Sweet Talk is where curiosity meets cheeky banter. Hosted by Taelyr Robinson and Fionna Wright, the show brings you into candid, playful, and surprisingly deep conversations with thought leaders, cultural movers, and vibrant personalities who are shaping the world around us. With wit, warmth, and a little sparkle, Taelyr and Fionna trade stories and dig into the details, sometimes glossy, sometimes gritty, always real. Consider this your weekly dose of glam meets substance: one part laughter, one part insight, all in good company.
On this episode of Sweet Talk, hosts Fionna Wright & Taelyr Robinson sit down with Dr. Grant Collins, the orthodontist and creator better known as The Braces Guy, to talk about building a viral brand without losing your integrity. Grant shares how he went from seventh-grade spelling bee “failure” to Mayo Clinic–trained orthodontist, practice owner, and social media star with over 5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
You’ll hear how he turned braces and retainers into bingeable content, why his orthodontic practice includes a gourmet mini-donut shop, and how his team gives free braces to childhood cancer survivors. Grant opens up about parenting, dating with clout, setting boundaries, using AI wisely, and what it really takes to create content that’s both educational and entertaining.
Whether you’re a creator, dentist, business owner, or just obsessed with TikTok and transformation, this conversation is packed with heart, humor, and practical wisdom.
🦷 Branding through experience – How Grant turned an orthodontic office into a destination with custom bracket colors, rainbow smiles, and a donut + coffee shop.
📱 TikTok & social media strategy – The moment his educational braces videos went viral and how he now thinks about growth, virality, and brand deals.
💚 Authenticity & trust – Why he refuses to promote products he doesn’t genuinely believe in, even when big brands like Invisalign come calling.
🏡 Parenting & boundaries – Co-parenting, keeping his kids’ lives off social media, and strong dating boundaries as a dad in the public eye.
🧠 Daily mindset rituals – His gratitude and intention-setting practice that keeps him grounded while running a clinic, speaking, and creating content.
🤖 AI & the future of dentistry – How AI is starting to show up in diagnostics, and why human expertise and nuance still matter in orthodontics.
Guest
Dr. Grant Collins – Orthodontist, creator & speaker
TikTok: @thebracesguy
02:11 – Dr. Grant Collins’ bio: orthodontist, creator & practice owner
05:02 – The spelling bee “scruples” story and turning loss into fuel
09:18 – From soccer dreams to dentistry to orthodontics & Mayo Clinic residency
13:45 – Getting on TikTok in 2019: from “What’s TikTok?” to viral braces videos
18:30 – Cracking the viral video formula & using trends to educate
22:40 – Creative brackets: stars, hearts, rainbows & fashion through braces
26:55 – The donut + coffee shop inside his orthodontic practice
31:10 – Free braces for childhood cancer survivors & giving back
36:22 – Invisalign partnership, brand deals & staying authentic online
41:05 – Kids, clout & dating as a visible creator and dad of three
46:20 – Boundaries, co-parenting & protecting his children’s stability
51:48 – Daily gratitude practice, intentions & living an intentional life
56:30 – AI in dentistry, diagnostics & why humans still matter
1:01:15 – Building a values-driven practice culture & team alignment
1:06:40 – Time management, saying no & avoiding burnout
1:10:55 – Final reflections & Grant’s gratitude for the journey
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