New Podcast lean and mean ➞ Get more details here
New Podcast lean and mean ➞ Get more details here
From the outside, Comfort Dental’s recognizable brand can look like a traditional corporate dental organization. The reality is different: its practices are owned by the dentists who work in them.
In a candid podcast conversation, founder Dr. Rick Kushner shared how that model developed—and why ownership, mentorship and access to care remain at the heart of Comfort Dental.
Dr. Kushner began his career as a busy solo dentist. As his practice grew, he hired an associate. The dentist gained experience, then left to open a practice. The same thing happened two more times, leaving Dr. Kushner responsible for a two-doctor workload each time.
There was no bad blood, but the pattern led him to ask a simple question: What if an associate could become an owner instead?
Dr. Kushner sold a half partnership to Dr. Eirik, who stayed. The practice grew from two doctors to three and then four. Dr. Kushner worked “shoulder to shoulder” with Comfort Dental’s early partners, sharing what he had learned about clinical care, patient communication and practice management.
When later practices succeeded without his daily presence, Dr. Kushner knew the concept could grow. The key was finding motivated dentists who were willing to be mentored—and then willing to mentor others.
Comfort Dental eventually became a franchise, allowing the brand to expand while preserving local dentist ownership. As Dr. Kushner explained, the model combines the autonomy of a dentist-owned practice with the resources and purchasing power of a larger organization. Partners gain established systems, continuing education and a professional community without giving up ownership of their work.
Comfort Dental’s structure is only part of its story. Just as important is the philosophy behind it.
Early in his career, Dr. Kushner heard respected speakers advise dentists to pursue only certain patients, insurance plans or treatment cases. The message never sat well with him.
“Send me the patient—any patient, all patients,” he recalled thinking.
That conviction shaped Comfort Dental’s approach to access. Practices offer extended hours, including evenings and Saturdays, and are designed to serve patients across a wide range of communities. Even when someone can begin only with an emergency visit or part of a treatment plan, the goal is to find a reasonable path forward.
For Dr. Kushner, there is no “wrong kind” of patient. Efficient systems and shared resources make it possible to keep care accessible without treating it as impersonal.
Dr. Kushner is candid about the gap many dentists feel between graduating and becoming confident practitioners. Dental school provides an essential foundation, but students may have limited experience with complex procedures and the business side of running a practice.
Comfort Dental addresses that gap through teamwork and hands-on mentorship. Newer doctors work alongside experienced partners who can guide them through unfamiliar procedures and step in when needed. As their skills grow, those dentists can mentor the next generation.
The model also asks dentists to take responsibility beyond clinical work. Owner-partners learn to lead teams, understand their numbers, communicate treatment clearly and manage the complete patient experience.
One of Dr. Kushner’s favorite examples is the care call. After a procedure, he would personally call the patient to ask how they were feeling and make sure they knew how to reach him. The conversation often lasted less than a minute, but patients remembered it.
It reflects a larger principle: efficient care can still be deeply personal.
Dr. Kushner does not pretend dentistry is easy. Education costs are rising, burnout is real and ownership requires hard work. His answer is to create a structure in which that work builds clinical confidence, autonomy and long-term value.
In a multi-partner practice, dentists can share coverage, learn from one another and pursue different clinical interests. They retain their individual styles while benefiting from a common model and support system.
Nearly five decades after entering the profession, Dr. Kushner remains proud of the partners who carried the concept forward and the patients who found care when other doors were closed.
Comfort Dental may be easy to recognize from the outside. Its true distinction is what happens inside: dentists owning their work, mentoring one another and welcoming patients others might overlook.
That is dentistry built around partnership.
