Every dentist says they want to grow, but few realize how much hiring determines their ceiling. Dr. Blake Hamblin shares how he restructured his hiring process, delegated better, and created a talent pipeline that made hitting 100 new patients a month actually sustainable. If you’re stuck doing everything yourself or stuck with a team that can’t keep up, this is your guide.

You Can’t Grow With Empty Chairs

Dr. Blake didn’t just build a new 13-op practice. He also had to figure out how to staff it. In one stretch, he lost three assistants in two weeks due to hygiene school enrollments. That kind of turnover can paralyze most practices. Instead of panicking, he leaned on systems.

Here’s how he stayed ahead:

• Delegated hiring responsibility to his operations and sales manager
• Created a video-based first interview to screen for culture fit
• Built a system that treats hiring like lead gen: top, middle, and bottom of funnel

This helped his team move quickly when team members gave notice or performance dropped.

Building a Team That Can Actually Grow With You

Most dentists hire out of desperation. But Dr. Blake hired with intention. He defined his ideal team profile: A-players who are proactive, growth-minded, and not just clocking in.

Here’s what made it work:

• Letting his team do first and second interviews
• Only meeting final candidates for a quick energy and culture check
• Prioritizing internal leadership development

His team owns the process. That means when new patients spike, everyone’s aligned and ready.

Stop Protecting the Wrong People

Dr. Blake shared one of the most vulnerable truths of the episode: early on, he coddled low performers. He didn’t want to rock the boat. But he realized that protecting the wrong people was hurting his culture, his high performers, and his growth.

Now he:

• Constantly interviews, even when not hiring
• Focuses on core values as the hiring filter
• Makes it clear that B+ players are welcome, but C players hold everyone back

The result? A healthier team culture and a faster path to real results.

Quick Wins You Can Apply This Month

1. Have your team run first-round interviews via Zoom
2. Create a bank of great candidates who weren’t hired (yet)
3. Set clear, time-bound goals for every role
4. Start every interview with: “What does winning look like to you?“
5. Use your morning huddles to roleplay treatment presentations

AI or Tools Tips

Use a Google Form or Typeform to collect basic screening info before interviews. Embed video questions so candidates can submit responses asynchronously. This helps your team filter faster. Download our template here.

Think Smarter

Growth is about readiness, not just desire. If your hiring funnel is empty or your leadership avoids hard conversations, your practice can’t scale, no matter how many leads you generate. Hiring is marketing. Treat it that way.

Final Thought

More new patients are only a blessing if your team can handle them. Dr. Blake scaled because he had the right people in the right seats and wasn’t afraid to make changes when the wrong ones stayed too long.

Final Checklist

• Is your hiring process defined, documented, and delegated?
• Do you have a bench of qualified candidates ready to go?
• Are team leads empowered to make hiring decisions?
• Are you filtering by culture fit before clinical skill?
• Are you tracking team performance and capacity weekly?
• Are you actively training leaders inside your practice?
• Are you still coddling a C-player on your team?