Contact Point Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Lincoln Harris built a dental practice next to a beach in Queensland - then gave it up to build an AI-powered education company from scratch. He joins Simon Chard to talk courage, clinical stress, dental training, and where the profession goes next. ▶ Subscribe for a new episode every Monday. Lincoln Harris is one of dentistry's most candid voices on skill, fear and the realities of a clinical career. In this wide-ranging conversation he and Simon get into why confidence is built on the other side of fear, why your first five years feel the way they do, what the best dental schools in the world do differently, what dentistry can learn from aviation, and how AI and robotics will reshape the next decade of clinical work. About the guest Lincoln Harris is a dentist and the founder of Ripe Global, an AI-powered, simulation-based dental education platform now teaching in 35 countries. Originally from Queensland, Australia, where he ran his own multidisciplinary practice, he's now based in Colorado. Instagram: @drlincolnharris / @ripeglobal · LinkedIn: Dr Lincoln Harris / Ripe Global · ripeglobal.com Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Beach Practice Dream & The Big Move 00:02:36 Why Leave Paradise? The Decision to Move to America 00:07:37 Starting Ripe Global: Naive Optimism During COVID 00:10:54 Building the Simulation Protocol: Innovation Through Necessity 00:12:54 The Journey from Dentist to CEO: Raising Capital & Moving Forward 00:15:00 What Made Lincoln the Right Person for This Mission 00:17:34 Confidence vs Courage: Overcoming Fear in Dentistry 00:24:20 Leadership, Patient Communication & The Weight of Responsibility 00:28:32 The State of Dental Education Worldwide 00:39:24 Technical Skill vs Knowledge: What Dental Schools Get Wrong 00:48:22 Managing Stress & Fatigue: The Secret to Clinical Excellence 00:50:39 The Reality Check: Five Years to Stop Feeling Sick Going to Work 00:53:25 Why Dentists Should See a Psychologist & The Power of Breathing 01:05:07 Life After Clinical Practice: The Transition to Full-Time CEO 01:10:46 The Brutal Truth About CEO Income vs Clinical Income 00:45:42 All Dentistry Fails: Accepting Failure & Building Credibility 01:21:31 The Next Decade: AI, Robotics & The Future of Dentistry 01:32:53 Why Communication Can't Be Taught Online (Yet) 01:40:16 Competence Will Always Be in Fashion Episode sponsors Vvardis - Curodont Repair A biomimetic peptide technology that can arrest or even reverse early carious lesions, meaning patients can avoid the filling they don't want. Easy to apply, suitable for all age groups, and a genuine step change in minimally invasive care. → 10% off your first case at professional.vvardis.com/contactpoint DENTAL MONITORING AI-powered remote orthodontic care that brings aligner appointments to your patients' phones. Monitor compliance, hygiene, and aligner progression remotely — far better care with far fewer appointments. A real USP for practices running aligner workflows. → Special discount off your starter kit at dentalmonitoring.com/contactpoint Follow Contact Point Instagram: @contactpointpodcast · YouTube: @contactpointpodcast Hosted by Dr Simon Chard - President of the BACD, co-founder of PÄRLA, principal of Rothley Lodge Dental Practice. Contact Point - Dentistry's Next Decade. #ContactPoint #Dentistry #DentalEducation #DentalPodcast #FutureOfDentistry

Sugar is 10× more addictive than cocaine - and dentistry is just starting to admit it. Dr Mehy Lo Presti joins Dr Simon Chard for episode one of Contact Point: the long-form conversation defining dentistry's next decade. Dr Mehy Lo Presti is a restorative dentist and prosthodontist, and one of the most considered voices on how AI, holistic clinical philosophy, and patient experience design are reshaping the chair. In this episode: · How AI is already saving clinicians hours every day · Why the tooth → whole mouth → whole body shift changes everything · The "Tinder Effect" — when marketing catfishes the patient · The peak-end rule and why patients only remember two moments · Become the AI expert before your job disappears · What the future of dental education actually looks like EPISODE SPONSORS Vvardis - Curodont Repair. A biomimetic peptide technology that can arrest or reverse early carious lesions, helping patients avoid the filling they don't want. 10% off your first case at professional.vvardis.com/contactpoint Dental Monitoring — AI-powered remote orthodontic care that brings aligner appointments to your patients' phones. Far better care with far fewer appointments. Special discount off your starter kit at dentalmonitoring.com/contactpoint Follow: @contactpointpodcast on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn. Hosted by Dr Simon Chard.

Welcome to Contact Point - the long-form conversation defining dentistry's next decade. Hosted by Dr Simon Chard. New episodes every Monday. Subscribe. In this introduction, Dr Simon Chard sets out what Contact Point is for, who it's built for, and the three ideas that shape every episode. From Seneca to Silicon Valley - direction, adaptability, and the courage to hold strong opinions loosely. This is the only podcast that takes UK dentistry as seriously as you do. ▬▬ ABOUT THE HOST ▬▬ Dr Simon Chard is a cosmetic dentist, President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, co-founder of PÄRLA, owner of Rothley Lodge, and host of Contact Point. Previously the host of One Small Change. Find Simon: @drsimonchard ▬▬ FOLLOW CONTACT POINT ▬▬ YouTube: @contactpointpodcast Instagram: @contactpointpodcast LinkedIn: contactpointpodcast ▬▬ GUEST REQUESTS ▬▬ Got someone you want to hear on the show? DM @contactpointpodcast on Instagram. ▬▬ CREDITS ▬▬ Hosted by Dr Simon Chard #contactpoint #drsimonchard #dentistry #ukdentistry #dentalpodcast #podcastlaunch #aidentistry #practiceowner #cosmeticdentistry #BACD

The man who bought 120 dental practices on what actually makes one worth buying - and why being the "key person" in your own practice is quietly destroying its value. New episodes every Monday. The long-form conversation defining dentistry's next decade - hosted by Dr Simon Chard. This episode: Andy Sloan - former MD of Agilio, ex-Henry Schein and Portman, and the man who led the team that acquired 120+ practices in three years. In this conversation: why you must be dispensable in your own business, the three things that make a practice acquirable, what investors really look for under the hood, how recurring revenue can add a full turn or two to your multiple, where EBITDA multiples actually sit right now, why the CMA is coming for dentistry, and why bolting AI onto bad data just amplifies the chaos. ▬▬ ABOUT THE GUEST ▬▬ Andy Sloan has spent 15+ years in dentistry - at Henry Schein, in business development at Portman during its major growth phase, and most recently as Managing Director of Agilio. He led the team that acquired 120+ dental practices in three years and now advises founders, groups and DSOs on building well-governed, exit-ready businesses. He's behind the forthcoming Operational Maturity Index and writes as The Accidental Dental Strategist. Find Andy: linkedin.com/in/andysloanned ▬▬ ABOUT THE HOST ▬▬ Dr Simon Chard is the Past-President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, co-founder of PÄRLA, owner of Rothley Lodge Dental, and host of Contact Point. Find Simon: @drsimonchard ▬▬ EPISODE SPONSORS ▬▬ Vvardis - Curodont Repair A biomimetic peptide technology that can arrest or even reverse early carious lesions, meaning patients can avoid the filling they don't want. Easy to apply, suitable for all age groups, and a genuine step change in minimally invasive care. → 10% off your first case at www.professional.vvardis.com/contactpoint Dental Monitoring AI-powered remote orthodontic care that brings aligner appointments to your patients' phones. Monitor compliance, hygiene, and aligner progression remotely — far better care with far fewer appointments. A real USP for practices running aligner workflows. → Special discount off your starter kit at www.dentalmonitoring.com/contactpoint ▬▬ FOLLOW CONTACT POINT ▬▬ YouTube: @contactpointpodcast Instagram: @contactpointpodcast LinkedIn: contactpointpodcast ▬▬ CREDITS ▬▬ Hosted by Dr Simon Chard Guest: Andy Sloan #dentistry #ukdentists #dentalpodcast #contactpoint #drsimonchard #agilio #practiceowner #dentalbusiness #practicevaluation #privateequity #dentalpe #aidentistry #exitstrategy #recurringrevenue #dentalgroups Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: The Accidental Dental Strategist 00:02:08 From Hospitality to Healthcare: An Unexpected Path 00:10:00 The Reality of Practice Acquisitions: 120 Practices & Beyond 00:25:12 What Actually Adds Value: Beyond EBITDA Multiples 00:40:00 The Hidden Infrastructure: Data, Systems & Operational Maturity 00:50:00 Membership Plans & Recurring Revenue: The 50% Rule 01:00:00 AI Strategy: Foundation Before Innovation 01:25:00 The Changing Face of Acquisitions: New Models & Valuations 01:29:10 The CMA Investigation & Future of Private Dentistry 01:45:00 The Next Decade: Robotics, AI & The Human Touch

The restorative consultant who studies psychology, mortality and Stoic philosophy as seriously as he studies teeth - on why we're all wearing a mask, why comfort is quietly making us worse, and how to tell which of your desires are even yours. New episodes every Monday. The long-form conversation defining dentistry's next decade - hosted by Dr Simon Chard. This episode: Dr Richard Porter - restorative consultant, founder of Aspire Dental Academy, postgraduate scholar in psychology, and one of dentistry's most original thinkers on human flourishing. In this conversation: why every professional wears a "persona" and what hostility really reveals, the fundamental attribution error and how it shows up with patients, mimetic desire and the borrowed wants driving most of our anxiety, what dying patients consistently say matters most, the six pillars of health, the truth about supplements and statins, fluoride and minimally invasive care, and why the future of dentistry belongs to human connection. ▬▬ ABOUT THE GUEST ▬▬ Dr Richard Porter is a restorative consultant and the founder of Aspire Dental Academy, where he has trained dentists for 15 years. Alongside clinical and teaching work he is a postgraduate scholar in psychology and a leading voice on emotional intelligence, preventative health and human flourishing in dentistry. Find Richard: @AspireDentalAcademy ▬▬ ABOUT THE HOST ▬▬ Dr Simon Chard is the Past-President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, co-founder of PÄRLA, owner of Rothley Lodge Dental, and host of Contact Point. Find Simon: @drsimonchard ▬▬ EPISODE SPONSORS ▬▬ Vvardis — Curodont Repair A biomimetic peptide technology that can arrest or even reverse early carious lesions, meaning patients can avoid the filling they don't want. Easy to apply, suitable for all age groups, and a genuine step change in minimally invasive care. → 10% off your first case at professional.vvardis.com/contactpoint Dental Monitoring AI-powered remote orthodontic care that brings aligner appointments to your patients' phones. Monitor compliance, hygiene, and aligner progression remotely - far better care with far fewer appointments. → Special discount off your starter kit at dentalmonitoring.com/contactpoint ▬▬ FOLLOW CONTACT POINT ▬▬ YouTube: @contactpointpodcast Instagram: @contactpointpodcast LinkedIn: contactpointpodcast ▬▬ CREDITS ▬▬ Hosted by Dr Simon Chard Guest: Dr Richard Porter Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Human Flourishing & The Power of Prevention 00:00:16 The Red Trousers Memory & 14 Years of Shared Values 00:01:59 Professional Identity: From Consultant to Human Flourishing Advocate 00:03:53 The Suffering Dentist: Emotional Intelligence & Professional Stress 00:06:59 Knowing Yourself: The Shadow Self & Emotional Awareness 00:10:03 Memento Mori: Life Is Short & The 11-Year-Old's Lesson 00:11:48 Fear of Death vs Fear of Not Feeling Alive 00:18:04 The Comfort Crisis: Why Discomfort Drives Growth 00:21:36 Mimetic Desire: Are Your Goals Really Yours? 00:27:25 The Deathbed Test: Clarity From Life's End 00:29:44 Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Challenges: Stoicism & Daily Practice 00:31:02 Health Foundations: The Non-Negotiable Morning Workout 00:39:49 Exercise Protocol: Zone 2, HIIT & Strength Training 00:43:14 Sleep, Supplements & The Big Three: Vitamin D, Omega-3 & Magnesium 00:45:15 Mitochondrial Medicine: NAD+, Cold Exposure & Energy Optimization 00:48:58 The Cholesterol Controversy: Beyond Good vs Bad 00:45:54 Testosterone Crisis: The Declining Male Hormone Epidemic 00:58:20 Functional Medicine: Root Causes Over Symptom Management 00:38:40 The Parent Modeling Effect: Teaching Through Action 00:00:08 Life Is Emotion: Faith in Humanity & The Path Forward #dentistry #ukdentists #dentalpodcast #contactpoint #drsimonchard #aspiredental #emotionalintelligence #humanflourishing #preventativehealth #functionalmedicine #stoicism #mentalhealth #patientexperience #vvardis #dentalmonitoring

The orthodontist who stopped chasing straight teeth and started asking why they were crooked in the first place. Steffen Decker on airway, sleep-disordered breathing, and the three things every parent and dentist should be checking in children. New episodes every Monday. The long-form conversation defining dentistry's next decade - hosted by Dr Simon Chard. This episode: Dr Steffen Decker - orthodontist, airway and paediatric sleep-disordered-breathing educator, and one of the most passionate voices in the field. In this conversation: why "airway" is the wrong word and what to say instead, how teeth are a downstream symptom of breathing, the three functional signs in any child (lips, tongue, nose), why screening by age seven matters, what the evidence really says about expansion, the cost-of-care problem nobody talks about, and the three things a dentist can start doing from today. Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:29 Why Airway Was Always on the List: Stefan's Journey 00:01:58 From Lingual Orthodontics to Sleep Disorder Breathing 00:04:47 The Lockdown Revelation: Connecting Kids to Adults 00:25:45 The Personal Story: When Your Own Child Can't Breathe 00:56:39 The Parking Space Analogy: Understanding Tongue Position 00:32:00 The Down Syndrome Success Story: Beyond Teeth 01:43:16 Screening Tools: The 14-Point Assessment Every Dentist Needs 01:05:31 The Orthodontic Controversy: Extraction vs Expansion 01:29:49 Class III Cases: Genetics or Epigenetics? 01:33:31 Cephalometric Flaws: Why Static Data Fails Us 01:07:59 Retention Reality: Why Teeth Stay Straight in Kids 01:42:17 Adult Solutions: MARPE, DOME, and Surgical Options 01:18:36 The Barrel Metaphor: Why Modern Life Is Drowning Our Kids 01:22:16 The Body Worker Team: Who You Need in Your Network 01:23:26 The Cost of Prevention vs Compensation 02:15:06 Technology and AI: The Future of Myofunctional Therapy 02:16:24 The Social Media Trap: Why Bonding Isn't the Future 02:10:11 The Punjab Lesson: Ancient Wisdom We Forgot 01:51:36 Final Message: Opportunities Over Fear ▬▬ ABOUT THE GUEST ▬▬ Dr Steffen Decker is an orthodontist specialising in airway, paediatric sleep-disordered breathing and early interceptive treatment. Trained in Germany and Switzerland and formerly a leading lingual orthodontist in Harley Street, he now runs a prevention-focused clinic and teaching academy, and lectures internationally on the link between breathing, sleep and craniofacial development. Find Steffen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-steffen-decker/ https://www.instagram.com/theorthodonticspecialist/?hl=en-gb ▬▬ ABOUT THE HOST ▬▬ Dr Simon Chard is the Past-President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, co-founder of PÄRLA, owner of Rothley Lodge Dental, and host of Contact Point. Find Simon: @drsimonchard ▬▬ EPISODE SPONSORS ▬▬ Vvardis - Curodont Repair A biomimetic peptide technology that can arrest or even reverse early carious lesions, meaning patients can avoid the filling they don't want. Easy to apply, suitable for all age groups, and a genuine step change in minimally invasive care. → 10% off your first case at professional.vvardis.com/contactpoint Dental Monitoring AI-powered remote orthodontic care that brings aligner appointments to your patients' phones. Monitor compliance, hygiene, and aligner progression remotely - far better care with far fewer appointments. → Special discount off your starter kit at dentalmonitoring.com/contactpoint ▬▬ FOLLOW CONTACT POINT ▬▬ YouTube: @contactpointpodcast Instagram: @contactpointpodcast LinkedIn: contactpointpodcast ▬▬ CREDITS ▬▬ Hosted by Dr Simon Chard Guest: Dr Steffen Decker #dentistry #ukdentists #dentalpodcast #contactpoint #drsimonchard #orthodontics #airway #sleepdisorderedbreathing