Dr. Daniel Funk grew up watching his father practice dentistry in Delta, Utah — and spent most of his early career trying to do something different. After dental school, he headed to Texas and spent years working for a DSO, mastering his craft without worrying much about the business side of things. Then he came home.

Eighteen months into co-owning a private practice with his partner Dr. Bloomfield, Dr. Funk has a clear-eyed view of what nobody warned him about: being a great clinician doesn’t automatically make you a great leader. And in private practice, leadership is the job.

In this episode, host Flint Geier sits down with Dr. Funk to talk about the real transition from associate to owner — the freedom that comes with it, the weight of decision-making, and the systems gap that most new practice owners don’t see coming. They also dig into what happened when Dr. Funk’s team went through front desk phone training with the New Patient Institute: a 23% increase in new patients within 90 days, new bottlenecks to solve, and a deeper understanding of why the phone call is the most underrated moment in a patient’s journey.

If you’re in a DSO or associateship and wondering what ownership actually looks like — or if you’re already in it and feeling the growing pains — this one is for you.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

1. Why the DSO model feels comfortable — and what that comfort costs you long-term
2. The clinical and leadership challenges of transitioning to private practice.
3. How phone training produced a 23% increase in new patients within 90 days
4. The “dual alternative” technique and why shorter calls can deliver better patient service
5. What to do when growth creates new operational bottlenecks
6. Why Dr. Funk is now investing in coaching for himself — not just his team

What if the biggest growth lever in your practice isn’t marketing… but how your patients feel?

In this episode of the New Patients Now Podcast, Flint sits down with Brad Kirsh, managing partner of Sequel Coffee and Rome coworking spaces, to unpack the real meaning of hospitality—and why it’s the missing link in most practices today.

From Chick-fil-A’s $10M-per-location model to Disney’s “peak-end” psychology, this conversation breaks down how small, intentional moments create massive business impact.

You’ll learn:

• The critical difference between customer service and hospitality

• Why automation can hurt your patient experience (and where it shouldn’t)

• How to create “remarkable moments” patients actually remember

• Simple, no-cost ways to immediately improve your practice experience

• Why the best businesses treat every interaction as a relationship—not a transaction

If you want more new patients and better retention without increasing your marketing spend… this episode is a must-listen.

And if you really want to know how your practice measures up to hospitality, Take the 5-Star Challenge!

***SPECIAL EDITION PODCAST***

Brought to you by the Dentistry Uncensored podcast, hosted by the knowledgeable and always humorous Howard Farran, CEO of Dentaltown. If you’re not already listening, you should be.

In this special episode, Howard sits down with our Founder, Jay Geier, and President, Flint Geier, for a powerful conversation on what separates stagnant practices from scalable ones.

If you think your practice is stuck because of insurance, the economy, or even your team, this episode is going to challenge you.

They unpack why growth doesn’t create chaos, lack of systems does… why AI won’t fix your front desk… and why staying “just a clinician” is quietly capping your potential.

If you’re serious about building a practice that grows without burning you out, this is a must-listen.