In 2024 I attended 2 Scott Leune Practice Mastery Seminars and these are the 5 lies that are being told in the industry that Dr. Leune helped to break and
Let’s dive in.
Big lie #1. Most solutions are simple. In fact, consistently focusing on 20% of the basics—daily, monthly, and yearly—yields tremendous results. Yet many dentists, perhaps due to years of education and CE, mistakenly believe that business success requires complex, hard-to-implement solutions. As a result, most settle for an average income of $180-200K, never even trying to aim higher.
The truth? Success doesn’t require complexity—just the discipline and habits to implement.
Take Dr. Daniel DelaCruz, for example. He’s built two remarkable practices with a great team, an in-house lab, and an impressive patient flow. Most people immediately attribute this to “luck” or assume he worked insanely hard. Sure, hard work plays a role, but it’s more about making decisions, finding the right people, and sticking to a plan long enough to see results.
I see this daily when I demo ZenOne to practices struggling to reduce overhead to that magic 4% of collections. I start by introducing a budget, locking the team’s ability to exceed it, and allowing them to order freely within limits. That’s it. Yet, many dentists don’t react until I show savings on a specific item, like 3M composite. They think that is the magic. It’s not. Just set the budget and let your team order it.
Don’t get me wrong—accountability partners or coaches are invaluable. But early on, you don’t need an implementer. This is your business. When you identify an area for improvement—whether it’s improving phone skills, increasing your call answer rate from 60% to 90%, or boosting case acceptance—take the lead.
Dive in. There’s immense value (and confidence) in solving problems yourself. Learn to ask the right questions, create a plan (even if it’s not perfect), and execute it. Don’t stop until you’ve run it for 3-4 weeks, analyzed the results, and made adjustments. Repeat.
Remember, this is business—leave emotions at the door. The more effort you invest, the more you’ll win.
Big lie #3. Let’s settle this: Dentists inherently prioritize ethics. So I’m not talking about cutting corners or compromising patient care.
And here’s the reality: Numbers are just as important as quality. Without financial discipline, you’ll never achieve the level of dentistry your patients deserve. Good teams cost money. Quality materials cost money. Continuing education costs money. Managing your budget, reviewing your P&L monthly, and understanding every line item are essential to reaching your goals—both for your patients and for your happiness.Try for just 1 month to review your quickbooks daily and categorize expenses yourself. See what happens!
You either succeed or die, nothing in between, so why even try? Big lie #4. You attend a seminar, learn a ton, and immediately think, This sounds hard, or I need to find someone to do this for me. (See Point #2.)
But why is “hard” so scary? Are you worried you’ll miss out on life? Are you afraid the effort will be permanent?
The truth is, building a well-run, profitable practice with a great team doesn’t require sacrificing eight extra hours a day forever. Yes, it may take 4-12 months of focused effort to implement real change. But it’s temporary—and the rewards are worth it.
Let’s roll up the sleeves with a smile. You are building it for your future and for the future of your kids and loved ones!
At the end of Business Mastery, Scott Leune said something that stunned me: “Most of you won’t do anything I’ve taught. It’s just the way it is.”
I couldn’t believe it - and it might be true. Most people settle for “fine” income, a “fine” team, and a “fine” life.I can't stand this word and on my team this is the F word we avoid at all cost.
So I kept asking, why is it so, I even asked Dr. Leune after the event,”So, Why not?” and the answer is all of the above big lies that hold a person back!
My question is “Why not you?” We all want success, yet we’re wired to stay in our comfort zones. Let’s break that!
After reading this I hope you walk away with one simple TRUTH: You don’t have to settle for “fine.”
Tiger Safarov