The Orthopreneurs Podcast with Dr. Glenn Krieger

• I Love Ortho… But 50 Years of This? Let’s Talk l 5MF

  If you’ve ever felt that little itch in the back of your brain—the one that whispers, "I love being an orthodontist... but I can’t imagine doing this full-time for another 30 years"—you’re not alone. In fact, you're part of a generational shift. In this episode of 5 Minute Friday, I unpack why Orthodontic Support Organizations (OSOs) and DSOs are growing rapidly—and why that’s not a bad thing.This isn’t about promoting any particular group. It’s about being honest with ourselves and understanding that how we want to work is changing. I’ve spoken to hundreds of orthodontists who feel exactly the way you do: deeply passionate about the profession but uninterested in grinding until age 80. Let’s explore the real reason OSO/DSO interest is surging—and how generational mindset, lifestyle goals, and future planning are all connected.QUOTES"The first thought you had when I said 50 years as an orthodontist was probably dread. And that’s okay. That instinct? It’s normal." — Dr. Glenn Krieger"If you’re between 37 and 42, you’re not thinking of retiring next year—but you are thinking about what comes next. That’s smart planning, not early exit." — Dr. Glenn KriegerKey TakeawaysIntro & Why This Conversation Matters (00:00)What’s fueling the rise of OSOs and DSOs (00:36)The generational mindset shift: Millennials don’t want the 50-year grind (01:52)Understanding the evolution of social capital and work-life values (03:40)What orthodontists are really telling me in their 30s and 40s (06:20)Why now is a great time to evaluate your future options (07:00)Additional ResourcesIf anything I shared today struck a chord, don’t keep it to yourself.📩 DM me. Let's talk. You don’t have to be “ready” to make a change—just ready to explore options. Whether you’re OSO-curious, DSO-skeptical, or just unsure, I’ll give you the straight truth.And if you know a colleague quietly wrestling with these same thoughts, send them this episode. You might be giving them the permission they've been waiting for.🚀 Want to experience what real, impactful change feels like? Join me and 95 other forward-thinking orthodontists this February at Vanguard LA. We’ve designed something unlike any ortho meeting you've ever attended—with custom 90-day growth plans for every doctor.Register for Ortho Vanguard: https://www.opvanguard.com If you’ve trusted me before, trust me on this: It could change your life.- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

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• Recurring Revenue for Orthodontists: The Retainer Club Model w/ Blair Feldman

  In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Blair Feldman, former Phoenix Suns team orthodontist and co-founder of Retainer Club, to talk about everything from 3D printing and recurring revenue, to product innovation and mindset. Blair practiced for over 21 years, ran multiple startups, taught at AT Still, and ultimately made the leap to full-time entrepreneur after building a retainer program so effective, it demanded all of his attention.We dive deep into how Blair transformed a frustrating problem—retainer replacements—into a venture-backed fulfillment platform that supports ortho practices across the country. We also talk about how he helps orthodontists with product ideas that actually bring them to life, what he's learned from Entrepreneur's Organization (EO), and how to tell whether your big idea is a real business—or just a fun hobby.Quotes“It’s a dirty secret in orthodontics: if patients stop wearing their retainers, their teeth move. Retainer Club was built to make sure that didn’t happen—without creating more work for the practice.”— Dr. Blair Feldman“A patent is not a business. It’s a tool. If you don’t know what to do after the patent, then you don’t have a plan—you have a prototype and a dream.”— Dr. Blair FeldmanKey TakeawaysIntro (00:00)From Penn to Detroit Mercy: why ortho won out over medicine (01:00)Blair’s unusual journey into ortho—and architecture (01:35)Dental school culture at Penn and its impact on specialty training (02:27)21 years of experience: associate, buyer, builder, teacher, team ortho (17:10)The truth about being the “team orthodontist” for pro sports (17:58)How a casual idea about retainers turned into a funded business (20:30)Retainer Club: what it is, how it works, and who it’s for (25:00)How recurring revenue + 3D printing changed the business model (22:40)Competitors vs. the real challenge: docs who think they’re “fine” (26:43)Young orthodontists, hyper-efficiency, and outsourcing (28:25)Blair’s passion for helping orthos bring product ideas to life (29:00)“Do you want a business, or just to see your idea in the real world?” (30:00)Advice on patents, investors, and entrepreneurial mindset (30:30)Additional ResourcesI’ve seen firsthand how a smart retainer program can transform your practice—financially and operationally. If you're tired of broken systems, endless remakes, or patients who stop coming back, Retainer Club might be exactly what you need.👉 Reach out to Blair at [email protected] and see how he can help you simplify your workflow and scale your revenue.Register for Ortho Vanguard: https://www.opvanguard.com - For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

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• Will you Ride the Rollercoaster? Or the Merry go round? l 5MF

  I recently revisited one of my favorite metaphors from the classic film Parenthood, and it hit me hard again: Life is either a roller coaster or a merry-go-round. And far too many orthodontists—talented, capable, ambitious people—end up coasting in circles after hitting a certain level of success. I get it. It’s comfortable. It’s safe. But is it what you really want?In this episode, I break down the difference between choosing comfort vs. choosing growth—and why, in my own life and career, I’ve always chosen the ups and downs of the roller coaster. Yes, it comes with risk, fear, and the possibility of failure. But it also brings the kind of excitement, fulfillment, and impact that the merry-go-round could never offer. I’ll challenge you to think deeply about which ride you’re on—and what it would take to switch tracks.QUOTES"If you're going to end your career one day, make sure you rode the roller coaster." — Dr. Glenn Krieger"Complacency is just the merry-go-round in disguise." — Dr. Glenn KriegerKey TakeawaysIntro & Parenthood Metaphor (00:00)Why the roller coaster matters more than the merry-go-round (02:00)How complacency sneaks into ortho practices (03:00)The reality of failure—and why I welcome it (04:30)You can’t build your dream life in circles (05:30)A call to action for choosing growth, risk, and transformation (06:00)Why Vanguard LA 2026 will be unlike any ortho event you've ever attended (06:45)Additional Resourcesf this message stirred something in you—if you’ve been playing it safe but secretly want more—then it’s time to choose the roller coaster. Push yourself. Reignite your practice. Take the ride.🚀 Want to experience what real, impactful change feels like? Join me and 95 other forward-thinking orthodontists this February at Vanguard LA. We’ve designed something unlike any ortho meeting you've ever attended—with custom 90-day growth plans for every doctor.Register for Ortho Vanguard: https://www.opvanguard.com If you’ve trusted me before, trust me on this: It could change your life.- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

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• Unmasking Embezzlement in Orthodontics — w/ Cathy Jugovic

  In this episode, I sit down with one of the sharpest minds in ortho consulting, Cathy Jugovic. If you’ve never heard of her, trust me—you’re about to want her in your corner. Cathy has spent decades inside orthodontic and general dental practices, and she knows exactly where to look when something’s off. Whether it’s overdue accounts, patients who’ve vanished without a next visit, or that quiet employee pocketing your cash—she’s seen it all. And she’s helped over 400 doctors fix it.We talk blind spots, accountability, culture, and why your front desk could be quietly costing you more than you think. Plus, we unpack the real role of the founder-doctor, how to sniff out embezzlement, and the key reports you should be reviewing daily—even if you’re short-staffed. If you want to understand how high-performing practices actually operate under the hood, this one’s a masterclass.QUOTES"If you’re not asking questions about the reports, your team will assume you’re not looking. And when they think you’re not looking—they stop doing the work." — Cathy Jugovic"It’s your practice. You better know what’s going on. That’s Business 101." — Cathy JugovicKey TakeawaysIntro (00:00)Cathy’s background: 23 years in GP, then ortho, then consulting (02:00)Scaling from 200 to 9,000 patients—and what she learned (03:00)The 6 reports every practice should be running weekly (06:34)How to monitor AR, over-treatment, and no-future-appointment lists (06:50)Why most front desks don’t work their reports—and how to fix that (08:00)The role of the founder-doctor in practice ops today (11:28)How to structure your team’s accountability systems (12:25)Embezzlement red flags (17:56)The $70K case Cathy helped uncover—and how they caught her (20:29)What not to do if you suspect theft (24:26)Don’t take cash—and why your team watches how you handle it (22:02)Missed starts: how doctors unintentionally kill case acceptance (29:26)New patient sales: why most practices have no system (32:38)Cathy’s "Orthodontic Money Map" seminar with Prosperident (37:21)Why 8 out of 10 practices are being embezzled—whether they know it or not (38:00)Additional ResourcesIf you think your practice is doing fine because the money’s hitting your account, think again. Reports don’t lie—but people might. If you don’t know your overdue AR, unscheduled actives, and adjustment patterns, you could be bleeding money (or worse).👉 Reach out to Cathy Jugovic at [email protected] or call 954-383-3566 to learn how she can help. And if you’re serious about digging into the numbers, don’t miss the Orthodontic Money Map seminar in Deerfield Beach. Visit Prosperident.com for details.Register for Ortho Vanguard: https://www.opvanguard.com - For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

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• It's Supposed to Be Hard — That's What Makes It Great l 5MF

  When I tore my ACL, physical therapy taught me something unexpected—not just about rehab, but about orthodontics and practice growth. Most people at the clinic weren’t athletes. They weren’t conditioned to push through discomfort, and as soon as rehab got hard, they quit. Not because they couldn’t heal—but because they couldn’t handle the pain that came with progress.And that got me thinking about all the orthodontists who tell me, “Glenn, I want to grow, but I just can’t seem to get there.” If that’s you, here’s the truth: you don’t need more ideas—you need to embrace the effort. In this episode, I’m breaking down how pain (mental, physical, emotional) is often the real barrier to your next breakthrough. Whether you’re trying to hit $3M in production, lower your overhead, or reclaim your time, this episode is about figuring out what you want—and being honest about what you’re willing to work for.If you're ready to stop circling the runway and start scaling with purpose, let’s talk about what it really takes.QUOTES”It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”— Tom Hanks - A league of their Own“If you just handed your dental school keys and got into ortho without the grind—it wouldn’t mean anywhere near as much.”— Dr. Glenn KriegerKey TakeawaysIntro – Tom Hanks said it best... (00:00)How physical therapy exposed a practice growth truth (00:47)Why so many orthodontists plateau—and how to push past it (02:30)The pain/growth tradeoff and why it's worth it (03:45)You don’t need new ideas—you need to do the work (04:52)Behind the scenes of my one-on-one coaching coming in 2026 (05:48)It’s supposed to be hard. That’s what makes it great. (06:55)Additional Resources If you're serious about hitting new levels in 2026, I’m launching a one-on-one coaching program built to deliver 5–10x ROI. No fluff. No quick fixes. Just real systems, clear steps, and accountability. DM me and let’s talk.Register for Ortho Vanguard: https://www.opvanguard.com 📲 And if this episode hit home, do me a favor—share it with a friend in the ortho world who needs to Hear it today.- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

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