Canadian DSO, 123 Dentist, has become the country’s fastest-growing dental organization. How? We’re unpacking it all in this episode of The Dental Economist Show as host Mike Huffaker sits down with CEO, Jeff Leger, for the ultimate insider’s perspective.

Most importantly, this conversation highlights what we all know and cannot afford to ignore: strong people-focused culture is a non-negotiable in today’s day and age. 

Jeff's strategy of visiting 100+ clinics in his first six months reveals a critical leadership principle: understanding operations requires boots-on-the-ground observation before deploying spreadsheet solutions. Many leaders default to analyzing P&Ls and data dashboards, missing the real friction points that slow clinicians down and block growth. By engaging directly with frontline teams and simply asking what's working, what's getting in the way, and what training gaps exist, you uncover bottlenecks that data alone never surfaces. For anyone building a DSO or scaling a dental practice, this approach transforms strategy from top-down mandates into collaborative problem-solving that clinicians actually adopt and sustain.

Jeff's solution to balancing clinical independence with organizational standards is elegant: establish regional doctor mentors and a dental advisory council rather than imposing clinical protocols from headquarters. This peer-to-peer model - where experienced clinicians coach newer practitioners on standards and best practices - removes the perception of corporate control while elevating care quality across the network. By involving academics and regulatory experts alongside practicing dentists, you create a credible, independent body that sets standards, not a DSO mandate. The outcome is clinicians who feel supported and validated rather than restricted. This structure protects both autonomy and excellence, giving clinicians the mentorship early-career practitioners desperately need while preserving their independence to make patient decisions.

Instead of importing operational playbooks from outside consultants, Jeff shares that the majority of scalable best practices already exist within high-performing clinics. You just need to identify them, understand why they work, and amplify them across the network. This flips the traditional "central office knows best" approach on its head and positions frontline operators as the real innovators. When you spot a clinic running efficient scheduling, nailing treatment acceptance through patient education, or retaining staff better than peers, reverse-engineer that model rather than defaulting to external solutions. The speed and adoption improve dramatically because clinicians see the proof in a peer's results, not in a corporate directive. 

Jeff defines culture as how your organization treats colleagues, patients, and clinicians. And it matters because strong culture allows teams to navigate uncertain periods and rally behind purpose when execution gets tough. During rapid acquisition-driven growth, culture becomes your invisible safeguard. Without it, each new clinic acquisition dilutes your values and creates friction. Jeff protects 123 Dentist's culture by being visible, approachable, and transparent. Examples: doing 30-50 town halls annually as a CEO, visiting 100 clinics in six months, and explaining the "why" behind every major change. This consistent demonstration of values (caring, operational excellence, continuous learning) sends a message to new team members: "This is how we actually operate here, not what's written in the manual."