In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Dr. Julia L. Jackson — better known as "Extraction Jackson" — for a powerful, deeply human conversation about passion, purpose, grit, and what it truly means to love the work you do.

As a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, educator, and founder of the International Implant Institute, Dr. Jackson shares her journey of becoming one of the few female African-American OMS surgeons in the profession, navigating resistance, redefining success, and choosing clinical excellence over distraction.

This episode goes far beyond extractions. It explores:

• Why loving the procedure matters

• How education, mindset, and faith fuel growth

• The evolution from clinician to teacher and leader

• Patient experience through empathy and connection

• Finding your own path — without shortcuts

If you've ever questioned your next step, your purpose, or how to grow without losing yourself, this conversation will resonate.

• Passion as the foundation of clinical excellence

• Being a female OMS and breaking industry barriers

• Grit, determination, and staying focused on the goal

• Teaching atraumatic extractions as the gateway to implants

• The evolution from clinician to educator

• Business of dentistry vs. ownership

• Patient-centered thinking: "remember the tooth is attached to a person"

• Faith, persistence, and stepping into your calling

✔ Passion fuels mastery
✔ There are many paths to success in dentistry
✔ Clinical excellence and empathy go hand-in-hand
✔ Education empowers confidence
✔ Growth is an evolution — not a pivot

Dr. Julia L. Jackson ("Extraction Jackson") is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, educator, and founder of the International Implant Institute. With nearly two decades of clinical experience, she is known for her passion for extractions, implant education, and empowering clinicians through hands-on and online learning.

She also provides concierge chairside surgical services and international education programs focused on clinical excellence and professional growth.

🔗 Websites:
extractionjaxon.com
internationalimplantinstitute.com

📧 Email: toothtitans@gmail.com
📱 Instagram: @socket_grafting_girl

Greg Essenmacher is the founder of GnA Consult and host of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, where he explores the leadership, business, and human side of dentistry—helping practices improve patient experience, case acceptance, and long-term sustainability.

In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with Dicky Ball, co-founder of Summit Handpiece Express, for a refreshingly real conversation about dentistry's most overlooked "tool"—and why systems, maintenance, and team communication matter more than most practices realize.

What starts as a discussion about dental handpiece repair quickly evolves into a deeper conversation about SOPs, handoff and hand-up communication, team accountability, and how small breakdowns behind the scenes can quietly destroy efficiency, profitability, and patient experience.

Dicky shares how Summit Handpiece Express was built on speed, transparency, and education—not just repairs—and why their goal is actually to see fewer handpieces, not more. From common maintenance mistakes to real-world examples of how one missing protocol can cost practices thousands, this episode draws powerful parallels between operational discipline and long-term success.

If you care about patient experience, profitability, and protecting your investments, this episode is a must-listen.

• Dicky Ball's path from construction to dental entrepreneurship
  
  

• Why traditional handpiece repair turnaround times fail practices
  
  

• The real cost of poor maintenance and missing SOPs
  
  

• Autoclaving, lubrication, and why handpieces fail prematurely
  
  

• How staff turnover and poor handoffs destroy equipment (and margins)
  
  

• Educating teams to protect investments—not just fix problems
  
  

• The connection between tools, systems, and patient experience
  
  

• Preventing chairside failures before they happen
  
  

✔ Speed and transparency change the customer experience
✔ SOPs only work when they're shared, followed, and revisited
✔ Maintenance is cheaper than constant repair
✔ Team handoffs protect profitability
✔ Great vendors educate—they don't just invoice

Dicky Ball is the co-founder of Summit Handpiece Express, a dental handpiece repair company known for fast turnaround times, quality parts, and a white-glove customer experience. Factory-trained and certified, Dicky and his team focus on helping practices extend the life of their equipment through education, proper maintenance, and clear communication.

Summit Handpiece Express repairs high-speed, low-speed, surgical, endo, perio, air-driven, and electric handpieces—without the long waits and inflated costs common in the industry.

🔗 Website: summithandpieceexpress.com

Greg Essenmacher is the founder of GnA Consult and host of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, where he explores the systems, leadership, and human behaviors that drive case acceptance, patient experience, and sustainable growth in dentistry. Greg helps practices capture, convert, and close more complex cases through clarity, structure, and intentional communication.

In this episode of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, Greg Essenmacher sits down with entrepreneur, hygienist-turned-broker, and co-CEO of Dental Pitch Brokerage, Elijah Desmond, for a candid conversation about business, failure, partnerships, and preparing dental practices—especially implant and full-arch practices—for successful exits.

From Elijah's early days in dentistry to building (and failing) multiple businesses, this episode explores the real lessons behind entrepreneurship and what it actually takes to scale with intention. Elijah also shares practical insights into today's M&A landscape, including what buyers are looking for, how owners should prepare years in advance, and why systems, hygiene, and diversification dramatically impact valuation.

The conversation closes with Elijah's powerful "why"—using business success as a platform to save kids' lives through youth motivational work around the world.

This is a must-listen for practice owners who want to grow smart, lead well, and build something that lasts.

• Transitioning from clinical dentistry into entrepreneurship

• Lessons learned from building—and failing—multiple businesses

• Why friends-and-family money can complicate startups

• Choosing the right business partners (and avoiding the wrong ones)

• Preparing implant and full-arch practices for sale

• Why hygiene increases buyer demand—even in implant-focused practices

• Avoiding single-provider risk and building scalable systems

• Realistic expectations for today's M&A market and exit structures

• Turning success into impact beyond dentistry

✔ Failure is tuition, not defeat
✔ Partners should complement—not duplicate—your skill set
✔ Exit planning starts years before the sale
✔ Systems and hygiene create leverage
✔ Purpose-driven leadership changes everything

Elijah Desmond is the co-CEO of Dental Pitch Brokerage, a sell-side advisory firm helping dental professionals maximize practice value and negotiate ideal exit terms. A former dental hygienist and lifelong entrepreneur, Elijah has built, scaled, and exited multiple businesses and is the founder of Backstage Mastermind.

Beyond dentistry, Elijah is a motivational speaker dedicated to saving kids' lives through youth outreach and nonprofit work.

🔗 Website: dentalpitchbrokerage.com
📧 Email: elijah@dentalpitchbrokerage.com

Greg Essenmacher is the founder of GnA Consult and host of The Tooth Sleuth Podcast, where he explores the business, leadership, and human side of dentistry—helping practices grow with intention, alignment, and sustainability.