The Orthopreneurs Podcast with Dr. Glenn Krieger

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/

In this episode of The Orthopreneurs Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Ben Samuelson—an orthodontist and co-founder of PDOA (Pediatric Dental & Orthodontic Associates)—who’s quietly built a multi-practice model across Alabama that’s giving OSOs a serious run for their money. We get real about the challenges of growth, retaining top-tier team members, and how building your own collaborative group of practices can unlock career advancement, culture control, and long-term freedom—without sacrificing your autonomy.

Ben shares how he and his pediatric dentistry partners co-branded multiple practices under one umbrella, developed scalable systems using EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), and turned what used to be cookie-basket-level marketing into a patient magnet powered by smart, integrated operations. Whether you’re feeling stuck at $1.5M/year or wondering how to grow while keeping your sanity, this episode is packed with honest insights and proven strategies you can actually use.

Quotes
“When I was by myself in my little practice... your ceiling’s pretty low. Now I can give my team real growth paths and comp packages that actually reward performance.”
 — Dr. Ben Samuelson

“You can treat more people, better, with fewer mistakes, if you build systems around your vision. That’s what EOS gave us.”
 — Dr. Ben Samuelson

Key Takeaways
Intro (00:00)
Ben’s Origin Story (01:02)
The Truth About Scaling (03:01)
Recruiting High-Quality Team Members (04:30)
Tools That Helped Build the Foundation (06:10)
The Biggest Challenge: People (10:29)
Covering Clinical Blind Spots (14:39).
Marketing Without Cookie Baskets (16:27)
Prophy-Prophy Reality Check (19:19)
Secret to More Adult Starts (20:56)

Additional Resources
Ben Samuelson proves that building a collaborative, multi-practice model doesn’t require giving up autonomy, selling to a DSO, or losing your identity.

If you’ve hit a wall in your private practice—or you’re just ready for more—this episode is your blueprint. Whether you’re curious about EOS, co-branded models, or finding your first great partner, you’ll leave this conversation with clarity and confidence.

Need to get in contact with Ben?
[email protected] 
https://www.samuelsonorthodontics.com 

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

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

Running a successful orthodontic practice doesn’t mean you need to control everything. In fact, the more you try to do that, the more you risk losing team members, burning out, and stunting your growth. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I’ve transformed my management style over the years—and how letting go has made me a better leader, clinician, and business owner.

I’ll walk you through the exact approach I use today, including how we build systems without me being at the center of every decision. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to oversee every part of your practice—or you’ve struggled with team accountability—this one’s for you. You’ll walk away with a practical framework to create a culture of ownership, while giving your team the tools and authority to thrive.

If you want to stop micromanaging and start scaling, this might be your wake-up call.

Quotes
“If you want to take home seven figures a year from your practice, then you gotta work at it—and that means letting go.”
— Dr. Glenn Krieger
“There are two kinds of problems in this world: my problem, and not my problem. I’ll help you solve your problem—but it’s still not my problem.”
 — Dr. Glenn Krieger

Key Takeaways

Intro (00:00) — How I used to micromanage—and why it failed.
(01:30) — My evolution from control freak to team enabler.
(03:00) — Why your org chart matters more than your to-do list.
(04:50) — Empowering your team to own their systems and policies.
(05:30) — The two kinds of problems: “My problem” and “not my problem.”
(06:45) — How to build one high-impact system per team member in 90 days.
(08:00) — The true cost of micromanagement (it’s higher than you think).

Additional Resources

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin in your practice or you know you’re spending too much time managing instead of leading, start by building that org chart. Sit down with your team, hand out real ownership, and step back from the day-to-day. Let your systems—and your people—work for you.

And if this episode sparked something for you, send me a message. I love hearing how these ideas show up in your practice.

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/