Meet Ladder5
Meet our team of industry-leading mentors empowering women practice owners to spend less time in the chair, grow their impact, and feel confident in leadership.
- The Founder and Mentor
Meet Dr. Summer Kassmel
As a practicing dentist with over 23 years of experience, I know what it means to build a practice from the ground up. Early in my career, I faced the same challenges many women doctors experience – overwhelm, uncertainty in leadership, and the belief that success required personal sacrifice.
I followed the traditional playbook, but it never felt quite right. On paper, I was succeeding but in reality, I was burning out and drifting from the values and leadership style that felt authentic to me.
After years of trial, growth, and reinvention, I discovered what truly works: women doctors don’t need to conform to outdated models to lead powerfully and profitably. We need tools, systems, and strategies built for our strengths.
Empowering Women In Dentistry
Today, I’m the CEO and owner of two large, multi-doctor practices in Colorado, a Fortune 5000 recipient, and faculty for the Dental Success Network. I also lead the Lady Leaders of Dentistry Group, a vibrant community created to support and empower women doctors.
My greatest passion is Ladder5 Mentorship, where I help women dentists implement elite-level systems, reduce overhead, and make smart, data-driven decisions without losing themselves in the process. I created the 5 Pillars framework to transform how women approach leadership, business growth, and personal fulfillment.
In addition to coaching, I founded:
- Dental Assistant Schools Delivered – empowering doctors to train assistants within their practices
- Dental Career Academy – a comprehensive online training platform for front office teams
Everything I teach is rooted in real-world experience, designed to help you build a life and practice you truly love.
Karley Schneider, Mentor
Dr. Karley Schneider lives and practices in the sunny, mountainous town of Tucson, Arizona. She has purchased three practices, run two practices simultaneously, and recently sold one practice as she continues to find that perfect work life balance.
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She has been an associate, an owner doctor, a solo provider and employed her own associates. Currently, Dr. Schneider owns a fee-for-service office where she has become very familiar with the unique aspects of geriatric dentistry and the benefits of guiding patient care without the influence and burden of dental insurance.She has experienced fast paced, insurance driven, younger practices as well as insurance free, experience driven, more established practices and can speak to both perspectives.
Dr. Schneider has always been interested in the artistic side of dentistry. While she strives to provide every patient with a healthy, long lasting smile, she finds fun in designing aesthetically beautiful smiles and executing large cosmetic cases. Her passion for aesthetics in dentistry has also led Dr. Schneider to pursue her interest in facial aesthetics and integrating services like botox, filler and microneedling into her dental practice. In 2024 Dr. Schneider started a side project called Glow Collective, where she works with other female business owners in the aesthetic and wellness industry to provide them with a collective place for their work and to foster a community with likeminded professionals. Today Glow Collective houses Dr. Schneider’s aesthetic branch called Sonoran Facial Aesthetics, a therapeutic masseuse, a facial esthetician, a nurse injector and a make up artist.
When Dr. Schneider is not practicing dentistry or facial aesthetics, she can almost always be found with her husband Luke, and their amazing young kids, Lily and Kolter. As a family, the Schneiders love to travel, golf, swim, and stay active. In 2022 Lily was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of two. While the diagnoses sent the Schneiders into a tailspin, they have found ways to be stronger as a family, have learned more about balancing family needs and work responsibilities, and have come together with their community to fundraise for a cure. Since 2022 Dr. Schneider has planned fundraising events in her offices, promoted diabetes and oral health education and hosted charity game nights. Her efforts have helped raise more than $100,000 for Breakthrough T1D (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
Dr. Schneider has an intimate understanding of the unique struggles and exceptional strengths that can come from balancing a successful practice and close-knit family. She has learned many lessons, sometimes in hard ways, through buying, managing, growing and selling practices. And she loves to share her experiences as a female practice owner, clinician and mother.
Dr. Schnieder is a Black Belt Coach for Dental Success Institute alongside Dr. Kassmel, in addition to them working on multiple projects together.
Debbie Dodson, Mentor
With over 25 years in dentistry, Debbie brings unmatched depth and clarity to dental practice operations.
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She began her career as a Registered Dental Hygienist, spending a decade building strong clinical knowledge and patient trust before transitioning into leadership on the administrative side.
Now a well-respected office manager and coach, Debbie is known for her calm leadership, deep understanding of dental insurance systems, and ability to train teams to operate with efficiency and confidence. Her passion lies in helping practices maximize patient benefits, streamline front office systems, and elevate the entire patient experience.
Debbie’s ability to bridge clinical care with operational excellence makes her an invaluable mentor to doctors and teams ready to grow, lead, and serve at a higher level.
Leisel Bailey, Mentor
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She inspires professionals to achieve greater work-life fulfillment through her unique blend of technical skills and the often-overlooked soft skills that drive true success.
Leisel’s career is marked by a track record of surpassing goals and transforming offices, with notable achievements in metrics like overhead reduction and enhanced productivity. She excels in fostering supportive team environments and guiding dental leaders in strategic hiring, practice growth, and excellent organizational efficiency. Leisel is renowned for her transformative leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence, making her a trusted mentor and advocate for organizational success and personal growth.
Julie Parker, Mentor
Julie began as a dental assistant, earned her dental hygiene degree, and now focuses on delivering quality care through administrative leadership.
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Julie started her career as a dental assistant before graduating with her Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene degree. She moved to the administrative side of the field where she could bring quality…
Julie started her career as a dental assistant before graduating with her Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene degree.
She moved to the administrative side of the field where she could bring quality care to patients without having to be in their mouths to do so.
Julie enjoys seeing her patients and hopes to bring a smile to each individual.
Amy Meryhew, Mentor
Amy brings 20+ years of experience in dental hygiene, specializing in periodontal therapy and patient education for whole health and wellness.
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Amy is exceptional at educating patients on whole health and wellness, which includes customized plans for each patient’s oral health. She has extensive training in periodontal disease and uses diode lasers to improve healing. Amy maintains her…
Amy is exceptional at educating patients on whole health and wellness, which includes customized plans for each patient’s oral health.
She has extensive training in periodontal disease and uses diode lasers to improve healing.
Amy maintains her continuing education by attending over 30 hours of coursework every year.
She has been in hygiene for over 20 years and maintains her passion for helping people attain oral health and the beautiful smile they deserve.
Kylee Montoya, Mentor
Kylee combines a background in health science with dental hygiene expertise, offering advanced periodontal care and laser therapy since 2013.
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Kylee was born and raised in Grand Junction, Colorado. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science degree at Colorado State University, where she met her husband, Ben.
She then got her license in Dental Hygiene at the Community College of Denver and moved back to the Vail Valley to begin practicing.
She has been working in the dental field since 2013 and has gone through extensive training in periodontal disease and uses diode lasers to improve healing.
The Ladder5 Movement
Ladder5 Is committed to revolutionizing how women lead in dentistry by working with their strengths, not against them. We are creating a movement where women doctors build profitable, sustainable practices while staying true to their values and authentic leadership styles.
What We Do
5 Pillar Framework
Build your blueprint for what success looks like for you.
Know Your Numbers
Receive monthly reports from us to improve numbers and reach goals
Live Your Legacy
Become the person you have dreamed about.
Why It Works
Real‑World Tested
Everything comes from Dr. Summer’s own practice experience
Values-Based Leadership
Build a business aligned with what matters to you
Mindset & Systems
Balance clarity with tools
Have Bigger Plans For Your Practice?
Work With Us Today
If you’re done with outdated leadership models, overwhelmed, or craving an authentic, values-led path to practice ownership, Ladder5 is for you.
