Episode summary
Marketing Mistakes Holding Your Practice Back
The Dentist Money Show
· · Hosts: Matt, Christine · Guests: Joshua Scott
Summary
Joshua Scott argues that dental marketing only works when it grows out of a real brand, not a pile of disconnected tactics. He defines branding as the message and the patient experience behind it, while marketing is the megaphone that distributes that message through social media, SEO, ads, and community outreach. His core point is that many dentists make the mistake of starting with tactics before they know what story they want to tell.
He says private practices can still compete effectively with DSOs because they can win on authenticity, local relationships, and long-term trust rather than ad spend alone. In his view, DSOs may outspend a practice on direct response, but they cannot easily copy a family legacy, a community reputation, or a patient-first story. He repeatedly argues that the real battleground is not the dentist down the street, but the patient’s discretionary spending and attention.
Joshua Scott also stresses that marketing is an investment, not a rescue plan. He says startups need enough budget to build the brand and gain momentum, while mature practices should generally keep spending 3 to 5% of revenue. Just as important, he says owners have to track the whole funnel—phones, scheduling, case acceptance, and retention—or they may blame marketing for problems that are really operational.
Key takeaways
- Joshua Scott says branding is the message, while marketing is the megaphone that spreads it.
- He argues private practices can beat DSOs by leaning into local trust, family history, and authentic patient experience.
- He says startups should plan roughly $25,000 to $35,000 for year-one branding and marketing, with some aiming closer to $60,000 to $80,000 for faster growth.
- He recommends mature practices spend about 3% to 5% of revenue on marketing to preserve momentum.
- He warns that missed calls, weak follow-up, or poor case acceptance can make marketing look ineffective when the real problem is operations.
Notable quotes
“the brand is the message, marketing is putting a megaphone to that message, right”
“there's so much abundance that I think what DSOs do is with that fear and that scarcity mentality, they get us”
“I have not at all. Now, if you no longer want to be a business owner and and and have that and have that responsibility, I completely understand that decision”
“marketing requires a a force behind it. It's usually one of two things. It's either energy or it's money”
“When you have brands, that is equity in people's minds”
How the episode opens
Consult an adviser or conduct your own due diligence when making financial decisions. General principles discussed during this program do not constitute personal advice. This program is furnished by Dennis Advisers, a registered investment adviser.
Welcome back to the Dennis Money Show where we help Dennis make smart financial decisions. I am Matt and uh joined here with our beautiful and brilliant co-host today, Christine Euan. And so excited to be joined uh by uh a a g a multi-time guest, I think.
Now, I don't know how many times you've been here, but Josh Scott, Joshua Scott from Studio 88. Uh Josh, how are you?
I am good, man. So glad to be here. Yeah, this might be our second or third time. — I think it is.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
It was good good to have you on. So, uh, have Chris here co-hosting for those of you that have been listening for the last couple of months, more than a couple of months now. Chris, uh, we wanted to bring you on specifically because if you don't know, now you know.
I think it's a song maybe. Chris is our practice strategist at Dennis Adviserss. has such incredible experience on the business side of dentistry, 30 years in the space and she serves uh incredible role here at Dentist Advisors now and our and our clients, practice owning clients around grow strategy around growing your practice, maximizing profitability.
And so we wanted uh Chris here to be I want to say the main host. Chris, I'm just kind of here. I'm probably going to shut up after this and let you take it from here.
We'll let you jump in. Yeah, I might just throw a couple jokes here or there to annoy people.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- dental marketing mistakes
- branding vs marketing
- competing with dsos
- authentic storytelling
- patient experience
Companies and tickers mentioned
- Studio Eighty Eight
Watch the episode
Watch “Marketing Mistakes Holding Your Practice Back” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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The Dentist Money Show, this episode and its artwork belong to Dentist Advisors - Financial Planning and Investment Management. Octagon is not affiliated with the show; this page is an independent summary.
