The Burleson Box: A Podcast from Dustin Burleson, DDS, MBA Podcast By Dustin Burleson DDS MBA cover art

The Burleson Box: A Podcast from Dustin Burleson, DDS, MBA

The Burleson Box: A Podcast from Dustin Burleson, DDS, MBA

By: Dustin Burleson DDS MBA
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Welcome to the Burleson Box podcast – your go-to resource for dentists and orthodontists seeking game-changing insights. Dive into compelling, evidence-backed guidance from renowned authors and experts who've shared their life's work in top-selling books. Join us alongside influential CEOs, CMOs, academic thought leaders, and savvy business investors as we unravel the intricacies of marketing, management, and leadership best practices. Uncover the impact of your decisions on all facets of your organization, and elevate your expertise with actionable wisdom. Tune in for a transformative journey in private practice success.All Rights Reserved, Dustin S. Burleson, DDS, MBA Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Jimmy Nicholas on AI, AEO, and the Future of Dental & Orthodontic Marketing

    Jimmy Nicholas on AI, AEO, and the Future of Dental & Orthodontic Marketing
    Dec 5 2025

    In this season-finale episode of The Burleson Box, Dustin Burleson is joined by longtime collaborator and digital marketing pioneer Jimmy Nicholas for a wide-ranging conversation on how artificial intelligence is actively reshaping dentistry and orthodontics.

    Their story goes back more than a decade to the Dan Kennedy GKIC days, a marketer-of-the-year competition, and the early experiments that turned Google into one of Dustin’s top sources of new patients. Now, after selling his agency and sitting out a non-compete, Jimmy returns with a new focus on AI, compliance, automation, and what he calls “simple alignment” across marketing, operations, and team communication.

    This conversation moves well past surface-level AI hype. Dustin and Jimmy unpack what is actually working right now inside real practices, what most doctors still misunderstand, and where real opportunity exists heading into 2026.

    You will hear why Answer Engine Optimization, or AEO, may soon matter more than traditional SEO, how AI is changing follow-up systems, phone automation, and patient communication, and why most medical and dental websites are still invisible to large language models. They also discuss the risks that come with careless AI use, including HIPAA violations, hallucinated data, and unreliable financial calculations.

    This episode is essential listening for any practice owner who wants to stay competitive, protect their team’s time, and apply AI with discipline rather than guesswork.

    Resources Mentioned:

    • AI Beta Group (Free Community)
    • Wealthy Entrepreneur Strategy Consultations

    ***

    The Burleson Box is brought to you by OrthoFi:

    Grow More. Worry Less. Simplify Your Practice with OrthoFi.

    Did you know that practices using OrthoFi start more patients and reduce financial barriers without adding complexity to their operations? With OrthoFi, you can simplify the insurance and patient financial process, streamline collections, and free up your team to focus on patient care. OrthoFi combines smart technology with patient-friendly payment solutions to help you start more treatment, improve cash flow, and deliver a better overall experience. Patients love the flexibility. Practices love the results.

    Take advantage of a platform built specifically for orthodontists and dental specialists—helping you manage everything from eligibility verification to automated payment processing in one easy-to-use system. Grow your starts. Increase your efficiency. And reduce the headaches of insurance and collections with OrthoFi.

    Want to learn more? Schedule a demo today and see how OrthoFi can help your practice thrive.

    Click below to learn more:

    OrthoFi.com

    ***

    Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, exclusive study guides, special edition books each quarter, powerpoint and keynote presentations and two tickets to Dustin Burleson's Annual Leadership Retreat.

    http://www.theburlesonbox.com/sign-up

    Stay Up to Date: Sign up for The Burleson Report, our weekly newsletter that is delivered each Sunday with timeless insight for life and private practice. Sign up here:

    http://www.theburlesonreport.com

    Follow Dustin Burleson, DDS, MBA at:

    http://www.burlesonseminars.com


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Jeremiah Sturgill on Boutique SEO, Phone Skills, and Turning Clicks into Starts

    Jeremiah Sturgill on Boutique SEO, Phone Skills, and Turning Clicks into Starts
    Nov 7 2025
    Show NotesGuest: Dr. Jeremiah Sturgill — Founder, Sturgill Orthodontics; Co-founder, Go Unicorn Strategy (concierge SEO/SEM for orthodontists).Learn more: https://gounicornstrategy.comWhy another company? A veteran ads/SEO partner (ex-HGTV/Discovery; managed ~$50k/day in Google Ads for a private client) audited ortho sites and found pretty but underperforming builds. Early tests drove measurable gains in qualified Google referrals; the two formalized a boutique service.Boutique by design: Targeting ~20–30 practices so one point of contact knows your brand, market dynamics, and projects end-to-end.Inside-out marketing: Don’t pour money into ads until the phones, web forms, and team follow-up are dialed in. Track missed calls (goal: zero), record and review, and role-play quarterly.Feedback loop that works: Ads go live → the team tags outcomes (show/start/no-show) → campaigns are adjusted to favor demographics, keywords, and offers that convert in your market.Budget truth: Tiny spends create noise, not signal. Commit to a test period and a budget that can generate statistically useful data; adjust by market competition (it’s a real auction).Brand over commodity: Build a site that sells your culture and trust, not “$500 off aligners.” If your web vibe doesn’t match the in-office experience, trust evaporates.Pricing with confidence: If you deliver Four Seasons-level service, don’t set Motel 6-level fees. You’re not everyone’s cup of tea—and that’s healthy positioning.Language matters: For out-of-network calls, lead with help (“We can file Delta for you… let’s get you scheduled…”) rather than a hard “We’re out of network.”AI on the horizon: Jeremiah is building a practice “master prompt” to capture decisions, SOPs, and red-flag handoffs so teams ask the system before they page the doctor.Practical TakeawaysFix the fundamentals first: Fast phones, fast follow-up, and a brand-true website before buying more traffic.Measure what matters daily: Missed calls, call length outliers, and lead outcomes by source—then tune campaigns accordingly.Fund real tests: Set a market-appropriate budget and time horizon; dabbling hides the truth.Sell the who, not the what: Lead with trust, culture, and clarity; avoid commodity framing.Close the loop with training: Quarterly role-play on the hardest questions your team actually hears.MentionedGo Unicorn Strategy: https://gounicornstrategy.comAcquired podcast (Google series)Scheduling Institute (Jay Geier) — phone excellenceDan Kennedy — back-end sales before better adsCliftonStrengths “WOO” — why trying to win everyone over can hurt decisionsFour Seasons/Ritz-Carlton service standards as a pricing/positioning lensPast related episodes: Dr. Jamie Reynolds; Dr. Ben Fishbein.Subscribe to The Burleson Box wherever you listen. ***The Burleson Box is brought to you by OrthoFi:Grow More. Worry Less. Simplify Your Practice with OrthoFi.Did you know that practices using OrthoFi start more patients and reduce financial barriers without adding complexity to their operations? With OrthoFi, you can simplify the insurance and patient financial process, streamline collections, and free up your team to focus on patient care. OrthoFi combines smart technology with patient-friendly payment solutions to help you start more treatment, improve cash flow, and deliver a better overall experience. Patients love the flexibility. Practices love the results.Take advantage of a platform built specifically for orthodontists and dental specialists—helping you manage everything from eligibility verification to automated payment processing in one easy-to-use system. Grow your starts. Increase your efficiency. And reduce the headaches of insurance and collections with OrthoFi.Want to learn more? Schedule a demo today and see how OrthoFi can help your practice thrive.Click below to learn more:OrthoFi.com*** Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, exclusive study guides, special edition books each quarter, powerpoint and keynote presentations and two tickets to Dustin Burleson's Annual Leadership Retreat.http://www.theburlesonbox.com/sign-up Stay Up to Date: Sign up for The Burleson Report, our weekly newsletter that is delivered each Sunday with timeless insight for life and private practice. Sign up here:http://www.theburlesonreport.com Follow Dustin Burleson, DDS, MBA at:http://www.burlesonseminars.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Jamie Reynolds on Level the Curve: Data-Driven Practice Management Principles

    Jamie Reynolds on Level the Curve: Data-Driven Practice Management Principles
    Oct 3 2025
    In this episode of The Burleson Box, Dr. Dustin Burleson sits down with Dr. Jamie Reynolds—orthodontist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of OrthoFi and Orthodontic Partners—to explore how data-driven decisions and innovative financial systems are reshaping orthodontics.Jamie shares his expertise on:How OrthoFi was born out of necessity during tough economic times in DetroitWhat $5 billion in real-world orthodontic data reveals about patient behavior, financing, and conversion ratesWhy “same-day convenience” (formerly known as same-day starts) drives patient satisfaction and practice growthHow intelligently flexible financing helps more patients say “yes” without hurting your cashflowThe shift from gut feelings and anecdotal rules of thumb to transparent, data-backed decisions that scaleLessons from building Orthodontic Partners and watching the private equity landscape evolveWhether you’re a solo practitioner trying to increase starts or part of a larger group navigating growth, Jamie’s perspective will challenge the way you think about patient access, affordability, and the systems that run your practice.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Level the Curve by Oliver Gelles & Jamie Reynolds – A data-driven guide to practice management.OrthoFi – A financial and practice management platform that’s reshaped how orthodontists structure payments and collect revenue.Orthodontic Partners – A doctor-led group committed to preserving clinical excellence while enabling scale.Reynolds Orthodontics – Jamie’s multi-location practice in Michigan, recognized for clinical innovation and patient-centered care.Smiles Change Lives – Nonprofit Jamie supports to expand access to orthodontic care for children from low-income families. Subscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe to The Burleson Box on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Your support helps us bring powerful conversations like this to more listeners in healthcare leadership. ***The Burleson Box is brought to you by OrthoFi:Grow More. Worry Less. Simplify Your Practice with OrthoFi.Did you know that practices using OrthoFi start more patients and reduce financial barriers without adding complexity to their operations? With OrthoFi, you can simplify the insurance and patient financial process, streamline collections, and free up your team to focus on patient care. OrthoFi combines smart technology with patient-friendly payment solutions to help you start more treatment, improve cash flow, and deliver a better overall experience. Patients love the flexibility. Practices love the results.Take advantage of a platform built specifically for orthodontists and dental specialists—helping you manage everything from eligibility verification to automated payment processing in one easy-to-use system. Grow your starts. Increase your efficiency. And reduce the headaches of insurance and collections with OrthoFi.Want to learn more? Schedule a demo today and see how OrthoFi can help your practice thrive.Click below to learn more:OrthoFi.com*** Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, exclusive study guides, special edition books each quarter, powerpoint and keynote presentations and two tickets to Dustin Burleson's Annual Leadership Retreat.http://www.theburlesonbox.com/sign-up Stay Up to Date: Sign up for The Burleson Report, our weekly newsletter that is delivered each Sunday with timeless insight for life and private practice. Sign up here:http://www.theburlesonreport.com Follow Dustin Burleson, DDS, MBA at:http://www.burlesonseminars.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 16 mins
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