In this episode of The Dental TeX-ray, Khuzaan Screwvalla of Great Lakes Dental Partners joins host Alan Rencher to unpack what’s happening in dental technology right now and where it’s heading next.

They’re breaking down the shift from standalone practice management systems to integrated, platform-based ecosystems and cutting through the AI hype with a pragmatic look at what actually works, how to evaluate vendors, and what it takes to build a scalable data foundation that protects the patient experience and strengthens revenue cycle performance.

• Why the move to integrated platforms is becoming the new standard — and what it changes for DSOs and private practices.

• How leading organizations separate AI value from AI noise with clear outcomes, governance, and the right data strategy.
• How to navigate vendor overload (including API requirements) while improving patient experience and modernizing revenue cycle management.

Timeline Highlights

• [01:12] – The rapid evolution of dental tech: from on-prem systems to SaaS and now AI

• [03:45] – Focusing on AI outcomes and the “North Star” instead

• [06:20] – The explosion of AI vendors in dental and how to cut through the noise

• [09:10] – Khuzaan’s honest take: AI vs. automation and the problem with industry hype

• [12:05] – Protecting patient experience while integrating new technology

• [15:30] – How Great Lakes vets vendors (and why API access is a dealbreaker)

• [20:18] – The power of a “single pane of glass” and unified data strategy

• [25:40] – Using data to drive decisions and the importance of “fail fast”

• [30:55] – The future of AI in dental: cracking the RCM challenge

• [35:10] – The promise (and cost challenges) of LLMs and internal AI tools

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a rating, and share it with a colleague. Your support helps us continue bringing you the latest insights on technology shaping the future of dentistry.

In this episode of The Dental TeX-ray, CTO Alan Rencher joins Dayna Johnson, CEO of Novonee and a leading advocate for solo dentistry, for a no-fluff look at how AI is reshaping dental practices right now. From marketing and scheduling to imaging and insurance verification, they’re breaking down where AI is already showing up, what actually moves the needle for busy teams, and how solo practices can adopt the right tools to stay competitive and profitable.

• How AI is transforming the patient journey end to end

• Where AI can eliminate friction in daily ops: scheduling, documentation, imaging, and insurance verification

• How to implement responsibly: avoid overlapping tools, prove ROI, and reduce team stress while improving the patient experience

Timeline Highlights

[02:15] – Why AI matters right now and how human behavior around technology has evolved over the last 20–30 years.

[06:40] – The hidden AI already inside dental workflows and why staying inside the practice management system matters.

[11:30] – How patients are using AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini to find dentists—and why online booking is now essential.

[18:05] – The pre-visit workflow revolution: online forms, insurance verification, and automated patient data collection.

[25:10] – Clinical AI tools that save doctors hours each week, including voice-powered documentation and automated SOAP notes.

[32:20] – AI-powered imaging and the “five-star” X-ray scoring system that improves diagnostic quality and training.

[40:45] – Measuring the real ROI of dental AI tools and avoiding the costly trap of overlapping software systems.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a rating, and share it with a colleague who could benefit from the conversation. Your support helps us continue bringing you the latest insights on technology shaping the future of dentistry.

Most dental practices talk about innovation. Heartland Dental has built an operating model around it.

In this episode, Alan Rencher sits down with RJ Jerome, Chief Digital Officer at Heartland Dental, to unpack how one of the largest DSOs in the industry is scaling technology without losing the autonomy that dentists value most.

Together, Alan and RJ explore how Heartland prioritizes operational systems first — then technology. From AI and cloud infrastructure to workflow automation, every investment is designed to remove friction from the practice so clinicians can focus on what matters most: patient care.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why decentralized leadership can outperform centralized DSO models
• How operational discipline makes AI and automation actually work in practices
• What it takes to scale technology across thousands of locations without breaking workflows
• How Heartland’s partnership with Henry Schein One helps rapidly deploy new capabilities across thousands of locations
• Why the future of dentistry will be defined by outcomes—not technology buzzwords

If you’re a dental leader, technologist, or operator navigating the intersection of care delivery and digital transformation, this episode offers a rare look inside the systems and strategies powering one of the industry’s most successful growth engines.

Because the real question isn’t whether dentistry will become more digital.

It’s who will build the operating model that makes it work.