Dr. Michael Vetowich is one of Comfort Dental’s earliest partners, joining in 2000 as partner number 18. He practices near Boulder, Colorado, where he has spent more than two decades building a specialty in implant dentistry and oral surgery while keeping Comfort Dental’s core philosophy at the center of every patient visit.

The episode opens somewhere unexpected: music. Dr. Vetowich studied English and music performance at the University of Michigan, has run a marathon in every adult decade of his life, and completed multiple Ironman triathlons. He came to Colorado for the skiing. He stayed because the Comfort Dental model made sense.

From there, the conversation goes into what it actually feels like to practice dentistry every day. Dr. Vetowich does not pretend it is easy. He talks about the emotional reality of working with patients who tell you they hate being there, and he explains the “floor” he has built: a minimum standard of professionalism and compassion that holds regardless of what any patient brings into the room.

Then the patient-facing content takes over. He walks through the three questions every patient is really asking when they walk in: How much will it cost? How long will it take? Will it hurt? He explains how his practice answers all three, and what he says to patients who come in embarrassed because it has been a long time since their last visit. His answer is direct: “I’m not here to make judgments. I’m here to try and help you.”

The episode covers the full range of care his practice offers, from general dentistry to implants and full-arch cases using 3D printing and digital surgical planning. He talks about seeing a patient’s smile on screen before a single procedure begins, and about trying to bring that level of care to patients at a more affordable price point than they would find elsewhere.

He makes the oral health and systemic health connection in about a minute: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, all tied to what is happening in your mouth. He makes the case for flossing in about 20 seconds. And he tells the story of a carpenter in his 40s with a broken-down smile who went through a full-arch procedure and gave him the biggest hug when it was done.

The episode closes with two answers that say everything. One word to describe what patients would say about him: passionate. Finish this sentence, every patient deserves: dignity.

Timestamps:

0:01 - Why dentistry: art, music, and wanting to help people

3:32 - Marathons, cross country, and Ironman triathlons

5:10 - The emotional reality of practicing dentistry

7:06 - The floor of professionalism: how Dr. Vetowich stays grounded

8:55 - How he found Comfort Dental in 2000

10:37 - The three questions every patient is really asking

11:35 - Addressing dental fear and anxiety head-on

12:10 - What a first visit actually looks like

13:24 - Affordability options and the Gold Plan

14:46 - No upselling: patients choose their level of care

15:46 - Implants, oral surgery, and full-arch dentistry

17:24 - The Da Vinci Curse and choosing mastery over dabbling

19:14 - 3D printing, Exocad, and seeing your smile before treatment

20:20 - Why patients may not know what is available in-house

21:09 - What gets him out of bed: alleviating suffering

23:11 - What new patients usually say

24:02 - “I’m not here to judge you”

24:52 - Practice culture with partner Jack Moss

26:09 - Two dentists who also play music together

27:45 - What he wishes every patient knew about timing their care

28:20 - Oral health and systemic health: the connection

29:27 - The real answer to most dental problems

30:42 - The carpenter story

33:00 - Focusing on the 19 patients who smiled

34:03 - What he would say to someone thinking about scheduling

35:01 - One word: passionate. Every patient deserves dignity.

Dr. Todd Crandall was not planning on dentistry. He had a master’s degree, eight years as a forensic DNA examiner, four kids, and a salary that required him to call his dad when his car got a flat tire. At 37, he decided to change careers. He graduated from CU Dental in 2016, moved to Durango with his wife and five kids, and opened Comfort Dental there in 2018.

Before he opened, he and his wife called every dental office in town to ask whether they accepted Medicaid. Two did. Both had a year-long waiting list. That gap is why he came to Durango.

In this episode, Shawn sits down with Dr. Crandall to talk about what his practice actually looks like from the patient’s side. About 60% of his patients are on Medicaid. About 60% of his staff are Navajo. His office sees patients within days, sometimes the same day. He explains how the Comfort Dental Gold Plan works for patients without insurance and what the real price difference is compared to a private dental office.

He also talks about the patients who waited too long and what it cost them. He talks about dental fear, the 50-50 split between financial avoidance and bad past experience, and what he tells patients who haven’t seen a dentist in years. He shares a case where 18 months of facial pain resolved in two days with a tiny occlusal adjustment. And he talks about the sailboat he has been restoring in South Carolina, the family’s upcoming trip up the Intracoastal Waterway, and the one word he hopes his patients use when they describe him.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

1. Why a forensic DNA examiner went to dental school at 37
2. What convinced Dr. Crandall to open a practice in Durango
3. How Comfort Dental handles same-day and emergency access
4. What the Gold Plan costs and who it’s for
5. Why 50% of dental avoidance comes down to past bad experiences
6. What patients with no insurance actually pay for a crown
7. The 18-month facial pain case that resolved in two days
8. What makes the Durango practice culture different from other offices
9. The sailboat in South Carolina and the coastal trip coming this spring

YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION: Dr. Amy Hazen | Comfort Dental Inglewood, CO

Dr. Amy Hazen has been treating patients at her Comfort Dental in Inglewood, Colorado for over 12 years. In this episode, she sits down with Shawn Zajas to talk about what really happens during a first visit, how she handles patients who are terrified of the dentist, and why dental care at Comfort Dental costs less than most people expect.

Dr. Hazen's approach with nervous patients starts with one idea: your first visit is a conversation. No surprises, no pressure. She tells anxious patients they're "just fact-finding" and lets them decide the pace from there. For patients who ask a lot of questions, she welcomes it. For patients who want to know nothing, she respects that too. Her goal is to meet each person where they are.

On the cost side, Dr. Hazen breaks down how the Comfort Dental Gold Plan works for patients without insurance, reducing treatment fees by 30 to 40 percent across the board with no hidden conditions. She also talks about Cherry financing, which lets patients split payments over six months. One of the most common things she hears from new patients: the cost was about half of what they expected.

Dr. Hazen also addresses what happens when you've been putting off dental care for years. Her message is straightforward. She's not looking backward. She wants to know what she can do for you going forward. No guilt, no lecture.

For patients in pain, her office doesn't operate on a weeks-long waitlist. Her response to emergency calls: "How soon can you get here?" Her Inglewood location is open 12 hours a day and built to accommodate same-day visits.

Outside the chair, Dr. Hazen is a mom, a home cook who never makes the same meal twice, and a bread baker who picked up the hobby before COVID made it trendy. Her 11-year-old son plays rugby and recently made a Denver select team headed to a tournament in Monaco.

She also shares one of the moments that reminds her why she chose dentistry: handing a patient a mirror after placing new dentures and watching them burst into tears. Those moments, she says, are the most rewarding part of the job.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Introduction

0:10 Why Dr. Hazen chose dentistry

0:51 How a job at Comfort Dental confirmed her career path

1:33 What she loves most about her daily work

2:22 Life outside dentistry: cooking, baking, kids, and rugby

3:22 Her son's rugby team headed to Monaco

4:58 Why should a patient trust you with their teeth?

5:37 What a first visit looks like for a nervous patient

6:31 "We're just fact-finding today"

7:26 Explaining treatment without jargon

8:12 Do you like when patients ask a lot of questions?

9:18 Every patient interaction is different

10:22 Handling the unexpected in clinical care

11:19 Staying present as a clinician when feedback is harsh

12:21 Developing thick skin over the years

13:33 What makes patients want to come back

14:20 The most common reaction from first-time patients

15:03 How Comfort Dental addresses cost concerns

15:15 "That was nearly half of what I thought it would be"

16:01 Financing options and the Gold Plan

16:42 How the Gold Plan works for uninsured patients

17:31 Transparent pricing with no hidden fees

18:16 How Comfort Dental keeps quality high at lower prices

19:06 Patients comparing quotes from other dentists

19:57 Message to patients who've been avoiding the dentist

20:26 The one thing she wishes every patient knew

20:57 When patients wait too long to address a problem

22:42 Biggest misconceptions about dental care

23:38 The connection between oral health and overall health

25:28 A story about dental pain vs. other pain

26:35 Questions patients should ask their dentist

26:52 The Inglewood community and who she serves

28:05 Same-day emergency access: "How soon can you get here?"

29:15 A patient story that reminds her why she loves dentistry

30:06 When patients cry happy tears seeing their new smile

30:48 What she's working on to improve the patient experience

31:37 Where dentistry is headed for patient comfort

32:20 Her team and practice culture

33:05 One word her patients would use to describe her

33:43 "Every patient deserves to be understood"

34:27 A message to patients thinking about scheduling

Dr. Amy Hazen practices at Comfort Dental in Inglewood, Colorado, located on South Broadway in Denver. Her office accepts Medicaid and is open 12 hours a day. New patients can call to schedule or walk in for same-day emergency care.

Dr. Jackie Blasko has practiced dentistry for over 15 years. She works 1.5 days a week at Comfort Dental in Littleton, Colorado — the sweet spot, she says, between showing up fully and burning out. She came to dentistry sideways, failed the MCAT, aced the DAT, and has spent the years since getting very good at something through repetition.

In this episode, she talks about what actually happens during a first visit, why she leads every treatment conversation with money, and how she reads a patient’s body language to decide when to slow down. She also makes the case — gently, from experience — that dentistry done at volume does not mean dentistry done without care. It means the bills are paid before you walk in the door, so no one has to talk you into something you do not need.

Two stories stand out. The first: a patient with type one diabetes whose mystery root cavities finally made sense once Dr. Blasko slowed down and asked the right questions. The second: a Filipino patient who had a root canal done the day before his flight, proposed to his wife abroad, and mailed Dr. Blasko a thank-you note written on a 50-peso bill. It is taped to her wall.

Topics covered:

1. What a first visit looks like at Comfort Dental
2. Why Dr. Blasko starts every treatment conversation with cost
3. How to talk to patients who are nervous or anxious
4. The connection between dry mouth, diabetes, and dental decay
5. How Comfort Dental’s Gold Plan compares to local competitors
6. The community served by the Littleton office
7. Why volume practice builds better clinical skill
8. What Dr. Blasko wants patients to say after their visit

Learn more at comfortdental.com

Dr. Jeremy Liddiard did not grow up planning to be a dentist. He grew up as a dentist's son, decided against it, played college golf, turned professional, and spent years living out of a suitcase competing for a spot on tour. Then one morning, he walked off a golf course mid-tournament and never looked back.

Today, Dr. Liddiard practices at Comfort Dental in North Pueblo, Colorado alongside his father and his best friend, who joins the practice this March. His office recently expanded from 8 to 13 treatment rooms because patient demand kept outpacing the space.

In this conversation, Dr. Liddiard covers:

1. What pushed him away from the professional golf circuit and toward dentistry
2. Why he left a large DSO after two to three months and what he was looking for instead
3. How the Comfort Dental model changed the way he thinks about patient care and generosity
4. Why access to care matters more than most people realize
5. How his office raised its standard for Medicaid patients and what that produced
6. Why volume makes dentists better, not worse
7. A patient who came in bleeding, expecting dentures, and left with something better

Dr. Liddiard practices at Comfort Dental North Pueblo, Colorado.

To find a Comfort Dental near you, visit comfortdental.com.

Dr. Matthew Chapman was on his way to becoming a painter. He had a full-ride scholarship for it. Then architecture. Then exercise physiology. Then, after a chance meeting with two retired dentists in California who seemed to golf all the time, he found his way into dental school.

Today he runs a Comfort Dental practice in Pueblo, Colorado, one of the only offices south of Colorado Springs that accepts walk-ins, including on Saturdays. Patients drive two and three hours to get there. Some sit in the waiting room for hours on a Saturday because they have no other option.

In this episode, Dr. Chapman talks about what it means to actually meet patients where they are, why he stopped chasing cosmetic cases to focus on people who just need basic care, and what happens inside an office that sees everyone from physicians to people in shackles in the same afternoon.

He also tells us about eagle feather.

Topics covered:

1. Why Dr. Chapman left a fine arts scholarship to become a dentist
2. His philosophy on treating patients without judgment or shame
3. What walk-in Saturday hours actually look like in Southern Colorado
4. His time doing volunteer dental work in rural West Virginia
5. Why he left corporate dentistry for the Comfort Dental model
6. What a well-rounded dentist looks like outside the office

Comfort Dental Pueblo: comfortdental.com