Episodes

  • 8 : She Just Wants to Be Nice: Dr. Jackie Blasko on Dentistry, Family, and Keeping It Human

    8 : She Just Wants to Be Nice: Dr. Jackie Blasko on Dentistry, Family, and Keeping It Human
    Mar 20 2026

    Dr. Jackie Blasko has practiced dentistry for over 15 years. She works 1.5 days a week at Comfort Dental in Littleton, Colorado — the sweet spot, she says, between showing up fully and burning out. She came to dentistry sideways, failed the MCAT, aced the DAT, and has spent the years since getting very good at something through repetition.

    In this episode, she talks about what actually happens during a first visit, why she leads every treatment conversation with money, and how she reads a patient’s body language to decide when to slow down. She also makes the case — gently, from experience — that dentistry done at volume does not mean dentistry done without care. It means the bills are paid before you walk in the door, so no one has to talk you into something you do not need.

    Two stories stand out. The first: a patient with type one diabetes whose mystery root cavities finally made sense once Dr. Blasko slowed down and asked the right questions. The second: a Filipino patient who had a root canal done the day before his flight, proposed to his wife abroad, and mailed Dr. Blasko a thank-you note written on a 50-peso bill. It is taped to her wall.

    Topics covered:

    1. What a first visit looks like at Comfort Dental
    2. Why Dr. Blasko starts every treatment conversation with cost
    3. How to talk to patients who are nervous or anxious
    4. The connection between dry mouth, diabetes, and dental decay
    5. How Comfort Dental’s Gold Plan compares to local competitors
    6. The community served by the Littleton office
    7. Why volume practice builds better clinical skill
    8. What Dr. Blasko wants patients to say after their visit

    Learn more at comfortdental.com
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    47 mins
  • 7 : Why This Colorado Dentist Asks “What’s Your Priority?” Before Anything Else

    7 : Why This Colorado Dentist Asks “What’s Your Priority?” Before Anything Else
    Mar 18 2026
    Dr. Katrina Rojohn did not plan to become a dentist. She was 16, had just finished high school early, and was following a boyfriend to college when his mother asked her what she wanted to do with her life. She had no answer. The woman told her to become a dentist. That was it. That was the whole conversation.Two decades later, Dr. Rojohn runs two practices in the Denver metro area, one in Littleton and one in Castle Rock, Colorado. She opened her first practice at 26. She paid off her dental school loans just a few years out of school. She has watched six-year-old patients grow up, get law degrees, and bring their own kids in to see her. She is still energized by the work.This episode covers a lot of ground. Dr. Rojohn is thoughtful, direct, and occasionally blunt in the best way. She describes a tooth abscess as an ice pick to the face. She talks about what it actually feels like to be the dentist when a patient is in that kind of pain, why grace matters more than anything else in that moment, and how the relationship changes once you get them out of it. She shares the patient story that has stayed with her: a 22-year-old woman who called from a gas station parking lot in tears a half hour after her appointment, saying she had just been asked out on a date for the first time in seven years.She also gets specific about what patient-centered care means in practice. Before she treats anything, she asks one question: what is your priority today? She explains why that question matters, what happens when dentists skip it, and how it changes the experience for patients who walk in scared or overwhelmed by a long treatment plan.In this episode, you will hear:How Dr. Rojohn finished high school at 16 and found dentistry because of a stranger's advice in a kitchenWhy she spent three months as an associate and then bought her first practice insteadWhat it was like to watch classmates struggle with debt while she had already paid hers offThe unexpected connection between jewelry making and modern dentistry, including 3D-printed crownsHow her team handles patients who walk in angry, anxious, or in significant painWhy the front desk sets the tone for everything that happens in the chairWhat a tooth abscess actually feels like and why it changes how you think about dental painHow her offices handle same-day emergency appointments and why that turns first-time patients into long-term onesThe one question she asks every patient before starting treatmentWhy she opens new practices when she gets bored, not when she burns outThe 12-hour rule about plaque that most patients have never been toldA patient story involving a young woman, a fresh set of dentures, and a phone call from a gas station that Dr. Rojohn was not expectingDr. Rojohn practices at Comfort Dental locations in Littleton and Castle Rock, Colorado. She has been in the Comfort Dental ecosystem since she was a dental assistant in college, working for one of the network's senior doctors before she ever set foot in dental school.If you are a patient in the Denver metro area who has been putting off care because of cost, anxiety, or just not knowing where to start, this episode is worth your time. Dr. Rojohn talks about serving patients across every income level, working with government programs, and building treatment plans around what patients actually need and want, not just what is on the x-ray.If you are a dentist wondering what a group practice model looks like from the inside after 16 years, she is also honest about that. The overhead conversation, the new patient flow, the vendor network, the consulting doctor structure. She covers all of it without a script.TIMESTAMPS00:00 - How a stranger's advice sent Dr. Rojohn into dentistry at 16 02:00 - Dental school, assisting for a Comfort Dental doctor in college 03:00 - Three months as an associate, then buying her first practice at 26 05:00 - Watching patients grow up and what long-term relationships feel like 06:30 - The crossover between jewelry making and modern dental techniques 07:30 - Opening a second practice and what drove that decision 10:30 - What makes dentists thrive in a group practice model 15:00 - Building a front desk culture that handles patients in pain with grace 17:30 - Managing dental anxiety and when nitrous is the right call 18:00 - What a tooth abscess actually feels like 19:30 - The Comfort Dental consulting doctor network and vendor accountability 28:00 - New patient flow and how the marketing model works 31:00 - Same-day emergency appointments and why they build loyalty 35:00 - Patient-centered care and the priority question 38:20 - The 12-hour rule: why brushing twice a day has a biological reason 39:45 - The patient who called from a gas station in tearsComfort Dental has been serving patients across Colorado and beyond for decades. Find a location near you at comfortdental.com.Subscribe to the Comfort Dental podcast for new episodes featuring doctors across the network.
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    43 mins
  • 6 : From the Golf Course to the Dental Chair: Dr. Jeremy Liddiard’s Unexpected Journey

    6 : From the Golf Course to the Dental Chair: Dr. Jeremy Liddiard’s Unexpected Journey
    Mar 13 2026

    Dr. Jeremy Liddiard did not grow up planning to be a dentist. He grew up as a dentist's son, decided against it, played college golf, turned professional, and spent years living out of a suitcase competing for a spot on tour. Then one morning, he walked off a golf course mid-tournament and never looked back.

    Today, Dr. Liddiard practices at Comfort Dental in North Pueblo, Colorado alongside his father and his best friend, who joins the practice this March. His office recently expanded from 8 to 13 treatment rooms because patient demand kept outpacing the space.

    In this conversation, Dr. Liddiard covers:

    1. What pushed him away from the professional golf circuit and toward dentistry
    2. Why he left a large DSO after two to three months and what he was looking for instead
    3. How the Comfort Dental model changed the way he thinks about patient care and generosity
    4. Why access to care matters more than most people realize
    5. How his office raised its standard for Medicaid patients and what that produced
    6. Why volume makes dentists better, not worse
    7. A patient who came in bleeding, expecting dentures, and left with something better

    Dr. Liddiard practices at Comfort Dental North Pueblo, Colorado.

    To find a Comfort Dental near you, visit comfortdental.com.
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    42 mins
  • 5 : The Humming Dentist: Dr. Matthew Chapman on Art, Dentistry, and Pueblo

    5 : The Humming Dentist: Dr. Matthew Chapman on Art, Dentistry, and Pueblo
    Mar 11 2026

    Dr. Matthew Chapman was on his way to becoming a painter. He had a full-ride scholarship for it. Then architecture. Then exercise physiology. Then, after a chance meeting with two retired dentists in California who seemed to golf all the time, he found his way into dental school.

    Today he runs a Comfort Dental practice in Pueblo, Colorado, one of the only offices south of Colorado Springs that accepts walk-ins, including on Saturdays. Patients drive two and three hours to get there. Some sit in the waiting room for hours on a Saturday because they have no other option.

    In this episode, Dr. Chapman talks about what it means to actually meet patients where they are, why he stopped chasing cosmetic cases to focus on people who just need basic care, and what happens inside an office that sees everyone from physicians to people in shackles in the same afternoon.

    He also tells us about eagle feather.

    Topics covered:

    1. Why Dr. Chapman left a fine arts scholarship to become a dentist
    2. His philosophy on treating patients without judgment or shame
    3. What walk-in Saturday hours actually look like in Southern Colorado
    4. His time doing volunteer dental work in rural West Virginia
    5. Why he left corporate dentistry for the Comfort Dental model
    6. What a well-rounded dentist looks like outside the office

    Comfort Dental Pueblo: comfortdental.com
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    49 mins
  • 4 : Two Days a Week, $3 Million a Year: A Different Kind of Comfort Dental Story with Dr Daniel Nguyen

    4 : Two Days a Week, $3 Million a Year: A Different Kind of Comfort Dental Story with Dr Daniel Nguyen
    Mar 6 2026

    Dr. Daniel Nguyen | Comfort Dental | Kansas City, Missouri

    Dr. Daniel Nguyen bought a Comfort Dental partnership the year he graduated dental school. He sold it, launched a scratch start in 2021, and now runs an 11-chair practice with three owners and three associates in midtown Kansas City. He is currently working about two days a week.

    In this episode, Dr. Nguyen breaks down what the Comfort Dental model actually offers dentists who want to build something bigger than a single chair. He talks about the five-year turning point, the associate income model, what the operations manual is actually for, and why he compares Comfort Dental to a Swiss Army knife most doctors never fully use.

    He also addresses the skepticism directly. The numbers sounded too good when he was finishing dental school. It took someone on the inside, a family member he trusted completely, to show him the numbers were real.

    If you are a dentist evaluating Comfort Dental, a DSO, or independent practice, this is a direct and unfiltered look from someone 10 years in.

    IN THIS EPISODE

    00:00 Meet Dr. Daniel Nguyen 00:03 Buying a partnership straight out of dental school 00:07 What made the Comfort Dental model feel credible 00:10 The five-year turning point and discovering the entrepreneurial fit 00:12 The Swiss Army knife: what the model actually offers 00:17 What he loves most about dentistry now (hint: it is not the dentistry) 00:18 Working two days a week: how the associate model makes it possible 00:24 The Kansas City practice: 11 chairs, three owners, three associates 00:41 Flexibility month to month: how the schedule actually works 00:49 What a burned-out dentist should consider 00:51 Outside validation: the colleague who left and came back with a verdict

    TOPICS COVERED

    Buying a dental partnership as a new graduate How the Comfort Dental associate model works Building a scratch start practice from zero Work-life flexibility inside the Comfort Dental model What entrepreneurial dentists get from the model Overcoming skepticism about Comfort Dental How to scale a dental practice without burning out

    CONNECT WITH COMFORT DENTAL Website: https://comfortdental.com Find a Location: https://comfortdental.com/locations

    ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Comfort Dental Podcast features one-on-one conversations with Comfort Dental doctors about what the model actually looks like from the inside, how they built their practices, and what they would tell dentists evaluating their options.

    Produced by MySocialPractice.
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    55 mins
  • 3 : If You Forget About Your Teeth, I Did My Job with Dr Brandon Keyser

    3 : If You Forget About Your Teeth, I Did My Job with Dr Brandon Keyser
    Mar 4 2026

    Dr. Brandon Keyser spent five years as an Air Force dentist before opening a Comfort Dental practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His office serves patients across Northern New Mexico, including communities with limited dental access, and accepts most insurances including Medicaid.

    In this episode, Dr. Keyser talks about why he calls every patient the day after treatment, his approach to dental anxiety, and his definition of great dentistry: if you forget about your dental work, he did his job.

    He also shares the patient story that still makes him emotional years later, why dentures are one of the most transformative procedures in dentistry, and how he walks patients through treatment planning with their primary concern as the starting point.

    Outside of dentistry, Dr. Keyser mountain bikes, snowboards, and builds furniture in his woodshop in Santa Fe.

    IN THIS EPISODE

    00:00 Meet Dr. Brandon Keyser 00:01 How he found dentistry through mission trips and a desire to help 00:03 What he loves most about his work 00:05 Care calls: why he phones every patient the next day 00:07 Where that practice came from 00:11 Serving Northern New Mexico and underserved communities 00:14 His approach to anxious and fearful patients 00:17 Building a team culture committed to growth 00:29 His definition of great dentistry 00:31 How treatment planning works, starting with the patient’s concern 00:33 Why dentures are both his favorite and hardest procedure 00:37 What excites him about the future of dentistry 00:40 What he wishes patients understood about flossing 00:41 The military patient story that still stays with him 00:44 Mountain biking, snowboarding, and woodworking in Santa Fe

    TOPICS COVERED

    What happens after your dental appointment (care calls) How to manage dental anxiety What makes great dentistry (the “forget about it” philosophy) How treatment planning works Dentures and implant-retained dentures explained Dental care access in Northern New Mexico AI diagnostic tools in dentistry The connection between flossing and gum health

    CONNECT WITH COMFORT DENTAL

    Website: https://comfortdental.com

    Find a Location: https://comfortdental.com/locations

    ABOUT THIS PODCAST

    The Comfort Dental Podcast introduces you to the doctors behind the practice. Each episode features a one-on-one conversation with a Comfort Dental dentist about their approach to patient care, what drives them, and what you should know about your dental health.

    Produced by MySocialPractice.
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    48 mins
  • 2 : The Three Questions Every Patient Has Before Sitting in the Chair with Dr Sean Van Tuyl

    2 : The Three Questions Every Patient Has Before Sitting in the Chair with Dr Sean Van Tuyl
    Feb 25 2026

    Dr. Sean Van Tuyl has practiced dentistry for 21 years. He didn't start dental school until age 39, after working in the corporate world and following his father's example. Now at Comfort Dental in Evergreen, Colorado, he focuses on emergency care, endodontics, and making dental visits less intimidating.

    In this episode, Dr. Van Tuyl talks about why he never turns away a patient in pain, even on a packed schedule. He explains the three questions every patient wants answered before any work begins. He shares why patients should stop feeling embarrassed about gaps in their dental visits. And he breaks down the insurance benefit most people leave on the table.

    IN THIS EPISODE

    00:00 Meet Dr. Sean Van Tuyl 01:00 Why he became a dentist at 39 04:00 What dentistry gives you that corporate jobs don't 08:00 Emergency patients: same-day care, no exceptions 23:30 What makes Comfort Dental different for patients 24:15 The three questions every patient has 34:00 Insurance benefits you're probably not using 34:30 Root canals: separating fact from Netflix fiction 36:00 No judgment for patients who've been away for years 36:30 What makes Dr. Van Tuyl smile outside the office

    TOPICS COVERED

    Same-day emergency dental care Managing dental anxiety Understanding your dental insurance benefits Getting back to the dentist after a long gap What to expect at your first visit Root canal myths and facts Affordable dental care in Colorado

    CONNECT WITH COMFORT DENTAL

    Website: https://comfortdental.com Find a Location: https://comfortdental.com/locations

    ABOUT THIS PODCAST

    The Comfort Dental Podcast introduces you to the doctors behind the practice. Each episode features a one-on-one conversation with a Comfort Dental dentist about their approach to patient care, what drives them, and what you should know about your dental health.
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    39 mins
  • 1 : Why Dr. Heath Colledge Tells Every Patient “This Is My First Time”

    1 : Why Dr. Heath Colledge Tells Every Patient “This Is My First Time”
    Feb 18 2026
    Dr. Heath Colledge | Comfort Dental Golden, CO

    Dr. Heath Colledge has been a dentist for 19 years and has spent 17 of those at Comfort Dental's Golden, Colorado office. He decided he wanted to be a dentist at age 13, had his first root canal at 14, and never looked back.

    In this episode, Dr. Colledge talks about what patients experience at his practice, including how he uses humor to ease dental anxiety, why he never judges patients who haven't visited a dentist in years, and how he walks patients through treatment options in plain language so they stay in control of their own decisions.

    He also shares why Comfort Dental prioritizes same-day emergency care, how the practice keeps dental services affordable (including for Medicaid patients), and what he wishes more people understood about the connection between oral health and overall health.

    Outside of dentistry, Dr. Colledge fishes in Alaska, snowboards in Colorado, and has spotted grizzly bears from a safe distance.

    IN THIS EPISODE

    00:00 Meet Dr. Heath Colledge 00:01 How a root canal at 14 led to a career in dentistry 00:11 What he loves most about his work after 19 years 00:14 The $75 toothache: making dental care affordable 00:17 What to expect during a visit at Comfort Dental 00:18 How Dr. Colledge puts nervous patients at ease 00:20 "Haven't been in 20 years? No judgment." 00:27 Walk-in emergencies: the same-day promise 00:30 How treatment decisions work (in plain language) 00:33 Procedures he enjoys most and when he refers out 00:36 The connection between oral health and your whole body 00:39 Life outside dentistry: Alaska, grizzly bears, and snowboarding

    TOPICS COVERED

    Dental anxiety and how to manage it What your first dental visit looks like How to understand your treatment options Emergency dental care and walk-in visits Affordable dentistry and Medicaid access Why oral health affects your entire body Getting back to the dentist after years away

    CONNECT WITH COMFORT DENTAL

    Website: https://comfortdental.com Find a Location: https://comfortdental.com/locations

    ABOUT THIS PODCAST

    The Comfort Dental Podcast introduces you to the doctors behind the practice. Each episode features a one-on-one conversation with a Comfort Dental dentist about their approach to patient care, what drives them, and what you should know about your dental health.

    Produced by MySocialPractice.
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    53 mins