Dr. Michael Martins shares his journey from working in a Blatchford practice in Oregon to purchasing and transforming his own practice in North Carolina. Growing up in a dental family with both parents in dentistry, he learned the Blatchford philosophy working for Dr. Devin Bryce for seven years before moving across the country after Bryce’s unexpected passing. Dr. Martins purchased a struggling PPO practice and completely rebranded it as AIR Dental Studio (Atmosphere Experience Redesigned), eliminating insurance contracts and implementing comprehensive systems over two years. His vision focuses on creating a first-class patient experience that’s the opposite of typical medical visits, complete with balloon animals for kids, dad jokes, and even an AI receptionist for after-hours scheduling. Outside the practice, he’s an avid pilot, wake surfer, and traveler who has taken his young family to seven countries, embodying the work-life balance that dentistry can provide.