Who's really in charge when a dental assistant has more experience than the dentist?

In this bonus episode, Dr Tiv and Dr Krish unpack the often-unspoken power dynamics between dentists and dental assistants. Drawing from Dr Krish's experience, they discuss what happens when an experienced DA starts calling the shots, and how a dentist can establish authority without sacrificing mutual respect.

They also explore personality differences, difficult workplace conversations, and why sometimes you need to stand your ground, especially when patient safety is at stake.

Because being a good leader isn't about having the loudest voice. It's about knowing how to communicate, work as a team, and put the patient first.

🎙️ A bonus episode of PowerUp Unfiltered.

Why do dental practice owners and associates so often feel like they're on completely different sides?

In this episode of PowerUp Unfiltered, Dr Tiv and Dr Krish switch perspectives and unpack the tension between owners and associates in dentistry.

From commission rates and cost of living to mentorship, holidays, equipment, productivity, risk and responsibility, they explore why each side can badly misjudge what the other is actually dealing with.

Associates may see a successful-looking practice and assume the owner is making huge profits. Owners may see an associate wanting more money, more time off and more flexibility and wonder why they're not taking more responsibility.

But there's often more going on underneath both perspectives.

This is an honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversation about the realities of running a dental practice and working as an associate — and why understanding the other side can change the way both parties approach the relationship.

"Don't work for a husband and wife team, it's red flag territory."

If you've been in dentistry long enough, you've heard some version of that warning.

Dr Tiv and Darina have been running a practice together for 18 years, and they're surprisingly candid about why that advice exists, and what separates the couples who make it work from the ones who make everyone around them uncomfortable.

Their answer is less romantic than you'd expect: clearly split roles, a defined chain of command (he's the boss at work, she's the boss at home), professional titles instead of pet names, and never, ever arguing in front of staff. It's worked so well that new team members regularly go nine or ten months without realising they're married.

Whether you're planning to run a dental practice with your spouse or applying to a practice run by a married couple, this one is worth the watch.