Full Arch Case Acceptance: Sort, Don't Sell | Dr. Ryan Dunlop & Dr. Michael Ling

Why do full arch patients say no, and why do so many dentists struggle to make full arch implant dentistry profitable? Dr. Ryan Dunlop, founder of Full Arch Masters, and Dr. Michael Ling explain their "sort, don't sell" approach: find the patients who need it, want it and can afford it, then guide them to the solution that will make them happiest. They also cover why controlling the whole process matters, how many cases you need before full arch pays off, and how to run a consult built on trust instead of titanium.

In this episode:
- "Sort, don't sell": why old-school closing doesn't work on today's patients
- The key to full arch profitability: control the process from intake to maintenance
- Why one or two cases a year isn't enough, and when to refer instead
- Learning surgery, lab and design in stages, with a mentor
- For GPs who don't want to do surgery: how to talk to patients about every option
- Patients aren't buying implants. They're buying freedom from pain and embarrassment
- Why "here are your options, you decide" leaves patients confused
- Patient responsibility: "We're hitting the reset button"
- Why people buy big cases because they want them, not because they need them

📰 Plus dental news from fall 2025: gum disease linked to a higher risk of migraines and eczema, and the FDA cracks down on ingestible fluoride tablets.

Dr. Ryan Dunlop is a general dentist in Fresno, California, who practices only full arch dentistry. He founded Full Arch Masters, which offers clinical, laboratory, live surgery and treatment coordinator courses, and has trained thousands of dental professionals. Learn more at https://fullarchmasters.com

Dr. Michael Ling is a general dentist in Hamilton, Ontario. He grew a single-location practice to 25 operatories before selling it in 2019, and now focuses on implants and full arch dentistry and teaches dentists how to communicate and present large cases.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:16 Patients who say "my right"
5:10 JB's first day with X-ray film
8:34 Will CBCT replace intraoral X-rays?
11:35 News: gum disease linked to migraines and eczema
13:50 News: the FDA cracks down on fluoride tablets
16:06 When health news reaches patients first
18:51 Meet Dr. Ryan Dunlop and Dr. Michael Ling
24:36 "Sort, don't sell"
26:36 Dr. Ling: from mega practice to full arch
28:47 Dr. Dunlop: how Full Arch Masters started
32:59 Is full arch dentistry actually profitable?
34:20 The key: control the whole process
35:50 Why one or two cases a year isn't enough
37:37 Surgery, lab and design: learning it in stages
40:41 For GPs who don't want to do the surgery
42:02 The same communication works for veneers and ortho
44:35 Patients aren't buying implants
47:32 Letting patients say "not today"
49:07 Most full arch patients hate the dentist
50:05 Why "here are your options" confuses patients
51:35 How did the patient get here?
53:05 Patient responsibility: hitting the reset button
55:07 The 50-year smoker who quit
55:52 A new smile as a life turning point
57:20 A whole consult without mentioning implants
58:28 People buy because they want it, not need it
59:04 Learn more about Full Arch Masters
1:01:15 Next time: treatment coordinators
1:03:02 Closing: dentists help each other

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