The Dental Economist Show

Clayton Russell, Vice President of Operational Strategy at Dental Care Alliance, one of the largest DSOs in the industry, joins host Mike Huffaker to discuss the challenges and opportunities of scaling dental operations. With over two decades of experience spanning sales, consulting, and DSO leadership, Clayton shares his unique perspective on translating strategy into measurable outcomes. From navigating vendor partnerships and technology adoption to addressing underperforming practices and managing change at scale, this conversation dives deep into what it takes to run a 400+ practice organization. Clayton offers candid insights on balancing innovation with implementation, the importance of keeping practice teams at the center of every decision, and why 2026 feels like a turning point for the industry after navigating post-COVID challenges.

Show Notes


Clayton Russell, Vice President of Operational Strategy at Dental Care Alliance, one of the largest DSOs in the industry, joins host Mike Huffaker to discuss the challenges and opportunities of scaling dental operations. With over two decades of experience spanning sales, consulting, and DSO leadership, Clayton shares his unique perspective on translating strategy into measurable outcomes. From navigating vendor partnerships and technology adoption to addressing underperforming practices and managing change at scale, this conversation dives deep into what it takes to run a 400+ practice organization. Clayton offers candid insights on balancing innovation with implementation, the importance of keeping practice teams at the center of every decision, and why 2026 feels like a turning point for the industry after navigating post-COVID challenges.


#dentaleconomist #dsooperations #dentaltechnology

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction & Meeting Clayton Russell
 02:26 From Sales to Strategy: Clayton's Career Path
 05:50 What Does a VP of Operational Strategy Actually Do?
 08:14 From Abstract Strategy to Practice Reality
 11:00 Separating Signal from Noise in Dental Technology
 14:00 Navigating Organizational Change at Scale
 19:59 The Art of Vendor Partnerships
 23:34 Evaluating Startup Partners vs. Established Vendors
 31:23 Addressing Underperforming Practices
 37:30 The Bell Institute Leadership Experience
 38:00 What's Ahead for 2026

Connect with the team:

👉 Mike Huffaker on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/huffaker/
👉 Clayton Russell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claytonfrussell/ 
👉 Dental Care Alliance Website: https://dentalcarealliance.com/
👉 Planet DDS Website: https://planetdds.com/

You can also listen to our podcast here:

👉 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3SeeOfY
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👉 Fame Host: https://bit.ly/4aQNQ51


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What is The Dental Economist Show?

Hi, dental economists! I’m Mike Huffaker, and this is the Dental Economist Show, where you can join me and my guests in a conversation about the business of dentistry. Get ready to reconsider everything you think you know about growing your dental business as we exchange different ideas and meet at the intersection of profit and purpose.