Do you feel tired, burned out, or stuck in your dental practice?
In this episode, co-host Michael Walker talks with Laura Brenner, a former dentist who knows how that feels. Laura shares her story of working in a busy, insurance-driven practice, where she felt overwhelmed and disconnected from her purpose.
She explains how stepping away from insurance-heavy systems helped her find more balance, build better relationships, and enjoy work again. You’ll hear helpful ideas on setting boundaries, finding real success, and creating a dental practice that supports both your health and your happiness.
If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be a better way,” this episode will help you take your first step toward a better future.
Key Takeaways
- Success isn’t just about numbers – Dentists don’t need to chase high production or patient volume to be successful. True success means creating a career that fits your life and values.
- Healthy boundaries protect your well-being – Saying “no” doesn’t make you selfish. Setting limits helps you avoid burnout and gives you more time and energy to care for both your patients and yourself.
- Less insurance means more freedom – Reducing insurance dependence can help dentists take back control of their time, reduce stress, and build stronger patient relationships.
- You don’t have to do this alone – Finding the right support and community can help you make smart changes and build the kind of practice and life you really want.
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Episode Timestamps
- 00:02:36 – Meet Laura Brenner
- Laura shares her story of working in a practice with over 150 insurance plans.
- She explains how that made her feel stressed, rushed, and disconnected from her patients.
- 00:05:59 – What Is Real Success?
- Laura talks about why success should mean more than just production numbers.
- Dentists can define success in a way that fits their own lives and values.
- 00:11:11 – Why Too Much Insurance Causes Burnout
- Laura explains how heavy insurance loads lead to stress and worry.
- Reducing insurance helped her feel better and build stronger patient care.
- 00:15:50 – What Laura Would Do Differently
- Laura shares how setting boundaries earlier would have helped her feel less burnout.
- She highlights the importance of mindset and self-care.
- 00:21:00 – Boundaries Help You Feel Better
- Saying “no” is a powerful tool for protecting time and energy.
- Dentists don’t need to fix every problem—they just need to support patients well.
- 00:27:58 – Why Support Matters
- Laura shares how coaching helped her think in new ways.
- Having a strong support system helps dentists make lasting change.
- 00:29:30 – Less Insurance, More Freedom
- Reducing insurance plans can help improve income and well-being.
- Start small and get expert help along the way.
- 00:34:01 – What True Prosperity Means
- Success is not just about money—it’s also about feeling good, healthy, and balanced.
- Your practice should support your life, not control it.
- 00:37:26 – Final Message from Laura
- You don’t have to feel stuck—there is a better way.
- With small steps, healthy boundaries, and support, you can build a practice and life you enjoy again.
If you have to squeeze in so many patients in a day, you’re running yourself ragged. You’re not taking care of yourself. And one of the biggest causes of burnout is that as dentists, we are caretakers—we chose this profession so that we could help others, and that’s great if you are supporting yourself at the same time.
Laura Brenner
If what you’re doing now is creating these dimensions of anxiety or fear or stress or burnout, if you reverse-engineered this back to what you would like your story to be a year from now, what would you start with today?
Michael Walker
Resources
One of Gary's most significant achievements as a dental practice management coach is transforming his own practice, LifeSmiles, from one that was infected with PPO plans, no effective marketing strategy, and an overhead of 80% to a very successful dental practice that is currently one of the top-performing practices in the US.
As CEO of Ekwa Marketing, Naren has over a decade of experience working with dental practices and helping them attract the ideal type of patients to their practices. It is his goal to help dentists do more of the type of dentistry they love with the help and support of effective digital marketing.
