Dr. Lincoln Harris on Solving the Clinical Confidence Gap in Dentistry
April 2, 2026
What does it take to solve the clinical confidence gap holding dentistry back? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Dr. Lincoln Harris, founder and CEO of Ripe Global, the world's leading cloud-based dental education platform now operating in 35 countries with over 10,000 learners. Launched five days into the COVID lockdown from a small coastal town in Australia, Ripe Global is now bringing its proven model to the United States at exactly the moment the DSO industry needs it most.
Dr. Harris makes a compelling case that the biggest bottleneck in dentistry today isn't technology or marketing it's clinical confidence. Tune in as he shares how geographic necessity in rural Queensland sparked a global mission, why investing in dentist training can drive a 10x revenue return, and how Ripe Global's live, hands-on virtual model is transforming outcomes for DSOs across the country.
What does it take to solve the clinical confidence gap holding dentistry back? In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker sits down with Dr. Lincoln Harris, founder and CEO of Ripe Global, the world's leading cloud-based dental education platform now operating in 35 countries with over 10,000 learners. Launched five days into the COVID lockdown from a small coastal town in Australia, Ripe Global is now bringing its proven model to the United States at exactly the moment the DSO industry needs it most.
Dr. Harris makes a compelling case that the biggest bottleneck in dentistry today isn't technology or marketing it's clinical confidence. Tune in as he shares how geographic necessity in rural Queensland sparked a global mission, why investing in dentist training can drive a 10x revenue return, and how Ripe Global's live, hands-on virtual model is transforming outcomes for DSOs across the country.
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, like, and comment📱
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Dr. Lincoln Harris
02:34 From Rural Queensland to Global Dental Education
06:31 The Lightbulb Moment: Investing in Clinical Skills
09:13 Why Dental Quality Isn't What You'd Expect in Big Cities
12:45 Launching Ripe Global Five Days Into COVID Lockdown
17:28 How Live Virtual Training Changes Clinical Outcomes
23:42 Why DSOs Struggle With Clinical Training (And How to Fix It)
29:00 The Revenue Multiplier: Training Dentists Who Can Generate 10x
34:24 Ripe Global's Entry Into the US Market
41:12 Staying Bullish on Dentistry's Future
Connect with the team:
👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/huffaker/
👉 Dr. Lincoln Harris on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lincolnharris/
👉 Ripe Global Website: https://ripeglobal.com/
👉 Planet DDS Website: https://planetdds.com/
You can also listen to our podcast here:
👉 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3SeeOfY
👉 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3tMmaO7
👉 Fame Host: https://bit.ly/4aQNQ51
Want to be a guest on The Dental Economist Show?
If you're a growth-focused leader in the dental business world or someone shaping its future through technology, consulting, or innovation we want to hear from you.
Submit your interest here: https://forms.gle/BjAmyYLsFgNJBf8f8
Whether you're leading a DSO, building the next big dental SaaS tool, or redefining patient experience, this show is where the smartest minds in dental business come to talk strategy!
The Dental Economist Show with Mike Huffaker is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so