The Orthopreneurs Podcast with Dr. Glenn Krieger

Have you ever really looked at where the money is leaking from your practice?

In this 5-Minute Friday, I take a deep dive into one of the biggest problems plaguing orthodontic practices—and it’s happening right inside your TC room. The issue? Case acceptance. You might think you're doing well, but just a 5% improvement in conversion could mean hundreds of thousands in added revenue. Yes, hundreds of thousands.

And the kicker? Most orthodontists—and their treatment coordinators—aren’t trained on how to actually close. Not just talk. Close. Get the “yes.” As Alec Baldwin said in Glengarry Glen Ross, “Get them to sign on the line which is dotted.”

Quotes

“There’s nothing dirty about talking about money in the practice. If you believe your patients are best served by you treating them—get them closed.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

“One more start per week at $5,000 is $240,000 a year—and there's almost no extra cost. That’s free money you're leaking if you're not closing.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

Key Takeaways
Intro – Why case acceptance is broken (00:00)
How ‘leaky’ front desks and TC rooms cost you starts (00:45)
The real math behind one extra start per week (01:50)
Why doctors staying too long in the exam hurts case acceptance (03:35)
The importance of training your TC to handle objections (04:55)
Why sales skills protect your income, your team, and your sanity (06:00)
Overview of the “Make More Money” meeting (06:45)

Additional Resources

If you believe your patients are best served by being treated in your practice, then learning how to close cases ethically and confidently is not optional—it’s essential. Start by tightening every step of your sales funnel, training your TC properly, and getting out of your own way in the consult room.

If you want to go deeper, keep an eye out for my Make More Money Meeting, where we’ll break down the entire process—from marketing to objections to secondary income streams—in a way you’ve never seen before. DM me if you want details or availability.

Register for the Make More Money Meeting: https://ortho4m.com/home

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

I’ve seen firsthand how practices double production, retain team members long-term, and charge more than their competitors—not because they bought more ads, but because they built a culture that people want to be part of.

In this episode, I sit down with Brian Wright, founder of New Patient Group, serial entrepreneur, and one of the sharpest business minds working in orthodontics today. We go deep into what truly separates average practices from elite ones. And spoiler alert—it’s not brackets, aligners, or even clinical skill alone.

If you’ve ever struggled with team turnover, price shoppers, inconsistent case acceptance, or feeling stuck at the same production number year after year… this episode will challenge your thinking in the best possible way.

Quotes

“If you’re struggling with team issues, it’s not an HR problem. It’s a leadership problem.”
— Brian Wright

“There’s a difference between being a business owner and being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs implement ideas even when everyone else says no.”
— Brian Wright

Key Takeaways

How elite practices “destroy competition” without talking about competition (01:00)
Entrepreneur vs. business owner mindset shift (13:00)
Why orthodontists misuse the word “scale” (16:00)
The real reason price shoppers exist (24:00)
Why culture—not advertising—is the true growth engine (29:00)
Expense vs. investment: The accounting mistake killing growth (20:00)
How leadership determines team retention (33:00)
Why good orthodontics alone won’t justify premium fees (39:00)
What iconic practices do differently than everyone else (44:00)

Additional Resources

Growth doesn’t start with ads. It starts with leadership. Are you running a practice… or are you building a business?
And if you’re serious about becoming the latter, start investing in yourself the way elite entrepreneurs do.

NPG Iconic: https://iconic.newpatientgroup.com 

Brian Wright: https://newpatientgroup.com/book-brian-wright/ 

Register for the Make More Money Meeting: https://ortho4m.com/home 

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the world’s greatest marketing minds—Gary Vaynerchuk, Todd Brown, Russell Brunson—and let me tell you, the deeper I go, the more I realize how most orthodontists, myself included, haven’t been taught how to market effectively.

In this episode of 5 Minute Friday, I walk you through a powerful framework I’ve learned: marketing as a pyramid. At the bottom of that pyramid are people who don’t even know they have a problem, and at the top are the ones ready to take action. But here’s the catch—most of us are marketing to the wrong level of awareness, with the wrong message, in the wrong place. That’s costing us real money.

Quotes

“When you put a $500 discount in front of people who don’t even know their kid needs ortho, you’re wasting money—and missing the mark.”
 — Dr. Glenn Krieger

“Pair the message you’re sending with the awareness they have of your office. That’s how you make marketing work.”
 — Dr. Glenn Krieger

Key Takeaways

Intro & Why Money Talks (00:00)
The Marketing Pyramid Explained (01:10)
Different Awareness Levels & What to Say to Each (02:15)
Why Most Discounts Fall Flat (05:20)
A Real-World Breakdown: $500 Off Doesn’t Work Here’s Why (05:40)
The “Make More Money” Meeting Announcement (06:45)
8–10 Proven Ways to Boost Case Acceptance & Revenue (08:15)
Why You Must Bring a Team Member (08:55)

Additional Resources
If you’ve ever wondered why your practice isn’t growing the way it should—despite all the ads and discounts—this is your wake-up call.

🚨 The Make More Money Meeting is coming. A day-and-a-half deep dive into marketing, funnel optimization, objection handling, and case conversion strategies that actually work. Bring one or two of your key team members and walk away ready to grow.

Register for the Make More Money Meeting: https://ortho4m.com/home

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

🎙️ What if I told you the biggest shift in your practice might start with asking one simple question… “Does your child snore?”

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, I’m joined once again by Dr. Shira Tor—an exceptional clinician, practice owner, mom of three, and returning guest with an incredible voice in our community. We talk about the realities of modern orthodontics: the burnout, the beauty, and the burden of doing it all.

But this conversation goes way beyond brackets and bands. Shira opens up about the emotional toll of trying to “be everything to everyone”—from running a thriving practice to being present as a mother and partner. We also dive headfirst into the topic of airway-focused orthodontics—how we’ve both changed the way we treat patients, what pediatricians and ENTs often miss, and why we need to lead this conversation in our profession.

Quotes

“Once you see it, you can't unsee it. And once you ask the right questions, you realize how much we’ve been missing all along.”
— Dr. Shira Tor

“I can’t do everything. I’ve learned to say no to the PTA, and yes to being present for my family. It doesn’t make me a bad mom—it makes me a better one.”
— Dr. Shira Tor

Key Takeaways
- Intro & Shira’s journey (00:00)
- How a childhood diastema sparked her love for ortho (01:00)
- Building a practice with her mentor and partner (02:55)
- Why she wouldn’t necessarily encourage her daughters to pursue ortho (04:00)
- Being a female orthodontist in today’s climate (08:00)
- Balancing ambition with motherhood and real life (17:00)
- What burnout looks like—and how she avoids it (19:00)
- Why she makes time for workouts, therapy, and marriage (24:00)
- The ortho-as-gatekeeper model for airway care (26:00)
- The dangers of staying silent on airway issues (35:00)
- Partnering with ENTs, sleep MDs, and myofunctional therapists (37:00)
- Honest thoughts on what it means to be Jewish in today’s America (45:00)
- How to be an ally—without being political (56:00)

Additional Resources

I’ve seen firsthand how burnout, isolation, and trying to be “perfect” can quietly wear down even the most accomplished orthodontists. If you’re overwhelmed, disconnected, or questioning if you’re doing enough—you are not alone.
Find your people. Build your systems. And start asking the questions that actually move your practice and life forward—like we did in this episode.

Register for the Make More Money Meeting: https://ortho4m.com/home

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/

What if I told you that a $3–4M practice, 3 days a week, with 45 weeks a year off, is not only doable—but might be easier than the "lean and mean" model everyone’s pushing?

There’s a growing chorus in orthodontics preaching that the only way to be happy is to stay small, keep overhead low, and see fewer patients. But I’m here to tell you—that’s just one lens, and frankly, it might be blinding you to what’s truly possible.

Quotes

“I became an orthodontist, not an ortho assistant. And I delegate most of what I don’t [enjoy], because it doesn’t bring me happiness to clean a chair.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

“You can run a $3 to $4 million practice on three days a week—easily—with 40–45 weeks a year. And you can do it at 50% overhead or lower.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger

Key Takeaways
Intro & Practice Philosophy Reality Check (00:00)
Why judging high-volume practices is short-sighted (00:02)
You can build a $3–4M practice at 50% overhead—here’s how (00:43)
Why 55–60 patients/day might be the sweet spot (02:40)
Delegation and avoiding burnout (03:45)
A breakdown of true overhead realities in most markets (05:00)
Introducing the “Make More Money” meeting (08:30)

Additional Resources
Are you ready to break free from limiting beliefs about what your practice has to look like?

🟦 If a three-day workweek, a million-dollar take-home, and real work-life balance sounds like your version of success—then I want to hear from you.

Message me directly or email me to let me know if you're interested in the upcoming Make More Money meeting. It’s small, focused, and 100% about one thing: helping you build a wildly profitable, fulfilling practice—your way.

📩 Reach out and say hi—even if it’s just to let me know you’re listening. I’d love to hear your story.

Register for the Make More Money Meeting: https://ortho4m.com/home

- For more information, visit: https://orthopreneurs.com/

- Join our FREE Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/