl and his leadership journey 04:50 Starting in dentistry and finding purpose in the industry 07:45 The impact of adversity, cancer, and personal growth 11:00 How life-changing challenges reshape leadership 15:00 Supporting others through difficult seasons 18:15 Parenting, sacrifice, and building empathy 22:00 Why authentic leadership matters more than ever 26:00 Hiring for personality versus technical skills 30:00 The leadership challenges of scaling dental groups 34:00 Why leaders should hire people who can replace them 37:00 What dentistry can learn from military leadership 42:00 Why asking for help is a leadership strength Connect with Ralf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralf-tomandl-a689138/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralf-tomandl-a689138/] Dental Leadership Summit: https://dentalleadershipsummit.com/ [https://dentalleadershipsummit.com/] Website: https://hrforhealth.com/ [https://hrforhealth.com/] Connect with me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/ [https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/] https://courageandjoyatwork.com/ [https://courageandjoyatwork.com/] https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] Phone: 616-682-6222 #DentalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Dentistry

046: Think ChatGPT Is Your HR Department? Think Again. | Kara Kelley

Think AI is helping you make smarter HR decisions? It might actually be creating evidence against you. In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with HR compliance expert Kara Kelley for a candid conversation about the growing risks of using AI for hiring, firing, employee relations, and workplace compliance. From AI-generated employee handbooks and employment law advice to the legal implications of what practice owners type into ChatGPT, Kara breaks down where AI can help, where it absolutely cannot, and why relying on it for HR decisions could put your business at serious risk. The conversation also explores leadership, recruiting, workplace culture, employee retention, and the common mistakes dental practices make when trying to shortcut complex people problems. If you've ever used AI to write a policy, navigate a difficult employee situation, or help make hiring decisions, this episode may completely change the way you think about compliance. You’ll learn: * Why AI should never replace HR expertise * How AI-generated employee handbooks can create compliance risks * What employers need to know about AI chats becoming legal evidence * The hidden dangers of using ChatGPT for employment decisions * Why hiring and leadership are often confused in dental practices * The biggest recruiting mistakes dental offices make * Why working interviews can expose practices to legal liability * How to evaluate candidates more effectively * The role of self-awareness in leadership success * What dental practice owners should focus on before scaling their teams 🔗 Join the community and submit your anonymous questions: https://www.therealtalkofdental.com [https://www.therealtalkofdental.com] 🔗 Learn more about The Empowered LeadHERship Program for Women in Dental: https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] 🔗 Boundary Boss GPT: https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss [https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss] We talk about: 0:00 Why AI is creating new HR risks for employers 4:45 The legal reality of AI prompts and employment decisions 9:15 How AI-generated policies and handbooks go wrong 13:10 Leadership, self-awareness, and team turnover 17:45 Why Kara disagrees with working interviews 22:40 Hiring mistakes dental practices continue to make 27:15 Recruiting, reference checks, and candidate evaluation 31:10 The limits of DIY HR solutions 34:00 Why expert guidance matters more than ever Connect with Kara LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karadkelley/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karadkelley/] Website: http://www.clinicalhr.com [http://www.clinicalhr.com/] Connect with me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/ [https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/] https://courageandjoyatwork.com/ [https://courageandjoyatwork.com/] https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] Phone: 616-682-6222 #DentalLeadership #AuthenticityInDentistry #DentalIndustry

045: Why “Pick Me” Thirsty Energy Is Hurting Dentistry More Than Helping It | Beverly Wilburn

What happens when influence becomes more important than integrity? In this episode of The Real Talk of Dental, Brandi sits down with Beverly Wilburn, longtime dental leader, practice owner, and former ADOM Office Manager of the Year, for a brutally honest conversation about authenticity, scarcity, and the “pick me” culture taking over dentistry. From speakers and consultants chasing visibility, to social media performativity and AI-generated content that all sounds the same, Beverly shares why trust, reciprocity, and genuine connection matter more than ever in today’s dental industry. This conversation dives deep into leadership, entrepreneurship, burnout, influence, and why people can instantly feel the difference between someone who wants to serve… and someone who just wants attention. If you’ve ever struggled with authenticity, comparison, visibility, or building a name for yourself in dentistry without losing who you are in the process, this episode will hit home. You’ll learn: * Why “pick me” energy is becoming a problem in dentistry * The difference between authentic leadership and performative influence * How scarcity mindset impacts business, speaking, and consulting * Why trust matters more than visibility * How AI is affecting authenticity online * The dangers of unvetted experts and transactional networking * Why entrepreneurship is harder than most people expect * What real leadership and reciprocity actually look like 🔗 Join the community and submit your anonymous questions: https://www.therealtalkofdental.com [https://www.therealtalkofdental.com] 🔗 Learn more about The Empowered LeadHERship Program for Women in Dental: https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] 🔗 Boundary Boss GPT: https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss [https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss] We talk about: 0:00 The “taker” culture happening in dentistry 5:20 Authenticity, trust, and transactional relationships 11:10 Why AI content is making everyone sound the same 17:30 The obsession with influence and visibility 24:15 The rise of unvetted experts in dentistry 30:40 Entrepreneurship, burnout, and scarcity mindset 36:00 Beverly’s advice for future leaders in dentistry Connect with Beverly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverlywilburn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverlywilburn/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearbevvie_/ [https://www.instagram.com/dearbevvie_/] Website: https://dentalspousesinbusiness.com/ [https://dentalspousesinbusiness.com/] Connect with me LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/ [https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/] https://courageandjoyatwork.com/ [https://courageandjoyatwork.com/] https://leadhershipexperience.com/ [https://leadhershipexperience.com/] Phone: 616-682-6222 #DentalLeadership #AuthenticityInDentistry #DentalIndustry