Most dentists get into the profession for the right reasons—to help people, to provide quality care, and to build a rewarding career. But the truth is, most dental school curriculums fail to teach the business side of running a practice. That’s why so many dentists, despite their talent and intentions, end up stressed, overworked, and financially stuck.
In this blog, we’re going to take a deep dive into why coaching isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for dental practice growth. We’ll follow the journey of Dr. Todd Sala, a dentist who turned his struggling office into a thriving business through the power of coaching, accountability, and strategic change. If you’re a dentist wondering how to get unstuck, grow your business, or just take control of your future, you need to hear this story.
The Trap Most Dentists Fall Into
Dr. Sala, like many dentists, once thought hard work would be enough. He filled his schedule, worked long hours, and assumed the income would follow. But it didn’t. In his words, “I was busy, but broke.” That statement sums up a painful reality for far too many practitioners.
It’s not about how many patients you see or how many procedures you perform—it’s about how effectively your business runs. Without clear systems, metrics, and accountability, you’re just spinning your wheels. That’s where coaching enters the picture.
Why Coaching Matters in Dentistry
Coaching brings clarity. It turns confusion into confidence, chaos into structure. With the right coaching, dentists don’t just survive—they scale. Coaching gives you the playbook to build the practice you imagined when you first picked up a dental drill.
For Dr. Sala, coaching revealed what he didn’t know. And as he put it, “You don’t know what you don’t know. Coaching opened my eyes.” Once he started tracking the right metrics—like new patient conversion, case acceptance, and call conversions—he started to see the holes in his practice. And more importantly, he learned how to fix them.
The Mindset Shift That Changed Everything
Before coaching, Dr. Sala believed his job was to do dentistry. Afterall, dentistry is in his DNA. He and his brother Jason bought their practice from their father, Michael Sala who practiced dentistry for 37-years. The three of them all graduated from the University of Louisville, following in their grandfather and great-grandfather’s footsteps going back to 1912. 110 years of dentists in the family from the same school of dentistry. Dentistry is in the very fiber of the Sala Family Practice.
And yet, after coaching, Dr. Sala realized his real job was to lead a business that delivered dentistry. He realized, that even with his long pedigree and bedrock foundation of dental prowess, practicing dentistry and delivering dentistry—or being a dentist and running a dental business—were two very different things. That shift in mindset changed everything.
Instead of jumping into every role—scheduler, hygienist, office manager—he learned to delegate, empower, and measure. He discovered that his team mirrored his energy. If he was scattered, they were too. If he was focused, they performed. Coaching didn’t just teach systems—it reshaped his leadership. “It’s not about micromanaging; it’s about setting standards and measuring what matters.”
Measuring What Matters
One of the biggest gaps in most dental offices is the lack of clear data. Most dentists track production and collections, but that’s not enough. Coaching helped Dr. Sala zero in on the numbers that truly drive business growth:
- Call conversion rate
- New patient flow
- Case acceptance percentage
- Hygiene reappointment rate
- Profit per hour and per patient
When you measure the right things, you can lead from the front. You can train your team. You can reward performance. And you can stop guessing. As Dr. Sala said, “I went from wondering why things weren’t working to knowing exactly what needed to change.”
From Technician to CEO
This transformation didn’t happen overnight. But as coaching continued, Dr. Sala became more than just a dentist—he became a CEO. He developed a vision for his practice and a strategy to get there. He built a culture of accountability and ownership. And perhaps most importantly, he stopped tolerating mediocrity—from himself and from others.
He realized that the same hands-on mentality that made him a great clinician was holding him back as a leader. So he stepped out of the daily chaos and into strategic oversight. That’s when the real business growth began.
Creating a Culture of Performance
One of the toughest—but most rewarding—parts of coaching was shifting his team culture. No more bonuses for showing up. No more team meetings without metrics. With coaching, Dr. Sala introduced clear expectations, regular reviews, and meaningful incentives.
Not everyone made the transition. Some left. But those who stayed stepped up. “We became a real team, not just a group of people working under the same roof,” he said. The culture became one of growth, accountability, and shared mission.
What Business Growth Really Looks Like
Business growth in a dental practice isn’t just about doing more procedures. It’s about doing the right things, the right way, with the right people. It’s about increasing profit per hour, maximizing patient satisfaction, and creating a predictable, scalable operation.
With coaching, Dr. Sala began to grow in every direction—revenue, profitability, team satisfaction, and personal freedom. He was no longer the bottleneck. He became the catalyst.
The Cost of Not Getting Coaching
If you’re a dentist running your practice without coaching, ask yourself this: What is it costing you to stay where you are?
Every missed opportunity. Every unconverted patient. Every good team member who leaves because of lack of clarity or leadership. It’s all costing you. In time. In money. In fulfillment.
Dentists like Dr. Sala prove that with the right coaching, those costs become profits. Problems become solved. And the stress that once felt normal becomes unnecessary.
Ready to Grow Your Dental Practice?
Coaching is not a luxury—it’s the shortest path to predictable, sustainable business growth. You don’t need another seminar. You don’t need more CE. You need clarity. You need accountability. You need someone to show you what’s broken and how to fix it.
It starts with a Discovery Call. It’s a no-cost opportunity to dive into your practice, your goals, and your vision for success. This 30-minute call is all about you, not us. We’ll discover together where your practice stands, your goals for the future and if you’re ready to commit to the changes needed to achieve real results.
You became a dentist to help people. Coaching helps you build the business that allows you to do that at the highest level—without sacrificing your peace of mind.
The most successful dental practices don’t just run—they grow. And the ones that grow are the ones that get coaching. So don’t wait for the next plateau. Don’t wait until you’re burned out. The help is here. All you have to do is say yes to it.