All Dentistry Fails: Lincoln Harris On Skill, Stress & The Next Decade of the Profession
Monday, May 25, 2026 • Duration 01:43:12
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
The Tinder Effect Is Killing Your Practice: Dr Mehy Lo Presti On The Future Patient Experience.
Monday, May 18, 2026 • Duration 01:38:01
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.
There's Never Been A More Exciting Time To Be A Dentist: Introducing Contact Point
Monday, May 18, 2026 • Duration 13:00
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
I Bought 120 Dental Practices - Here's What Actually Adds Value: Andy Sloan On Selling & Systems
Monday, June 1, 2026 • Duration 02:12:27
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
Comfort Is Killing You: Dr Richard Porter On Why The Hardest Things Are What Make Life Worth Living
Monday, June 8, 2026 • Duration 01:48:09
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
We Were Treating The Wrong Thing The Whole Time: Dr Steffen Decker On Why Airway Changes Everything
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 • Duration 02:19:40
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
Straight To The Point: The 3 Signs Every Dentist Is Missing In Kids | Dr Steffen Decker
Season 1
Thursday, June 18, 2026 • Duration 10:10
The orthodontist who stopped chasing straight teeth and started asking why they're crooked in the first place. In this week's Cross Section, Dr Steffen Decker gives every dentist the three things they can actually do on from tomorrow morning to spot the kids who are slipping through the net.
New moments every Thursday.
This is a highlight from our full conversation with Dr Steffen Decker on Contact Point - the long-form podcast defining dentistry's next decade, hosted by Dr Simon Chard.
In this clip: why teeth are a symptom and not the problem, how to screen a child for sleep-disordered breathing without diagnosing, the red flags that should trigger a referral (venous pooling, night terrors, mouth breathing), why tongue-tie is only a small part of the picture, and why dentists are one of the only professionals who see these children regularly enough to catch it.
🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YYiawP2dDqaTvPFXDJPqn?si=XG0LBAv3TaKanijdno5SkQ
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contact-point-podcast/id1896809084
YouTube: https://youtu.be/_BeYi1RAJt0
▬▬ EPISODE SPONSORS ▬▬ This episode is brought to you by:
Vvardis - Curodont Repair → professional.vvardis.com/contactpoint
Dental Monitoring → dentalmonitoring.com/contactpoint
▬▬ 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.
▬▬ 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
▬▬ FOLLOW CONTACT POINT ▬▬ YouTube: @contactpointpodcast Instagram: @contactpointpodcast LinkedIn: contactpointpodcast
#dentistry #ukdentists #dentalpodcast #contactpoint #drsimonchard #orthodontics #airway #paediatricdentistry #sleepdisorderedbreathing #earlyintervention
They Nearly Took Our Houses: Payman Langroudi On Building Enlighten
Season 1
Monday, July 13, 2026 • Duration 01:39:28
He nearly lost his house keeping the business alive.
25 years later, Enlighten is a household name in dentistry.
Payman Langroudi joins Dr Simon Chard on Contact Point - Dentistry's Next Decade.
In this conversation:
Payman Langroudi - founder of Enlighten - sits down with Simon for a wide-ranging conversation on building a dental brand over 25 years, the cash crises that nearly ended it, and what it really takes to survive and scale. They get into the moment the bank threatened to pull the plug, being "destroyed" by a new generation of consumer brands, the artist-versus-businessman tension every clinician faces, and Payman's philosophy on responsibility, legacy and living life to the full.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction: The Houses on the Line Story
00:00:20 From One Small Change to Contact Point: The Podcast Evolution
00:03:00 360 Episodes and Three Legends Lost: The Power of Recording Stories
00:05:45 The Cliches Are All True: Key Learnings from Hundreds of Interviews
00:07:58 Work-Life Balance is About Blurring the Lines
00:08:47 Family vs Pro Sports Team: Building Culture at Enlighten
00:12:02 Nikki's 40-Year Career: The Value of Long-Term Team Members
00:13:37 Relationships: The Only Thing in Both Health and Fulfillment
00:17:10 The Clinical Director Should Be the Youngest Dentist
00:18:31 What Makes the Best Practices Different
00:21:41 The Artist vs The Businessman: Christian Coachman's Three-Star Question
00:22:53 The Responsibility of What's at Your Disposal
00:24:27 25 Years of Risk: Why Payman Hasn't Sold Enlighten Yet
00:36:23 Curiosity Over Money: What Really Drives Entrepreneurs
00:40:06 The Mechanics of Business Models: Why Subscriptions Win
00:41:14 Why Dentistry is an Unbelievable Business Model
00:43:35 Five Years Until Robots in Every Practice
00:47:42 Every Patient Gets a Scan: Simon's iTero Strategy
00:49:46 Meta AI Glasses and the Future of Patient Communication
00:52:59 Tech That Actually Works: Patient Experience Innovation
00:55:02 No One's Better at Being You Than You Are
00:56:55 B2B vs B2C Marketing: The Attention Game
00:28:18 The £80,000 Gamble: Enlighten's Near-Death Experience
00:31:19 The Best Show They Ever Had: Survival at the Dentistry Show
00:33:41 From £5,000 to £20,000 a Day: Scaling Through Fear
00:34:35 39 People and Keeping Culture: The Challenge of Growth
01:22:03 Partnership Philosophy: Blood Brothers vs Board Meetings
01:26:22 Winning £200,000: The Sky Footprint Fund Story
01:28:08 When 30,000 Units Go Wrong: The Lows of Product Business
01:30:22 Every Person I Fired Didn't Deserve It: Leadership Lessons from Ophir
01:31:08 You Serve Them, They Don't Serve You
01:09:22 The Soul Question: What Stays the Same from 2 to 80
01:12:16 Good vs Bad: Why Payman Asks About God
01:17:52 Six Wars in One Lifetime: Religion, Conflict, and Iran
01:20:04 The Universe at Sunday Roast: Teaching Kids Gratitude
01:21:13 Where Does All That Wood Come From: The Mystery of Trees
01:32:56 The Next Decade: Robots, Patient Experience, and Sexy Oral Care
01:34:12 Why Isn't Going to the Dentist Fun Yet
01:34:58 From Toothpaste to Cosmetics: The £120 Cream Question
01:36:19 If You Could Put Any Brand on Your Tube: The Evian Effect
▬▬ ABOUT THE GUEST ▬▬
Payman Langroudi is the founder of Enlighten, one of the most recognised teeth-whitening systems in UK dentistry. Over 25 years he has built and scaled the business through multiple recessions and near-death cash crises.
▬▬ ABOUT THE HOST ▬▬
Dr Simon Chard is a multi-award-winning cosmetic dentist, co-founder of PÄRLA, and past President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Contact Point is his long-form interview show exploring the next decade of dentistry.
▬▬ EPISODE SPONSORS ▬▬
Barclays - Search 'Barclays Business Healthcare' online. Terms and conditions apply. All lending is subject to application, status and eligibility.
▬▬ FOLLOW ▬▬
YouTube: @ContactPointPodcast
Spotify / Apple Podcasts "Contact Point Podcast"
▬▬ CREDITS ▬▬
Hosted by Dr Simon Chard
Produced by Sone Productions
#Dentistry #DentalPodcast #Enlighten #TeethWhitening #DentalBusiness #ContactPoint
Quality Dentistry Doesn't Scale: Christian Coachman On The Michelin-Star Mindset.
Monday, July 6, 2026 • Duration 02:35:21
Christian Coachman has spent his career convincing dentists to embrace technology. Now he's telling them the opposite.
What if the most profitable move in dentistry - scaling - is the one thing quietly killing your craft? Christian Coachman joins Dr Simon Chard for a wide-ranging conversation on artistry, diagnosis, and what actually matters over a lifetime of care.
In this conversation:
– Why quality dentistry can't be scaled - and the "three-star Michelin dentist" choice every clinician eventually faces
– The "oral physician" - moving from execution to diagnosis, planning and presentation
– Why we're brilliant at fixing problems and terrible at preventing them
– The "last 10 years of your life" as a framework for every clinical decision
– Charisma, cause, and vehicle: the art of making patients bet on you
– Comfort with uncertainty, and why certainty is the enemy of good medicine
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction: The Michelin-Star Dentist Philosophy
00:01:00 13 Years of Digital Dentistry: From Technology Evangelism to Balance
00:02:56 The Three-Star Michelin Question: What Kind of Dentist Do You Want to Be?
00:06:22 Quality Doesn't Scale: The Gordon Ramsay Dilemma
00:09:45 The Gold Standard vs The Growth Trap
00:20:38 The Mexican Fisherman Story: Redefining Success
00:28:02 Saying No to Opportunities: Focus Over Everything
00:32:53 The Unteachable Lesson: Money, Peace & Proving Something
00:35:52 Balance is BS: The Truth About Going All In
00:41:59 Execution Over Ideas: The Implementation Gap
00:47:50 The Dark Night: Christian's Depression at 30
00:52:50 Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously: The Path to Peace
00:58:00 Technology's True Purpose: Diagnose, Plan, Present
00:59:22 The Five Phases of Dentistry: Where We're Failing
01:02:50 The Architect vs The Builder: Why Planning Matters More
01:04:46 The Exploration Phase: Becoming a Super Diagnostician
01:07:10 Dentistry's Fragmentation Problem: Ortho, Restorative & The Whole Body
01:10:27 Evidence-Based Arrogance: The 5% We Actually Know
01:14:12 Strong Opinions Loosely Held: Confident Humility
01:29:21 The Super Generalist: Above the Specialist
01:31:25 Reinventing the First Appointment: The Exploration Gold Standard
01:37:55 The Last 10 Years of Your Life: Dentistry's True Impact
01:44:53 Aesthetics Shouldn't Be the Priority: Natural Beauty vs Perfection
01:50:24 Airway First: Function-Driven Aesthetics
01:52:46 The Art of Storytelling: Making People Bet on You
02:00:12 Charisma, Cause & Vehicle: The Three Components of Movement
02:09:00 Your Systems Are Your Vehicle: Showing Patients the Process
02:16:55 Black Box Thinking: Quality Control in Dentistry
02:23:40 The Try-In Trap: Catching Mistakes Earlier
02:29:49 The Future: Super Diagnosticians & Three-Star Michelin Artists
02:32:44 Human Skills Over Technology: The Real Differentiation
▬▬ EPISODE SPONSORS ▬▬
This episode is supported by Barclays. Running a healthcare business isn't simple - different income models, complex regulations, real-world pressure. Barclays backs UK healthcare professionals with a dedicated Relationship Management team and finance built to help you manage cashflow, invest and grow. Search 'Barclays Business Healthcare'. T&Cs apply; all lending subject to application, status and eligibility.
▬▬ FOLLOW CONTACT POINT ▬▬
Instagram: @contactpointpodcast
Spotify / Apple Podcasts : "Contact Point Podcast"
▬▬ CREDITS ▬▬
Produced by Sone Studios.
#Dentistry #DigitalSmileDesign #DentalPodcast #OralHealth #CosmeticDentistry #DentistryPodcast #DrSimonChard #ContactPoint #DentalProfessionals #LongevityDentistry
A Quarter Of Your Calls Go Unanswered: India Healy O'Connor On AI In Dentistry
Monday, June 29, 2026 • Duration 01:11:05
She left Goldman Sachs to build an AI that answers your clinic's phone.
A quarter of patient calls go unanswered - India thinks that's a solved problem.
Contact Point - Dentistry's Next Decade, hosted by Dr Simon Chard.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction: From Goldman Sachs to Dental AI
00:06:07 The Entrepreneurial Spark: Fashion Shows to Fintech
00:09:07 The Birth of Linda: A Family Practice Problem
00:10:11 Raising 2.6 Million: The Fundraising Playbook
00:18:56 AI-Powered Operations: Claude, Whisper & Team Efficiency
00:23:11 Meet Linda: The AI Receptionist Explained
00:38:34 The Live Demo: Calling Linda in Real Time
00:59:59 Product Quality vs Speed: Defending Against Competition
00:49:35 The Job Loss Question: AI as Enhancement Not Replacement
01:08:20 The Next Decade: AI Search, Dental Robotics & The Future
In this conversation:
Simon sits down with India Healy O'Connor, co-founder and CEO of Linda AI, to unpack how a former Goldman Sachs trader ended up building agentic voice AI for dental clinics. They get into why ~25% of clinic calls go unanswered, how Linda was first trialled in her dad's healthcare clinic, why dentistry turned out to be the perfect end-to-end use case, and what patient-facing AI means for the next five years of dental practice.
▬▬ ABOUT THE GUEST ▬▬
India Healy O'Connor is co-founder and CEO of Linda AI, an agentic voice platform built to answer patient calls, manage bookings and handle front-desk admin for dental clinics. A former Goldman Sachs sales and trading professional, she previously co-founded fintech startup Xelda and AI medical scribe Curie alongside her sister and co-founder Portia Healy O'Connor, before raising a pre-seed round for Linda.
▬▬ ABOUT THE HOST ▬▬
Dr Simon Chard is a multi-award-winning cosmetic dentist, co-founder of Pärla, and past President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. On Contact Point, he sits down with the people shaping the next decade of dentistry.
▬▬ FOLLOW ▬▬
YouTube: @ContactPointPodcast
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