If practice owner mindset feels heavy right now, that does not mean something is wrong with you. It usually means you have outgrown the version of leadership that got you here. Most dentists were trained to be excellent clinicians. But ownership requires a different skill set. It requires clarity, confidence, and the ability to lead a team without carrying every problem home.
In a conversation between Kiera Dent and Paul Etchison, they talked about the real side of ownership: team turnover, leadership growth, and what it takes to stop taking everything personally while still holding a strong standard. If you have ever felt like you are doing everything you can and it still is not enough, this message is for you.
Why Practice Owner Mindset Is the Hardest Part of Growth
The hardest part of growth is not production. It is not systems. It is not even the team. The hardest part is the internal pressure practice owners carry every day.
When something goes wrong, it is easy to assume it is your fault. When a team member quits, it is easy to believe you are a bad leader. When the practice feels chaotic, it is easy to think you are the only one who cannot figure it out.
That is why practice owner mindset matters so much. It is the lens you look through all day long. And that lens impacts how you lead, how you communicate, and how much energy you have left when you walk through your front door at night.
Team Turnover Does Not Mean You Are a Bad Owner
One of the most honest parts of the conversation was the reality of turnover.
Paul shared that when he looked back at an old photo from before COVID, half of his team was completely different. Kiera also shared that she used to feel embarrassed about turnover. She thought it meant she was failing.
But the truth is this: turnover is often part of growth.
Sometimes you outgrow team members. Sometimes team members outgrow the practice. Sometimes life changes and priorities shift. Practice ownership is not a straight line, and it is not a perfect story.
Instead of trying to protect the optics, focus on building the foundation. That is what keeps the practice stable long term.
Stop Taking Everything Personally as a Practice Owner
Paul reached a point where he realized he could not keep tying his emotional state to the happiness of every team member. It was exhausting. It created burnout. It made him feel like he was constantly failing.
So he changed how he led.
He got clear on what he wanted. He stayed consistent in how he treated people. He held the standard. Then he put the ball in their court.
If they wanted to play, great. If they did not, they could move on without it being personal.
That is not cold leadership. That is healthy leadership. And it is a major practice owner mindset upgrade.
Practice Owner Mindset Needs Confidence, Not Perfection
Kiera shared something a lot of owners need to hear. The moment she stopped chasing people and started leading with confidence, she began attracting a different type of team member.
Not someone who needed to be convinced. Not someone who needed to be rescued. Someone who wanted to be part of something strong.
That shift happens when the practice owner stops trying to be everything to everyone. It also happens when core values stop being a document and start becoming the standard.
You do not need to be perfect. You do need to be clear.
Core Values Are Not Decoration, They Are Leadership Tools
Paul shared a story about a coaching client who got serious about core values. He held the standard. He turned over the entire team. He felt like a failure. Patients asked where everyone went. Then months later, he found his people.
That is what happens when you lead with clarity. You lose what does not align. You gain what does.
Core values are not about sounding nice. They are about guiding decisions. They help you hire. They help you coach. They help you correct. They help you protect the culture you are building.
The Squeaky Wheel Is Not the Whole Truth
Paul shared that he did an anonymous team survey asking how fun it was to work at his practice. He was nervous to ask because he felt like he only heard complaints.
But the results were strong. Most people rated it high.
That is a reminder every owner needs. The loudest voice is not always the majority. The most frustrated person is not always the most accurate representation of the culture.
Sometimes you are leading a great practice and you are simply exhausted.
A strong practice owner mindset includes learning how to see the whole picture, not just the problem.
Leadership Growth Feels Like Molting, and That Is Normal
Kiera described leadership growth in a way that sticks. Sometimes growth feels like molting, like shedding an old version of yourself. It can feel uncomfortable. It can feel messy. It can feel like everything is shifting at once.
But it is also part of becoming the next version of you.
There are seasons where the changes are huge. There are seasons where the changes are refinements. Both are normal. Both are growth.
A strong practice owner mindset includes allowing yourself to evolve without making it mean you are failing.
The CEO Role Is Vision, Profit, and Culture
Kiera shared that she literally Googled what a CEO does. That is one of the smartest things a practice owner can do, because dentists are trained to be clinicians, not CEOs.
But ownership requires CEO thinking.
The CEO role is not doing everything. It is setting the vision. It is protecting profitability. It is building culture. It is creating clarity so the team can execute.
When practice owners stay stuck in the weeds, they do not have the time or energy to lead at that level. That is why mindset and structure matter.
If You Want Freedom, You Need Leaders Inside the Practice
Paul shared a key lesson from his own journey. If he could go back, he would have built leaders sooner, because once leaders were in place, everything got easier.
He also said something important: whether you want to sell your practice, reduce clinical days, or build a more profitable business, the strategy is often the same.
Build a practice that runs without you doing everything.
That means leadership systems. That means delegation. That means giving autonomy. That means letting people do it differently than you would, while still holding the standard.
A strong practice owner mindset is not control. It is clarity and trust.
How to Reset Your Practice Owner Mindset When You Feel Stuck
When practice ownership feels heavy, you do not need a full overhaul first. You need clarity.
Paul shared an exercise he uses with coaching clients. Write down what frustrates you. Write down what drains you. Write down what you want to change. Then look for the thread.
The top layer is usually symptoms. The root is usually one or two key problems creating the chaos.
When you find the root, you can build the right solution. And when you build the right solution, you get your energy back.
Practice Owner Mindset Starts With Believing It Can Be Better
Paul ended with a message that matters. You have to believe your practice can be better, not just for production, not just for profit, but for your life.
You spend too much of your life at work to hate it.
So if you are in the messy middle, keep going. If you are in a growth season, stay steady. If you are ready to lead differently, start now.
Because the practice owner mindset you build today creates the freedom you want tomorrow.
Want Help Building a Practice That Feels Lighter?
If you want help building a practice that runs with stronger leadership, better systems, and a healthier ownership structure, Dental A Team is here.
Email hello@TheDentalATeam.com and we will help you create a plan that fits your practice, your goals, and your life.
Dental A Team provides expert guidance to help your practice thrive! Schedule a call with our team.
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Last updated: January 2026
Written by Joash Ortiz, Dental A Team