What we talked about
Leslie Espinola has spent more than 35 years in the dental industry, though that was never the plan. She studied forensic science and wanted to join the FBI, then took a job in her father’s dental practice while she figured out her life, and never left. Today she is a Dental Executive Coach, Fractional COO, and founder of High Peak Dental Advisors, helping practices grow through better leadership, healthier culture, and smarter operations.
Show notes
Leslie Espinola studied forensic science and wanted to join the FBI, then took a job in her father’s dental practice while she figured out her life, and never left. More than 35 years later she is a Dental Executive Coach and Fractional COO who travels to client offices three and a half weeks a month, helping practices grow through leadership, culture, and operations rather than another marketing push.
What we covered
- What a Fractional COO actually does for a dental practice, why she travels to client offices three and a half weeks a month, and the leap of faith she took last year to start her own company, High Peak Dental Advisors, after a career inside large organizations.
- The difference between a manager and a leader, and the trap office managers fall into when they get promoted but stay stuck in the day-to-day instead of stepping up to lead.
- Why good leadership is always about people, how a healthy culture prevents turnover, and the operational truths most practice owners miss.
- Why so many owners stay disconnected from their numbers, and the sobering reality that a large share of dental offices are stolen from by a team member.
- A clear-eyed case for AI in dentistry, where it removes unproductive work so teams can stay patient-facing, and why she has not seen it take a single job in the industry.
- The win she is most proud of: an office manager who was weeks from being let go and, after one hard conversation and six months of mentoring, became one of the best leaders Leslie has ever worked with.
About Leslie
Leslie Espinola is a Dental Executive Coach, Fractional COO, and Founder of High Peak Dental Advisors, with more than 35 years in the dental industry. She is also a coach at the Dentist Entrepreneur Organization, helping practices grow through better leadership, healthier culture, and smarter operations.
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieespinola/
- Website: https://deodentalgroup.com
Episode 154 of the PreVetted Podcast.