A Happy Practice Interview Series: Featuring Dr. Emily Letran

Q: If you could go back to when you were first starting your practice and tell yourself one thing, what would it be?

A: Slow down, don’t be so ambitious. Early on I was teaching myself business from VHS tapes and heard, “If you want to grow fast, buy another practice,” so I did, twice in under two years. I’d tell my younger self to let systems mature before stacking on more growth. Build deliberately; you don’t have to grow that fast.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made running your practice? What’d you learn?

A: Trusting people without accountability. Someone can have “15 years of experience” and still not do the work unless expectations are clear and verified. Once you’ve said, “I trust you,” it’s hard to walk it back. So, set the standard up front—trust but verify. My rhythm became, “You know how to do A-E; every week, show me it’s done.”

Q: What’s the biggest success you’ve had running your practice?

A: Becoming an absentee owner in the best sense. We built a culture where the team, not just the office manager, drives the practice. When the practice performs without me there, that’s success. It’s everyone on the team moving the office forward.

Q: What’s something you wish every patient knew?

A: The mouth is a window into your whole health. What you put in your mouth and how you care for it influences energy, inflammation, and disease risk and yes, even your weight over time. Instead of quick fixes, pay attention to daily choices and their downstream effects. Oral health habits ripple through the rest of your life.

Q: What does your practice do to make sure you’re always bringing in new patients?

A: Always ask for referrals after delivering excellent care. If we don’t provide a service, we bring in a specialist or associate so patients stay in one place. Convenience keeps people saying yes. We consistently ask for referrals.

Q: What kind of stuff do you keep around the office to keep your team happy?

A: Little, thoughtful things matter, like surprise birthdays and flexibility for real life. I pay attention to what’s happening outside the office and support people when it counts, even on short notice. Relationships endure far beyond employment. I’ve stayed close with team members for nearly three decades. You build that connection while they’re still with you.

Q: Do you vacation? And how do you prepare your office for your vacations?

A: There’s almost no prep because we designed for independence. Associates and specialists cover, and the schedule isn’t built around me being the only provider. If the office “needs” you to run, rework the model so it doesn’t. The goal is a practice that functions smoothly whether I’m there or not.

Q: How do you make time for your own life with so much responsibility in your profession?

A: You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself. Put yourself on the schedule. Doctors book everything for patients and kids but forget themselves. High performance is holistic: at work, at home and with friends. What you see is what you get, in every environment.

Q: What kind of tech does your office use?

A: We run two practices with digital scanners (Nexus and Medit) and CBCT in both locations. One CBCT is from Hiossen and the other through Henry Schein, plus AI-aided digital X-rays (DTX). We rely on Weave for communication and production tracking. It streamlines lots of workflows.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge your office is facing today?

A: Getting everyone on the same page with consistent workflows. With multiple ways to reach patients, we standardize: call two days before, text the day before, and so on. Cross-training front and back ensures changes ripple through the whole team. Consistency beats confusion.

Q: What is the biggest challenge your office faces for the future?

A: As tech and automation grow, the human factor matters more. We have to present treatment so patients stay and don’t just price-shop. That means constant communication-skills training for associates, specialists, assistants, and the front desk team. The differentiator will be how we connect.

Q: Looking ahead, what do you think is the “next big thing” in your field?

A: Continual tech adoption, and the mindset to embrace it. Technology lowers stress and positions your practice as modern. Comfort zones are expensive. I literally toured an office doing $1.2M with no computers. It’s proof you can coast, but you can’t claim to be advanced. Make innovation a habit, not a one-off.

Q: How do you see AI impacting the future of your industry?

A: AI will streamline work: after-hours scheduling, insurance checks and routine follow-ups. It’s not replacing staff. It’s removing friction so real people can do higher-value tasks. If AI makes a team smaller, that team was likely oversized already. I see AI as a force multiplier for humans.

Q: What mediums have you used to successfully market your practice?

A: Team alignment and referrals come first. We do community-based events like free dentistry days and movie nights, inviting patients to bring friends. Those internal, relationship-driven efforts helped grow the practice and set us apart. Service is still the strategy.

Q: How do you keep a personal connection with patients as your practice continues to grow?

A: Before I enter, I review notes or ask staff for a quick brief. Simple specifics like, “You’ve been with us five years. Thank you,” signals genuine appreciation. My team carries the daily connection and cues me on life events so I can pick up the thread fast. Small, timely touchpoints build BIG trust.

Q: In your opinion, what’s the single most critical element to a successful practice?

A: Communication. People need to understand you, know you care and be reminded you’re there. Systematized outreach, such as periodic education or seasonal messages via Weave, plants seeds that turn into bookings. Keep the conversation going, and you’ll be your patients’ first call when it matters.

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