This week, Dr. Grace Yum welcomes Dr. Tesa Jolly, dentist, practice owner, and MDIB Regional Leader, to share practical ways AI can improve efficiency in the dental practice. From streamlining workflows and enhancing decision-making to training teams and saving time, Dr. Jolly offers real-world examples dentists can start applying today. Episode 358 is available for download now on all of the top podcast platforms, or listen now by clicking the player above!
Episode highlights:
- Why dentists are naturally equipped to use AI effectively
- Simple ways AI can improve daily practice workflows and decision-making
- How tools like ChatGPT and NotebookLM can save time and boost productivity
- Common mistakes dentists make when adopting AI
- Using AI to create more time for what matters most
Meet this week’s guest:
Dr. Tesa Jolly graduated from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry in 2008 and returned to her hometown of Pulaski, Tennessee. Within months, she unexpectedly became a practice owner following the passing of her mentor—an experience later featured on the cover of The New Dentist Magazine as “Suddenly a Practice Owner.”
She went on to found one of Tennessee’s longest-running annual Free Dental Day events, now in its 16th year. What began as a community outreach has grown into both a care initiative and a workforce development platform. Through this work, she built relationships that led to service in China, where she later adopted two of her sons.
Her work has received national recognition, including the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Rising Star and Humanitarian Award, Incisal Edge’s 40 Under 40, and recognition through the Lucy Hobbs Project.
Today, she is a wife and mother of five, building her practice and her life around service, stewardship, and long-term impact. She leads a rural dental practice focused on designing workflows and decision systems that reduce operational friction and increase predictability, efficiency, and profitability. She integrates AI into daily operations to compress time, standardize processes, and improve team performance.
She serves in regional leadership with Mommy Dentists in Business. She speaks on how dentists can integrate AI and structured workflows to build more predictable, scalable practices.
Find us on Social Media: @MommyDentistsinBusinessMediaNetwork @drtesajolly
