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Wellness In Dentistry

Wellness In Dentistry

Dr. Kyle Stanley and Dr. Martin Mendelson 112 Episodes Jul 1, 2026

Dr. Kyle Stanley and Dr. Martin Mendelson host a podcast exploring the intersection of dental practice and personal well-being. They discuss mental health, burnout prevention, and work-life balance for dental professionals. Through interviews and advice, they aim to help colleagues prioritize self-care and find fulfillment in their careers.

Episodes

Independence Day: Freedom From Your Own Practice Jul 1, 2026 2320 You own your practice. So why does it feel like your practice owns you?In this episode, Dr. Kyle Stanley and Dr. Martin Mendelson dug into what independence actually means for a dentist and why so many practitioners feel tethered to their practice even when everything looks good from the outside. Kyle puts it simply: he thought he owned his profession. His profession owned him.The conversation get
High Income, Low Fulfillment: Why Success Still Feels Empty Jun 24, 2026 2394 You're making good money. So why does it feel like something's missing?In this episode, Dr. Kyle Stanley and Dr. Martin Mendelson dig into one of dentistry's quietest paradoxes — high income, low fulfillment. Kyle drove a Porsche to a million-dollar house, ran a thriving practice, and still hit rock bottom in 2018. The income was there. The fulfillment wasn't.Part of the problem is hedonic adaptat
Everyone Has Their Own Everest to Climb Jun 17, 2026 1796 In this episode, Dr. Martin Mendelson and Dr. Kyle Stanley tackle the lack of empathy showing up in the dental community toward colleagues who are struggling. The data isn't subtle: dentists are 17 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Two and a half times more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. That's not a mindset problem. That's a profession in pain.Kyle ad
The Emotional Cost of Being the Responsible One Jun 10, 2026 1987 Being the responsible one in dentistry isn't just exhausting. It's expensive — emotionally.In this episode, Dr. Martin Mendelson and Dr. Kyle Stanley dig into why dental practice owners carry so much weight, and how much of that weight is self-imposed. You're the clinician, the CEO, the problem-solver, and the last line of defense — all at once. No wonder you're waking up at 5am worrying about Mrs
The ADA Not Supporting DSOs Jun 3, 2026 2047 The ADA announced it's pulling back support for DSOs. The internet lost its mind. Kyle and Martin didn't.In this episode, Dr. Kyle Stanley and Dr. Martin Mendelson break down what the ADA's shift actually means — and what it doesn't. The ADA is a for-profit business. DSOs aren't all created equal. And dental insurance is a defined benefit plan, not insurance. We've done a terrible job letting peop
DSO are Supporting Mental Health for Dentists May 27, 2026 1998 Something shifted in Dallas.Dr. Martin Mendelson and Dr. Kyle Stanley just wrapped a Lightside Live course at MB2 Dental — one of the largest DSOs in the country, with 800 practices — and what they found wasn't what most people expect from corporate dentistry. They found a group practice that actually cares about its doctors.In this episode, Kyle and Martin unpack what happened over those two days
There’s a Reason Why its called “Practice” Turning Mistakes into Milestones: A Growth Mindset for Dental Complications May 20, 2026 1848 In this episode, Dr. Martin Mendelson and Dr. Kyle Stanley reframe the way dental professionals think about complications and setbacks in practice. Rather than labeling difficult outcomes as failures, they explore how shifting language toward "complications" and "revisions" can protect a dentist's mindset and fuel long-term growth. Dr. Mendelson shares his three-step framework for processing diffi
How to Explain Dentistry's Stress to Someone Who's Never Held a Handpiece May 13, 2026 1883 In this episode, Dr. Kyle Stanley and Dr. Martin Mendelson tackle a challenge many dentists face: how to explain the unique pressures of the profession to people outside of it. From the physical toll of working in a confined operatory to the constant balancing act of running a business while delivering clinical care, they break down why dentistry is far more demanding than it appears from the outs
Getting Sued in Dentistry May 6, 2026 1755 In this episode, Dr. Kyle Stanley and Dr. Martin Mendelson tackle the topic of litigation in dentistry, sharing statistics and personal experiences with malpractice claims. They emphasize that even great dentists can face lawsuits, and that many claims stem more from communication breakdowns than clinical errors. The conversation focuses on what is actually within a dentist’s control, including cl
The Guilt Cycle in Dentistry Apr 29, 2026 1644 In this episode of the Wellness and Dentistry podcast, Dr. Martin Mendelson and Dr. Kyle Stanley explore the guilt cycle in dentistry, sharing personal experiences that reveal how guilt often stems from unclear boundaries and poor communication rather than true obligation. They discuss the importance of defining personal values, setting expectations with patients and family, and being fully presen
The Mental Game of Difficult Patients Apr 22, 2026 2005 In this episode, Dr. Kyle Stanley and Dr. Martin Mendelson break down the mental game of handling difficult patients in dental practice.They explore practical strategies for navigating challenging situations, starting with the foundation of setting clear expectations from the beginning. The conversation emphasizes proactive communication around potential complications, helping patients understand
What Happens When the Practice Owns You Apr 15, 2026 1892 In this episode, Dr. Martin Mendelson and Dr. Kyle Stanley dive into a powerful and often overlooked reality in dentistry: when the practice starts to own the dentist.Drawing from their own experiences, they unpack how practice ownership, while often seen as the ultimate goal, can quietly lead to burnout, blurred personal boundaries, and a loss of identity outside of dentistry. The conversation go

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