Soft Bites Podcast

After four years, this is our final episode. And it feels fitting to close with a conversation about one of the most complex and emotional decisions a professional can make: selling your dental practice.
This episode is not about transactions. It’s about identity, timing, strategy, and perspective.
Selling a practice is rarely just a financial decision. It can be driven by lifestyle recalibration, strategic opportunity, succession planning challenges, or just the desire to build something new. Jorge André tells us about his experience and unpacks the emotional and economic drivers behind the decision. What makes someone shift from “I built this” to “It’s time to let it go”?
We break down the different models of selling and address the uncomfortable truth: what you think your practice is worth and what the market is willing to pay are often two very different numbers.
We talk about resilience and the reality behind the polished exterior of entrepreneurship. Your business will test your character, it forces maturity, it challenges ego, and it clarifies what truly matters.
And for now, we’ve decided to stop. This decision is about alignment: seasons change, energy shifts, and priorities evolve.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
If you’re considering selling your practice—or just beginning to build one—this, and all the other Soft Bites podcast episodes are for you.
All the best,
Manuela Rodrigues & Jorge André Cardoso

In this episode, we welcome back Professor António Mata to explore one of the most talked-about topics in modern healthcare: artificial intelligence.
AI is everywhere—but what does it really mean for healthcare, and more specifically, for dentistry? Is its impact going to be incremental or truly transformative? Will AI reshape dental practice profoundly?
The conversation also turns to Professor Mata’s personal experience with AI, both in teaching and in research, exploring where AI is already being used, where it adds real value, and where human expertise remains irreplaceable.
A thoughtful and grounded discussion on hype, reality, and the future of AI, not only in dentistry but in humankind.
About Prof Dr. António Mata:
Doctor in dental surgery by the IUEM in 1996
PhD from the University of Central Lancashire in 2003
PhD from the University of Oporto in 2004
Full professor at FMDUL
Coordinator of the research unit FCT- LibPHYS-UL
Chairman of the Evidence-Based Dentistry Center at the FMDUL
Over 100 publications
You can find Prof. Dr. António Mata on LinkedIn @prof-antonio-mata-16531a68 or on Instagram @profantoniomata
We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave a comment or connect with us on social media.
Your comments and messages will help us know you and our profession a little better, so we can offer real value in return. And, if you like it, please subscribe!

In this episode, we sit down with Hugo Madeira, a leading figure in Portuguese dentistry and an innovative force in healthcare. Hugo takes us through his personal and professional journey—reflecting on the early days of social media, the challenges he's faced, the milestones he's reached, and the vital importance of self-care in sustaining peak performance.

Hugo is the CEO of Clínica Hugo Madeira and GBT Clinic, as well as a respected healthcare entrepreneur. Known for combining cutting-edge technology with a profoundly human-centered approach, he leads a multidisciplinary team committed to delivering both clinical excellence and meaningful patient experiences. He’s also an international speaker on innovation, AI, and patient-centred care.
You can find Hugo Madeira here:
Instagram (Dr. Hugo), Facebook (Dr. Hugo), Website, Instagram (clinic), Facebook (clinic), TikTok, YouTube.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave a comment or connect with us on social media. Your comments and messages will help us know you and our profession better so we can offer real value in return. And, if you like it, please subscribe! Follow Soft Bites on IG ⁠@softbitespodcast (  / softbitespodcast  ) and follow us ⁠⁠@mindful.dentistry & ⁠⁠@andredolf

Why are so many dental offices toxic work environments? We are trained to fix teeth, yet when a dentist opens a practice, they must now possess the knowledge to manage staff, market, provide good customer service, etc. That’s a lot of extra responsibilities we were never trained in. Together with an already stressful profession, the result can be gossip, drama, a high staff rotation, and a very toxic environment to work in.
In this conversation, we try to answer the question: How to spot a toxic dental clinic in a work interview?

We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave a comment or connect with us on social media. Your comments and messages will help us know you and our profession better so we can offer real value in return. And, if you like it, please subscribe!
Take a look at our Conscious Leadership Course here: ⁠⁠https://softbites.online/⁠
Follow Soft Bites on IG ⁠@softbitespodcast and follow us ⁠⁠@mindful.dentistry & ⁠⁠@andredolf

Having a knowledgeable dental office manager is not only good for the dental practice but also helps the dental team succeed and grow. In this episode, Jorge Adré shares his experience, and we reflect on the benefits of having a dental office manager.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave a comment or connect with us on social media. Your comments and messages will help us know you and our profession better so we can offer real value in return. And, if you like it, please subscribe!
Please take a look at our Conscious Leadership Course here: ⁠⁠https://softbites.online/⁠
Follow Soft Bites on Instagram ⁠@softbitespodcast and follow us ⁠⁠@mindful.dentistry⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠@andredolf⁠⁠