February 2, 2026
In this episode of the Dental Practice Launch Podcast, Shane Simmons sits down with Dr. Steven Tran, a dentist in Altadena, CA, and owner of Summit Dental Arts in Altadena, CA. Steven shares what it was like opening his practice in April 2025, then navigating unexpected delays caused by local fires, and how staying connected to the community helped him push forward.
A big theme throughout the conversation is mindset. Steven talks openly about betting on himself, staying aggressive when things felt uncertain, and treating marketing as an investment rather than something to throttle back. That perspective mirrors what the team at Crimson Media sees in many fast-scaling startups.
Steven also breaks down how he approached growth early, from building a strong internal culture to “always hiring” for the right people before burnout or bottlenecks set in. As the practice gained traction, he leaned into paid marketing to support that momentum, using both search-based and social platforms to reach patients where they already spend time. Channels like Google Ads played a role in capturing high-intent searches, while social campaigns helped communicate patient pain points instead of talking about the practice itself.
Beyond ads, Steven credits much of his success to patient experience. From the first phone call to post-visit follow-ups, his team focuses on trust-building moments that naturally lead to reviews and referrals. He also shares why documenting his journey on Instagram became a creative outlet, not a sales tactic, and how showing the real ups and downs resonated with both patients and other dentists.
This episode is a grounded look at what early momentum really looks like, blending culture, confidence, and smart use of Social Media Ads to support rapid growth.
Learn more about Crimson Media Dental Marketing and how we help dental startups grow through proven marketing strategies.
