How AI & Hosted Buyer Events Are Transforming Dentistry | Michael Scott, Smile Together Conference

Описание: The dental industry is changing faster than most people realize — and Michael Scott has a front-row seat. As the head of Smile Together, a hosted buyer conference connecting dental vendors with DSOs and general practitioners, Michael breaks down the massive shift happening in dentistry: from independent practices to billion-dollar DSO acquisitions, the collapse of patient loyalty, and why building a personal brand is now non-negotiable for dentists.
Michael also shares his journey from wrestling coach's son to high-energy sales and business development leader — and how the lessons learned on the mat translate directly into closing deals and building lasting relationships.
If you're in dental, healthcare tech, or simply curious about where AI and consolidation are taking the healthcare industry, this is a must-watch.
🦷 Topics covered:

How Smile Together went from zero to a thriving hosted buyer conference in one year
The DSO wave: why independent dental practices are selling and consolidating
What dentists actually want from vendors (hint: it's not just the product)
Why brand building is now the #1 marketing priority in dentistry
AI tools transforming dental practice management and patient retention
How Michael leverages AI in his day-to-day (Fathom, research, vendor matching)
The future of AI — and where it gets creepy
Wrestling, hard work, and why "hard work is undefeated"

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 – Introduction & welcome
01:00 – Nashville winter vs. Florida weather banter
03:00 – What is Smile Together and Together Media?
05:00 – The hosted buyer conference format explained
06:30 – Feedback from the first Smile Together event
09:00 – How the dental conference was born from Vet Together
11:00 – The formula: could this work in any industry?
12:00 – How Smile Together selects vendors (and why they cap categories)
15:00 – The biggest problems DSOs and dental practices are trying to solve
17:00 – AI in dentistry: opportunity or noise?
18:00 – The DSO acquisition wave: what's really happening
21:00 – Independent dentists becoming employees — a new reality
23:00 – Patient loyalty is gone: why Dr. Bob can't survive on reputation alone
26:00 – Marketing in dentistry: brand building is non-negotiable
28:00 – Getting to know Michael Scott: the wrestler and coach
30:00 – How wrestling shaped his business philosophy and sales mindset
33:00 – Are dental margins really high? The truth about the economics
35:00 – Why DSOs are the answer to razor-thin solo practice margins
37:00 – Sales secrets: how Michael broke into the dental industry from scratch
39:00 – Finding your people: the philosophy that transformed his business
42:00 – Why in-person events can't be replicated by any technology
43:00 – How Michael uses AI in his day-to-day (Fathom, research, vendor matching)
45:00 – The AI arms race: every company now has "AI" in the name
46:00 – Cooperation over competition: the future of dental tech partnerships
47:00 – Where is AI taking humanity? Michael's honest take
50:00 – The line between useful AI and "creepy" AI
51:00 – When two AI bots talk to each other (it's already happening)
53:00 – A message for dental industry professionals: why Clara AI is worth watching
54:00 – Final thoughts, connections, and see you at Vegas