Speaker, Author, Consultant, Fraud Examiner

---

If you’ve made it this far into my website, you’ve probably already realized I’m not your typical consultant — and I’m definitely not your CPA.

What I am is fiercely protective of my clients, unapologetically ethical, and deeply committed to helping professional practice owners truly understand the business side of their work. Because you deserve to feel confident, informed, and in control of what you’ve spent a lifetime building.

My career began in corporate America, where I learned invaluable systems-based discipline — how successful organizations track money, measure performance, manage risk, and hold leadership and teams accountable. Those years gave me tools and perspective that would later become the foundation of my consulting work.

A required move home to care for my elderly parents changed everything. I left a strong position and a thriving professional community without hesitation, knowing oversight and care were needed. I do not regret that decision — not then, and not now.

After starting my consulting business in the dental industry, I began to see something that troubled me deeply: dentists, doctors, and other professional practice owners were working incredibly hard — yet had little clarity about what their practices were actually costing them, where money was leaking, or how vulnerable they truly were.

The systems in place weren’t built for real-world practices. Reports were designed for tax compliance, not for business oversight. And no one was translating the numbers into information owners could actually understand, monitor, or act upon. Intelligence wasn’t the issue — access, structure, and accountability were.

I couldn’t stand by and watch that continue.

In 2003, I designed the first truly business-focused Charts of Accounts for professional practices — at a time when those charts were long, confusing, and usable only by CPAs. My goal was simple: clarity, transparency, and owner oversight. That work became the foundation for what many now know as the Practice Management Chart of Accounts, and it shaped everything that followed.

For nearly 30 years, I’ve worked exclusively with professional practices — primarily dental, but also medical, veterinary, chiropractic — bringing order to chaos and helping owners build systems that actually make sense. I was an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor from the program’s earliest days and have authored 48 books sold internationally, including Managing Accounts Payable in Your Practice, Money In, Money Out, and the long-running QuickBooks In Your Practice series.

But my work took a much deeper turn after a moment that made me furious.

I had trained an office manager how to run QuickBooks for a dental practice. The dentist stayed hands-off because he completely trusted her. That office manager embezzled from him. And that betrayal changed the trajectory of my career.

I became a Certified Fraud Examiner, building on my background in criminology and psychology, because no practice owner should lose their livelihood simply because they trusted the wrong system — or the wrong person.

Today, I help clients navigate embezzlement investigations with discretion, compassion, and precision. I compile evidence, work alongside attorneys and law enforcement, and walk with practice owners from suspicion through resolution — and then help them rebuild stronger, safer systems so it never happens again.

Over the years, I’ve been honored with recognition that is neither routine nor lightly given — each reflecting sustained impact, trust, and leadership within the profession.

I’ve served as an ADA Financial Matter Expert and Consultant, contributed to the ADA Practical Guide to Expert Business Strategies, and have been recognized as a Leader in Consulting by Dentistry Today Magazine since 2005 — an honor reserved for a select group whose work has consistently influenced the business of dentistry nationwide. I also served as Treasurer for the Academy of Dental Management Consultants and was deeply honored to receive the Charles Kidd Spirit Award, recognizing leadership, integrity, and service to the profession.

These distinctions matter to me not as accolades, but as confirmation that the work — done carefully, ethically, and often behind the scenes — has made a measurable difference.

In 2020, when the world was turned upside down, I launched the Money In, Money Out podcast to help practices navigate uncertainty with clarity and calm. While I’m not currently recording new episodes, the full catalog remains available as a resource I’m incredibly proud of.

Beyond my professional work, I’m a caregiver at heart. I walked the sacred, heartbreaking, and beautiful journey of caring for my elderly parents and step-grandmother — an experience that became the book Matters of the Heart: A Journey in Caring for Aging Loved Ones. If you’re a caregiver, I see you.

When I’m not deep in financial systems or fraud investigations, you’ll find me walking Arlington’s most beautiful street, attending a Rangers game, watching tennis, or serving my community in Arlington, Texas. I’ve had the privilege of serving on the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Board and chairing the Arlington Arts & Tourism Council.

And if you’re looking for a speaker who can make people laugh, challenge assumptions, and leave audiences with practical tools they’ll actually use — I’d be honored to speak at your next event.

👉 View Susan Gunn, CFE – Professional Curriculum Vitae

Let’s bring clarity, accountability, and confidence back to your practice.

Call 888-994-3167 to book Susan as your next speaker.