Crown Council Mentor of the Month

"Building Your Own Practice From Scratch" with Dr. Chase Larsen

Dr. Chase Larsen grew up in Salt Lake City and attended West High School. As a native of Utah, he is proud to offer premier cosmetic dentistry in the Draper area. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from BYU, he attended the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. He then went on to get an advanced education in general dentistry at Idaho State University.
Dr. Larsen has extensive training and experience in complex restorative and cosmetic dentistry. He is recognized by colleagues as one of Utah’s premier cosmetic dentists with a unique blend of skills in cosmetic and health-focused dentistry. His professional accolades are many—including Young Dentist of the Year—and in the past decade, he has risen from the top tier in a professional school to a position of adjunct faculty with prestigious postgraduate educational programs.
Dr. Larsen brings a true sense of caregiving to dentistry that treats each person as a friend and family member with a personal commitment to strong values. He maintains the highest ethical and professional standards. He is best known for his humble and gentle confidence in addressing the needs and desires of his patients of all ages. He is an excellent listener and will always put his patients’ best interests first.
Dr. Larsen’s wife and his two daughters are his foundational building blocks of community and are his encouragement to serve others. Together they run a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring hope and confidence to individuals in their community with significant life challenges.

"You Need Mentors" with Dr. David Montz

Welcome to the Mentor of the Month podcast, brought to you by the Crown Council. In this compelling new 12-part series, we bring you exclusive interviews with some of the world's leading dental professionals. Each episode is packed with invaluable insights on finding mentors, building a practice from the ground up, working for a Dental Support Organization (DSO), and seamlessly transitioning through different stages of your career. Our goal is to create a powerful community where dentists and dental teams can come together to learn culture-building skills and connect with the best in dentistry. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your dental career to the next level, this podcast is designed to provide you with the guidance and inspiration you need to hit the ground running. Tune in and let the experts lead the way!
Meet Dr. David Montz for episode 121 - the first of our new podcast series. Dr. David C. Montz is a general and cosmetic dentist in private practice for over 21 years with offices in Pearland and Friendswood, Texas. Dr. Montz grew up in Friendswood, Texas, and graduated with honors from Friendswood High School in 1987. Upon graduation from Texas A&M University with a BS in Biomedical Science in 1990, he attended the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston where he graduated with honors earning a Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree (D.D.S.) and served a class president for 3 years. He then completed a one year residency program at UT Dental Branch in Houston and received the post graduate Certificate in Advanced Education in General Dentistry.
Dr. Montz is dedicated to providing his patients with the best, most advanced care and customer service that dentistry has to offer. He is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the Greater Houston Dental Society, the Crown Council and the Seattle Study Club. Dr. Montz has earned accolades in many peer-voted publications including H Magazine, Houstonia, and Texas Monthly consistently naming him as one of the top dentists in the Greater Houston area. He was selected and served as a dentist evaluator for Clinical Research Associates, a non-profit organization that researches, evaluates and reports on dental materials, devices and concepts. His dental practice was most recently recognized and awarded the Crown Council 2018 National Dental Team of the Year Award. Dr. Montz also serves on the Dentist Peer Review Committee with the Greater Houston Dental Society.
Dr. Montz currently serves on the Friendswood ISD Board of Trustees, a position he has held for over seven years and earned Master Trustee honors from the Texas Association of School Boards. He has also served as member and Vice Chairman of the City of Friendswood Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for over 10 years. Dr. Montz also is a founding member and serves on the Texas A&M University Biomedical Science Advisory Board, and he serves as a Vice President of the Friendswood Mustang Booster Club.
Dr. Montz volunteered his time for over 20 years with activities that involved his four children, mostly in youth sports, and served continuously as a volunteer coach for soccer, baseball, and basketball. In addition, Dr. Montz served as a board member and President of Friendswood Soccer Club, and he was one of five founding board members of Space City FC soccer club serving as Vice President for many years. Outside of his dental practice and community activities, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, as well as exercising, gardening, and traveling.
Dr. Montz and his wife, Kim, have four adult children: Joshua, Hannah, Samantha, and Zachary.

Exiting The Practice...What Every Dentist Needs to Know

Owning a dental practice is far more than just a job. As a business owner, your practice is a vessel—it encompasses your financial independence, your career prospects, and your future goals. Being a practice owner requires you to accomplish many things within your workday. This can cause essential financial aspects, such as tax management and exit planning, to slip through the cracks. Fortunately, with proper financial advising, you can work towards a business structure that is not only successful today, but sets you up with a solid foundation for your financial future.
For a combined 20 years, the Bluewater Dental Advisors team has honed a time-tested process for helping our clients plan, protect, and grow their practices. As business owners ourselves, we understand how important it is to work with someone that gets to know the financial makeup of your practice inside and out—that is why we have developed our niche business model, enabling us to help you with every aspect of running your practice. From short-term growth strategies to long-term retirement planning, we have the expertise required to meet practice owners where they are and help them create a financial roadmap for whatever lies ahead.

”Best Doctor To Work For” with Dr. Heather Walker

Dr. Walker was born in Florida and attended the University of Florida for her undergraduate studies. She decided to leave the Sunshine State to attend University of Louisville School of Dentistry where she graduated in 2003. After graduation, Dr. Walker served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy where she was stationed in San Diego and Atsugi, Japan. After her four-year commitment was complete, Dr. Walker was excited to move back to Louisville with her family. When Dr. Walker is not working, she spends her spare time with her family, including husband, Michael, son, Henry, and daughter, Elsie, and enjoying the adventures that they bring!

”Treating People, Not Patients” with Dr. Michael Sonic

Transformational Insights on Hospitality and Human Connection to Provide High Quality Care Experiences for People and Practitioners
Dr. Michael Sonick, author of "Treating People not Patients", is an internationally known, highly regarded authority in dental implantology and periodontology. Dr. Sonick has been a full-time practicing periodontist in Fairfield, Connecticut since 1985 as well as a frequent lecturer at NYU, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine and Yale School of Medicine. He has lectured on all 6 continents on the subjects of esthetic implants, periodontal plastic surgery, bone regeneration, and comprehensive treatment planning. He is the author of numerous publications and books including the multi-language textbook, Implant Site Development. With Treating People Not Patients, Dr. Michael Sonick takes a deep dive into the principles that have allowed him to create a state-of-the-art patient-centric practice.
 

”Be The Man” with Dr. Jeff Buske

Did you know dentists are 2.5 times as likely to die by suicide than the general population? Dr. Jeff Buske believes it, and he’s been there. After his wife told him, “I didn’t sign up for this s**t,” he knew something needed to change. Jeff has shifted how he lives his life, putting himself in a place of power and creating harmony in all areas of his life. In this Mentor of the Month he shares a few tools to help you grow your practice with less stress.
You can contact Dr. Buske at drjbuske@gmail.com.
https://www.myfreedomprotocol.com/btm

”Top Ten Under Ten” with Dr. Andrew Tonelli

Dr. Andrew Tonelli, North Reading, Massachusetts Tufts University School of Dental Medicine – 2014
Throughout the 2022 election season, Dr. Andrew Tonelli served as the primary spokesperson for the ADA and Massachusetts Dental Society for the highly supported Massachusetts Dental Care Providers for Better Dental Benefits campaign committee. As a part of the "Vote Yes on 2" campaign, Dr. Tonelli consistently engaged with radio and written media, including helping to secure a Boston Globe endorsement, and was involved in strategic planning and implementation of the campaign, culminating in November of 2022, when Massachusetts residents voted overwhelmingly in support of a first of its kind law to establish a Medical Loss Ratio standard for Dental Insurers. Dr. Tonelli received his Doctor of Dental Medicine in 2014 from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and later completed his General Practice Residency in 2015 from New York Presbyterian, Weill-Cornell. Dr. Tonelli currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Boston District Dental Society and the Co-chair of the Government Affairs Committee of the MDS and continues to participate in the regulatory process for the implementation of the new Dental MLR law while maintaining full time practice at Dental Health Concepts in North Reading, MA.
https://www.ada.org/en/about/volunteer-and-get-involved-with-the-ada/top-ten-dentists-under-ten-years/10-under-10-award-winners
 
 

”Lifetime Qualified Team Member” Lisa Valencia

The only Lifetime Qualified Team member in the Crown Council...Lisa Valencia!
Lisa Valencia, RDH has been a practicing clinical dental hygienist for 18 years. She currently works in a general practice in San Francisco, California. She began her career as a dental assistant, then a front desk team member and progressed into dental hygiene. She has more than 25 years of experience in dentistry, including cosmetic, restorative, oral sleep medicine, conscience sedation and general practices. She continues to advance her education by completing her BS in Dental Hygiene.