The Orthopreneurs Podcast with Dr. Glenn Krieger

What if expanding the palate is only one piece of the airway puzzle — but we’re treating it like the entire solution?
I believe orthodontists have an important role to play in airway and sleep-disordered breathing, but that doesn’t mean we should try to do everything ourselves. Expansion can be incredibly valuable, but treatment should start with the right diagnosis — and that diagnosis often requires an interdisciplinary team.
In this Five Minute Friday, I explain why my airway cases routinely involve ENTs, oral surgeons, and myofunctional therapists, and why I believe collaboration should happen before treatment rather than only after something doesn’t work. Every patient deserves to have their symptoms, anatomy, imaging, and other relevant findings evaluated so the team can determine what may actually be contributing to the problem.

💬Quotes
“For every patient, there are multiple treatment modalities, but only one correct diagnosis.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger, quoting Morty Amsterdam 
“The overwhelming majority of orthodontists are under-treating airway and sleep-disordered breathing. But there’s a right way and a wrong way. The right way is to be part of a team.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger 

🎯 Key Takeaways

Intro: A different conversation about airway and sleep-disordered breathing (00:38)
Why the airway conversation needs more diagnosis and teamwork (01:44)
Expansion can help — but it isn't the entire answer (01:50)
What true interdisciplinary airway care looks like (02:08)
Why treating airway alone can miss the underlying problem (02:50)
Multiple treatment modalities, but one correct diagnosis (03:13)
How I incorporate oral surgeons, ENTs, and myofunctional therapists (03:41)
Why airway treatment shouldn't simply be about expansion (04:40)
The philosophy behind the Airway & Sleep meeting (05:01)
What orthodontists can learn from myofunctional therapists and ENTs (05:19)
Why every patient needs an effective diagnosis (06:03)
How I work through an airway case with my interdisciplinary team (06:20)
Why diagnosis matters more than getting a same-day start (07:05)
The problem with treating first and referring only when necessary (07:19)
Airway & Sleep meeting in Scottsdale + opairway.com (07:32)
Final takeaway: Expansion is valuable, but teamwork is essential (07:53)

🟦 Additional Resources
If you’re treating airway and sleep-disordered breathing, don’t make expansion the diagnosis. Diagnose first, collaborate with the right specialists, and then determine what treatment actually makes sense for that patient.
That’s exactly why I created the Airway & Sleep meeting in Scottsdale. Bring an ENT. Bring an oral surgeon. Come learn what each member of the interdisciplinary team should be looking for, how we should communicate with one another, and how we can make better decisions together.
👉 Airway Meeting:
https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 
👉 For more information about Orthopreneurs, visit:
https://orthopreneurs.com/
👉 Become an OrthoPreneur and join the free Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/

In Part 3 of my Living Your Best Life series, I’m breaking down an area that too many orthodontists avoid talking about: sales. Selling isn’t about pressuring patients into treatment. It’s about understanding why they came to you, uncovering what they actually want, and building a process that helps them confidently take the next step.
Most importantly, none of this happens by accident. Your team shouldn’t be practicing their sales skills in front of real patients. You have to train, role-play, evaluate your process, and continuously improve. Master mindset, teamwork, and sales, and you can build a practice that produces more while demanding less from you.
💬Quotes
“People don’t buy on your why. They buy their why.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger
“You don’t show up on game day and expect to be great. Greatness happens in practice.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways
Intro: Part 3 — Sales and making more money (00:36)
Why the way patients buy has changed (01:28)
The question every practice needs to answer: “Why should I buy from you?” (01:39)
Patients buy based on their why — not yours (03:26)
How to uncover what a patient actually wants (03:51)
Understanding the orthodontic sales funnel (04:14)
“Always be closing” — and why sales doesn’t mean forcing patients (05:23)
AIDA: Attention, Interest, Decision, Action (06:31)
Why orthodontic case acceptance should be higher (07:14)
Why case acceptance is ultimately a leadership responsibility (07:31)
Using proven sales principles and psychology ethically (08:31)
The five potential breakdowns in your sales funnel (10:09)
Why every new-patient phone call matters (10:33)
Practice zone vs. performance zone: Role-play before going live (12:01)
The trial close every practice should understand (12:35)
How to identify a patient’s readiness before the consultation (14:20)
Using a call scorecard to train your team (15:34)
Why the handoff from the front desk to the TC matters (16:17)
Why orthodontists should spend less time in the consultation room (17:00)
What makes an effective closer (19:09)
Uncover the need before presenting the solution (20:17)
Master mindset, teamwork, and sales to build your best practice (21:50)
Put in the work and live your best life (23:26)

🟦 Additional Resources
Take a serious look at your sales funnel. What happens from the moment a prospective patient first contacts your office to the moment they make a treatment decision? Where are people falling out — and has your team actually been trained to improve those moments?
Don’t expect your TC or front desk to figure it out on their own. Train. Role-play. Measure. Improve. Put in the work before your team enters the performance zone.
This wraps up my three-part Living Your Best Life series. We’ve covered mindset, teamwork, and sales — three areas that, when mastered together, can help you create a practice that makes more money with less stress, fewer hours, and a better life outside of orthodontics.

👉 Close More Cases Meeting: https://closemorecases2027.com/home 
👉 Airway Meeting: https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 
👉 For more information about Orthopreneurs, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/
👉 Become an OrthoPreneur and join the free Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/

What if I told you one of the biggest financial decisions of your career shouldn’t start with “yes” or “no” — it should start with getting educated?
The OSO and private equity landscape is changing quickly, and I don’t believe orthodontists should make a decision based on fear, hype, or someone else’s agenda. If you’re considering an OSO, this could become one of the largest financial transactions of your life. You owe it to yourself to understand exactly what you’re evaluating.
In this episode of Five Minute Friday, I share my perspective after roughly six years of studying the OSO space and five years inside Smile Doctors. I break down why today’s environment looks different from 2021, how the cost of money and broader economic uncertainty can affect deal flow, and why OSOs and DSOs should not automatically be treated as the same thing.
💬Quotes
“I’m not telling you to say no, and I’m not telling you to say yes. I’m telling you to get educated.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger
“This could be the largest financial decision you do or don’t make for the rest of your life.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways
Intro: Why the OSO conversation needs more education and less absolutism (00:00)
How the OSO landscape has changed over the last five years (00:39)
Why the broader economy and cost of borrowing matter to private equity (02:04)
Why orthodontics and general dentistry can look very different financially (02:46)
Capital preservation and the risks of smaller or less-established groups (04:05)
Why the right OSO can make sense for the right doctor at the right time (05:21)
The questions I would ask before joining: de novos, JV structure, equity and specialty mix (07:17)
Why solvency and adaptability matter more than hype (08:24)
What future consolidation in the OSO market could look like (08:41)
Why changing capital costs may affect future multiples and deal flow (09:37)
My final advice: learn the facts and make your own decision (12:08)

🟦 Additional Resources
I created a neutral e-book designed to help orthodontists better understand OSOs — including the revenue cycle, pros and cons, common mistakes, and questions you should be asking before making a decision. If you want a copy, DM me on Facebook, tell me you heard this episode, and send me your email. I’ll make sure you get it.
Don’t let someone else make this decision for you. Get educated, understand the facts, and choose what makes sense for your future.
👉 Airway Meeting:
https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 
👉 For more information about Orthopreneurs, visit:
https://orthopreneurs.com/
👉 Become an OrthoPreneur and join the free Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/

Part 2 of my Living Your Best Life series, I’m talking about one of the most important pieces of creating a practice — and a life — you actually enjoy: building the right team. You cannot do this alone, and in today’s workforce, the way we hire, retain, motivate, and communicate with people has to evolve.
I break down the EOS concept of getting the right person in the right seat, including why I hire around core values before experience and how I evaluate whether someone truly gets the job, wants the job, and has the capacity to do it. I also walk through a practical process for identifying your practice’s core values and using them to make hiring and firing decisions with far more clarity.
But hiring is only half the equation. Once great people are on your team, you have to understand how each individual wants to be appreciated. I explain why one-size-fits-all rewards don’t work, why knowing your team’s love languages can completely change communication and retention, and why consistent recognition in the way they value it can mean more than an expensive holiday party.

💬Quotes
“The right person is a core value fit. The right seat is that they get it, they want it, and they have the capacity.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger
“Every day someone does something well, speak their love language. That will go much further than anything else you can imagine.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways

Intro: Why your dream practice requires the right team (00:31)
Why today’s workforce is different from the teams of 20–30 years ago (01:05)
Why experience alone is a poor predictor of a great hire (04:36)
EOS: Getting the right person in the right seat (05:23)
How to identify your practice’s core values (06:42)
Hiring and firing based on core values (07:52)
How to interview for culture fit using open-ended questions (08:13)
“Gets it, wants it, has the capacity” explained (13:12)
Why one-size-fits-all employee appreciation doesn’t work (15:49)
Using love languages to motivate and retain your team (16:16)
Why your holiday party may matter more to you than your employees (17:54)
How I structure job postings and narrow hundreds of applicants (20:00)
Why you should hire slowly and fire quickly — while documenting properly (21:53)
Practice before performance: building a championship-level team (23:37)
Preview of Part 3: Improving your sales funnel and case acceptance (24:59)

🟦 Additional Resources
If you want a practice that gives you more freedom, less stress, and better results, you have to build a team that shares your values — and then lead them in a way that actually resonates with them.
Start by defining your core values with your team. Use them when you hire. Use them when you evaluate performance. And once the right people are in the right seats, learn what makes each of them feel appreciated. Great culture doesn’t happen because you throw a party once a year. It happens in the small interactions you create every single day.
And stay tuned for Part 3 of Living Your Best Life, where I’ll break down the sales funnel, case acceptance, and what you can do to make your practice more effective — and more profitable.
👉 Airway Meeting: 
https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 
👉 For more information about Orthopreneurs, visit: 
https://orthopreneurs.com/
👉 Become an OrthoPreneur and join the free Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/

If you don’t have a structured retainer program, you could be leaving significant money on the table while missing an opportunity to make long-term retention easier for the people you treat.
In this Five Minute Friday, I’m talking about something every orthodontic practice should have: a retainer program. Clear retainers don’t last forever, and whether they last six months or five years, your patients are eventually going to need replacements. The question is whether you’ve built a system that makes getting those replacements simple, predictable, and beneficial for everyone involved.

💬Quotes
“If you don't have a retainer program for your patients, number one, you're letting yourself down. You're leaving money on the table because there's a lot of money to be made there. And best of all, you're helping your patients.” 
— Dr. Glenn Krieger
“You need to have a retainer program for your patients, and if you don't have one, I need to know why.” 
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

🎯 Key Takeaways

Intro: Why every orthodontic practice needs a retainer program (00:00)
Creating a program that serves patients AND generates revenue (00:39)
Why patients will inevitably need replacement retainers (01:10)
The different retainer program models I’ve tried over the years (01:39)
How retainer programs can create meaningful additional revenue (02:00)
Where to start if you don't currently have a program (02:47)
How Orthopreneurs RD practices share strategies like these (02:55)
The surprisingly large financial opportunity behind retainers (03:08)
Final takeaway: If you don't have a retainer program, get one (03:27)

🟦 Additional Resources
I’ve seen firsthand how something as simple as a well-designed retainer program can simultaneously improve the patient experience and create meaningful additional revenue for an orthodontic practice.
If you don’t currently have one, start doing your homework. Look at the different programs available, ask other orthodontists what’s working for them, and find a model that makes sense for your practice and your patients. And if you want to have deeper conversations about strategies like this with other practice owners, reach out to me about Orthopreneurs RD. Geographic exclusivity means not everyone can join, but you won’t know until you apply.
Whatever model you choose, the important thing is simple: have a retainer program.
👉 Airway Meeting: https://web.orthopreneurs.com/arizonasleepandairway2026 
👉 For more information about Orthopreneurs, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/
👉 Become an OrthoPreneur and join the free Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/