Ep 88 – Work smarter, grow stronger: Dr. Courtney Dunn on leadership, delegation and practice efficiency

How do you grow an orthodontic practice without letting it take over your life?

Dr. Courtney Dunn, co-founder of a four-location orthodontic practice and founder of Women in Orthodontics, joins Dr. Leon Klempner and Amy Epstein to discuss the leadership, delegation and efficiency strategies that have helped her scale both her practice and her career.

Courtney explains why orthodontists need to become more comfortable giving up control, how her practice measures clinical efficiency before investing in new technology, and why the right office manager can fundamentally change how a practice operates. She also shares her experience using Solventum Clarity aligners and pre-cured attachments, including the potential impact on bonding time, tracking and refinements.

The conversation also explores mentorship, professional support networks and why the market you choose can have a major impact on practice growth.

Key takeaways:

• Delegation is essential to scaling an orthodontic practice without creating owner burnout.
• Measure treatment efficiency and ROI before adopting new technology simply because it is available.
• Solventum’s Clarity attachment technology has helped Courtney’s practice streamline bonding and, anecdotally, reduce refinements and treatment time.
• A true office manager can take meaningful operational responsibility off the orthodontist’s plate.
• Mentorship, community and realistic expectations can help practice owners make better long-term decisions.