More Productive And Engaged Dentists…Better Clinical Leadership Systems…And Healthier Teams…
Dr. Eric J Romanis a...
Dentist
Entrepreneur
Husband
Father
Friend
Thought Leader
Visionary
Eric’s Journey . . .
When we narrate our business stories, the spotlight is often on the crowning moments—the successful exits, the nailed targets, the thriving culture. I’ve had those moments, too. I’ve led a dental group from a mere concept to a near $30m business, all within five years and all within a single city. We nurtured a culture of hundreds, shaped leaders who stepped into grander roles across the industry. Success, as they say, was a familiar visitor.
Yet, what we often sideline is the raw, often painful journey that paves the way to these wins.
Unmasking the Dark Corners: The Setbacks
The road to success, as I discovered, is peppered with deep pits of setbacks. The year 2013 held one such pit for me—I lost millions and had to begin from scratch. The rough ride took a toll on my family life—pushing it to the brink of collapse. There were countless moments when bankruptcy loomed, casting long, unshakeable shadows.
The Hidden Costs of Success
Beyond the fiscal downs, there were personal sacrifices. The unending travel, the disrupted sleep, the unseen sunrises and the missed goodnights. I missed out on precious family moments—school plays, birthdays, anniversaries. Emotionally, it was a turbulent ride—self-doubt, frustration, depression—the unseen cost of success.
Through it all, I realized that victories and losses, they seem to walk hand-in-hand.
A Lesson Learnt: The Pursuit of Happiness
However, amid this chaos, I unearthed a critical insight—business, life, it doesn’t have to be a constant see-saw of highs and lows. True happiness doesn’t hinge on milestones or achievements. It comes from making intentional life and work choices.
Choices that I’m eager to help you make. Together, we can navigate the entrepreneurial labyrinth, ready to face the challenges, yet not losing ourselves in the process. The journey might seem daunting, but remember, every step we take brings us closer to a happier, more fulfilling life and career.
In my role as a Partner and Executive at the DEO, I’ve found immense satisfaction in providing vital education and support to fellow dental professionals. Together, we can navigate the entrepreneurial labyrinth, ready to face the challenges, yet not losing ourselves in the process. The journey might seem daunting, but remember, every step we take brings us closer to a happier, more fulfilling life and career. Leveraging our collective wisdom, we can revolutionize our professional paths…
While maintaining a harmonious personal life.
While maintaining a harmonious personal life.
Success is often a poor teacher. Adversity and failure, however, can create incredible change. Here’s my journey through challenges:
An Unexpected Lesson That Changed Everything
I was nine years old, gripping a picket sign at the Orlando International Airport, walking in a protest line with my parents. A pilot and a flight attendant—storybook cute, right? But the airline was on strike. And soon, it wouldn’t exist at all. Both of my parents, out of work. Our world, unraveling.
Would we lose our house? My friends? How would we survive? Questions no nine-year-old should have to ask, yet there I was, staring down uncertainty. That day, I learned something profound: my parents’ careers weren’t under their control. They could have been the best in their fields, but it didn’t matter. Their fate was in someone else’s hands.
In that moment, a fire ignited in me—I would never let my livelihood be controlled by anyone else. Entrepreneurship wasn’t just a choice; it was my destiny.
Making the Choice
I chose dentistry as my entrepreneurial vehicle. Healthcare fascinated me, and let’s be real—it pays well. I could launch my journey with the safety of a high-income skill while still building something bigger. Before I even graduated dental school, I was obsessed—not just with teeth, but with building a great dental company. Group dentistry was my path. I just had no idea where that path would lead.
A Blessing in Disguise
Call it luck. Call it divine intervention. Either way, I was grateful. The 2008 financial crisis hit just as I secured my first practice loan—and then the bank yanked it away. My dream, seemingly gone before it even began.
But life had other plans. A large DSO stepped in, offering financing, support, and buying power. I had the vision; they had the resources. It was the perfect partnership. Or so I thought.
Rocket-Fueled Growth… and the Crash That Followed
I partnered with the DSO from day 1. Year 1: Nearly $2M in production. Year 2: $4M. Then a second office. Then a third. Before I knew it, I was running a $13M business, jet-setting across the country, training others in the systems that fueled our success.
It was a dream come true—until it wasn’t.
The dream shattered when I found myself entangled in a brutal regulatory lawsuit, caught in the crossfire between DSOs and state dental boards. I was blindsided. My allies turned into adversaries. My legal bills skyrocketed into seven figures. Surely, this would turn out okay, right?
Wrong.
When the dust settled, I had nothing. No practices. No job. No money. Just a terrifying question: What now?
From the Ashes, A New Beginning
No time for self-pity. I went back to work.
“You can do it again, Eric. Faster. Smarter. Better.”
And I did. New offices. More patients. More dentists. But this time, I vowed to do things differently. The last company crashed to the ground—I wasn’t about to repeat history.
Or so I thought.
Burning Out While Trying to Please Everyone
Despite my efforts, the new company was generating a lot of dentistry, but not a lot of profit. I bent over backward trying to keep everyone happy, yet no one was thriving. We teetered on the edge of bankruptcy—three separate times. Employees left as fast as they arrived. I was exhausted.
This industry was tougher than I ever imagined.
Winning at Work, Losing at Home
But finally, things started clicking. The culture improved. Profitability turned around. We scaled to nearly $40M in revenue. On paper, I was winning.
But at home? I was losing.
My five kids barely knew me. I missed the school plays. The sports games. The bedtime stories. My wife got the worst of me—when she got anything at all. I’d built this business for freedom, for family, for a life I loved. But this? This wasn’t it.
I looked in the mirror, ashamed. Something had to change—now.
The "Solution" That Solved Nothing
I pulled the ripcord. I exited the business. Two years of negotiations led to a successful private equity sale. Financially, it was a win. I had more money in my bank account than I had ever imagined.
Personally? A disaster.
Now I was home, fully present—but my family didn’t know what to do with me. Selling the business didn’t fix the damage I’d done. It only gave me time to start fixing it. And the road to get where I wanted my family life to be wasn’t paved. My family experience wasn’t validating. And the one thing that had validated me…the business…was long gone.
Can Systems Save a Family?
Systems had rescued my business. Could they rescue my family? I had no blueprint, so I built one. Slowly, intentionally, I repaired the connections I’d neglected. I became the husband and father I was meant to be. But professionally? I was lost.
Who was I now?
Rediscovering My Purpose
Coaching. Speaking. Venture capital. Software startups. I dabbled in everything. And I failed a lot. Maybe not a complete failure, but I didn’t get what I expected. Had my success had just been a fluke? Who was I? And what was I supposed to do next?
Turns out, I didn’t need to reinvent myself. I just needed a new perspective.
I was always the same person: A visionary. A builder. A creator. Someone who sees a bigger, better future—not just for myself, but for others.
I Am Who I Am
I bring energy. I bring love—real, genuine love. People often ask, “Is Eric Roman really like that?”
Yep.
It’s just me. And for the first time, I’m really content to be the man I was created to be.
And I’ve been around the block a few times in the dental industry. I’ve run coaching companies. I have what feels like “10,000 hours” on stage.
I’ve built renowned programs for teams. I’ve been a thought-leader for so many of dentistry's most esteemed companies, and I’ve even tried my own hand at software startups. Heck, I’ve even run away from the dental industry completely…3 times! I’ve built programs to help entrepreneurs enjoy personal and family success. I’ve coached non-dental entrepreneurs and teams.
Through all of that…what have I learned?
I believe in a better future for dental groups. For dentists. For clinical directors. For our people. And for this entire industry. My passion is sharing what I’ve learned—my systems, my insights, my energy—to help others succeed.
I want to be right here.
Dentistry doesn’t just need better business strategies—it needs more love!
The systems I build deliver love and free people to be their best.
I build amazing systems.
I help people enjoy their lives.
And the result is an effective, sustainable business.
Join me if you want to…
Love who you lead…
Love why you lead, and…
Love where it leads.
-Eric
What People Are Saying
Dr. Eric Roman's true gift as a coach and mentor is his ability to inspire his clients to discover what is truly important in their lives. The savings you get in time, emotional investment, and mental bandwidth are why I wholeheartedly recommend him.
Dr. Glenn Vo
DDS, Founder and CEO, Nifty Thrifty Dentists; Owner, Denton Smiles Dentistry
Eric Roman is a remarkable visionary and simply one of the “good guys” in the dental space. He has a passion for clarifying vision in the lives and businesses of others while holistically addressing the whole person with relentless positivity. That passion creates a unique brand of wisdom to help entrepreneurs along a successful path.
Jeromy R. Dixson
DMD, MBA, Founder and CEO - Dental Capital Partners and The DSO Project
Eric Roman is an explosion of energy that lights up any room. His combination of positive attitude and inexhaustible knowledge has no equal. If you are looking to take your company to the next stratosphere, let Eric be that beacon to guide you along the journey!
Dr. Marc Adelberg
DDS, Founder and Visionary, Adelberg Montalvan Pediatric Dental Group; Diplomate, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
Eric is a brilliant man with great business sense. He is a true visionary. I strongly encourage you to seek Eric because if anybody can help you become a better dentist, a better businessperson or a better human, it's going to be Eric. He is one of the most positive people I've ever met in my life.
Dr. Chad Duplantis
DDS, Owner, Fossil Creek Dental Partners, LLP; Speaker, Key Opinion Leader
The shifts that I have experienced this past year in my professional life AND my personal life are simply breathtaking….and it wouldn’t have happened without my relationship with Eric.
Jason Ayers
Owner, Visionary Alignment
What makes Eric so valuable is that he’s experienced my biggest challenges himself! And as a high-level Visionary, he understands the pains I’m encountering while we grow. He has this ability to unlock my mind to help me sort out the highest priorities. Every time we talk, I leave with clarity.
Dr. Greg Toback
DMD, MS, Founder, Shoreline Periodontics Group
I’ll never forget the day Eric changed my life in a 20-minute chat in a hotel bar. In a few short years since that meeting, I went from practicing alone to operating 8 locations — and we are growing every day. He elevated my game, and he elevated my life. If that’s what you want, you won’t find anyone better.
Dr. Andrew Henritze
DDS, Founder and President, Henritze Dental Group
In a short time, Eric helped me through several employee dynamics that had been weighing on me for several years. Not only do our sessions together lead to practical and actionable solutions, but every time I walk away feeling confident and capable as a leader of the business. I’ll be working with Eric for a very long time.
Ryan Cope
Co-Founder, WANDR
I felt like I just met the Tony Robbins of dentistry!
Dr. Taran Bhatia
DDS, Owner, Temple Dental Arts + Red Balloon Dentistry + Lago Vista Family Dentistry; Dental Business Coach @ Black Diamond Executive Coaching
Eric’s guidance, consulting, and support were invaluable in seeing through my exit to a private equity group at an excellent valuation. But working with Eric wasn’t as much about helping me close up my life as a dentist as it was about pushing me toward my dream of doing something different after selling. I will be forever grateful to Eric, his spirit, and his genius.
Dr. Blake Kingsbury
DDS, Past CEO, Gastonia Dental Center; Founder and CEO, Vela Boatworks; Founder, One Dental Match
In a single afternoon, Eric brought me out of confusion and back to clarity about who I am and why I started my business. In less than a year since then, my business has grown 10x, I am living more authentically, I’m finding joy in my business again, and I’m watching my team thrive like never before.
Melanie Merkling
Founder and CEO, Tightrope Ventures
