Dr. Alex Sharp on Why Most Dental Marketing Fails & How To Crack the Code
July 24, 2025
In many cases, it helps to follow the roadmap to success laid down by those before us. In most cases, it helps to observe what people have done differently, and be inspired by the uniqueness of it all! The latest episode of The Dental Economist Show with host Mike Huffaker brings a dynamic conversation to the table as Mike sits down with Dr. Alex Sharp, CEO of Shared Practices Group, to explore how a dental podcast evolved into a thriving 38-location DSO. From pioneering a fully remote dental support organization to mastering denture and implant-focused practices, discover why "going deep" beats "going wide" in today's dental landscape. From how to build a scalable culture across remote teams to the surprising reasons why human capital remains the cornerstone of dental success, this episode brings unique insights to scaling your dental practice in today’s day and age, without compromising on excellence.
In many cases, it helps to follow the roadmap to success laid down by those before us. In most cases, it helps to observe what people have done differently, and be inspired by the uniqueness of it all! The latest episode of The Dental Economist Show with host Mike Huffaker brings a dynamic conversation to the table as Mike sits down with Dr. Alex Sharp, CEO of Shared Practices Group, to explore how a dental podcast evolved into a thriving 38-location DSO.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to build a successful dental organization by focusing on a specific niche
- Why human capital and cultural alignment are crucial for scaling a dental organization, especially in a remote environment
- The "De Novo vs. Acquisition" framework for determining the best growth strategy for your dental organization
- How to create effective marketing funnels and patient acquisition strategies for specialty dental practices
- Why market selection and demographic analysis are critical success factors for new practice launches
- The "Microculture" principle for balancing standardization with practice-level autonomy in a multi-location organization
- How to leverage technology and visibility tools to effectively manage remote dental practices
- Why phone performance and patient communication remain critical despite technological advances in dentistry
- The importance of continuous learning and on-site visits for maintaining practice excellence and team engagement
Tune in to discover how you can scale your dental practice in today’s day and age, without compromising on excellence
Episode Highlights:
04:46 - 10:24 Find Your Niche, Find Your Success
Dr. Sharp reveals how focusing deeply on a niche - implants and dentures - has enabled exponential growth versus “trying to be everything to everyone”. This specialized approach allows practices to develop mastery and deliver consistently excellent outcomes that patients can visibly appreciate, addressing a growing market need while avoiding the increasingly pressured middle ground of general dentistry. By consciously narrowing their scope, practitioners can achieve higher proficiency and create more meaningful patient impact. This focused model has helped Shared Practices Group expand to 38 locations across 23 states while maintaining clinical excellence.
10:25 -15:30 Hire Carefully To Build Future-Proof Culture
Sharp emphasizes the critical importance of screening for the humility and ownership mindset during the hiring process through targeted open-ended questions. Leaders should look beyond technical skills to assess how candidates handle challenges, learn from mistakes, and collaborate with teams, while the interview process should evaluate a candidate's self-awareness, coachability, and ability to contribute to a culture of continuous improvement. This approach helps build cohesive teams aligned with core values while avoiding the "god complex" that can derail healthcare organizations.
25:42 - 30:05 Managing Microcultures in Multi-Location Organizations
Rather than enforcing rigid standardization, Sharp advocates for balancing consistent core standards with flexibility in day-to-day operations. This approach allows individual locations to develop their unique "microculture" while maintaining alignment with the organization's mission and values. He suggests that the focus should be on achieving consistent patient outcomes across locations while empowering doctors and staff to put their stamp on practice operations, which further helps maintain quality while boosting employee engagement and retention.
44:08 - 46:25 The Six-Month Launch Sequence for New Practices
Sharp outlines a comprehensive countdown approach starting six months before opening a new location, treating it like a NASA mission launch. The process involves careful market analysis, team building, marketing preparation, and operational setup coordinated across multiple workstreams. Success depends heavily on selecting the right market, as even excellent teams cannot overcome poor location choice. This systematic approach helps organizations minimize risks and maximize the chances of success when expanding to new markets.
Follow the show for more conversations like this, and feel free to share the episode with someone who’d enjoy Alex’s insights.
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