The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

What should dentists understand about practice ownership, selling to a DSO, planning for retirement, and building a career that stays aligned with their values? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Dr. John Cranham, restorative dentist, educator, and former clinical director of the Dawson Academy, about the decisions and transitions that shaped his career as he prepares to step away from clinical practice. You will learn what dentists should consider before selling a practice, why giving up control can be difficult, how practice models affect the way dentists deliver care, why retirement requires something meaningful to transition toward, and what Dr. Cranham believes the future holds for comprehensive and fee-for-service dentistry. To hear his perspective from nearly four decades in dentistry, listen to Episode 1092 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Dentists should think about their eventual transition and end game early in their careers.Selling a practice to another dentist or a DSO involves tradeoffs, and every transition model carries potential risks.Dentists considering a DSO should carefully evaluate control, compensation, scheduling, practice philosophy, and the organization’s long-term stability.Practice environments become difficult when the dentist’s preferred style of care conflicts with the organization’s priorities or values.Dentists who want to provide relationship-based, comprehensive care need an environment that supports the time, training, and systems required to deliver it.Retirement is easier when dentists are transitioning toward meaningful work, relationships, service, or other activities rather than simply leaving clinical practice.Dr. Cranham believes fee-for-service dentistry remains viable for dentists who combine strong relationships, comprehensive treatment planning, technical excellence, and appropriate use of technology.Episode Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Dr. John Cranham’s retirement and practice transition.01:23 Dr. Cranham prepares to step away from clinical dentistry.04:23 His path from dental school to comprehensive dentistry and education.06:04 Building a general practice focused on aesthetic, implant, and complex care.07:04 Why Dr. Cranham sold his practice to Heartland Dental.09:55 Comparing transitions to another dentist, group practice, or DSO.13:27 The challenge of giving up control after selling a practice.17:21 His daughter’s decision to reconsider her future within the DSO model.20:35 Benefits and limitations of high-volume DSO practice.22:40 Financial promises, compensation, and risks when evaluating DSOs.25:39 Finding a practice model that aligns with your values.28:40 What Dr. Cranham would tell himself on his first day of practice.29:52 Why behavioral skills, relationships, delegation, and financial planning matter.31:58 Why retirement should be a transition to something meaningful.33:56 How Dr. Cranham became involved with the Pankey Institute.38:39 Dr. Cranham’s view of the future of dentistry.41:01 Why fee-for-service dentistry is not dead.42:21 The next chapter for Dr. Cranham and Dental Mastery.44:22 Final thoughts on challenges, changing direction, and asking for help.47:00 Time boundaries lesson48:25 Closing EncouragementGuest Bio:Dr. John Cranham graduated from dental school in 1988 and built a general dental practice in Chesapeake, Virginia, with a focus on aesthetic dentistry, implant dentistry, TMD, and complex restorative care. Early in his career, he completed advanced education through the Dawson Academy, the Pankey Institute, and programs associated with Kois and Spear. His Cranham Dental Seminars organization merged with the Dawson Academy in 2004, and he served as clinical director of the Dawson Academy from 2004 to 2020. He later developed Cranham Culp Digital Dental and has continued teaching comprehensive dentists how to translate traditional restorative and occlusal principles into digital workflows. He is also involved with the Pankey Institute and its educational programs.Resources:Good to Great by Jim Collins: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996Dental Mastery: https://dentalmastery.com/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

What should you do when a longtime team member can no longer meet the demands of their role? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Alan Twigg, president of Bent Eriksen & Associates and an HR professional with more than 20 years of experience, about how dental practice owners can address declining performance without making assumptions about age or medical conditions. You will learn how to establish objective job standards, document performance concerns, approach fitness-for-duty situations, involve an employee’s treating physician when appropriate, and navigate accommodations or transitions while reducing legal risk. For practical guidance on handling one of dentistry’s most difficult HR conversations, listen to Episode 1091 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Employers should address an employee’s job performance rather than attempt to diagnose or manage the employee’s medical condition.Current job descriptions, HR policies, and standard operating procedures provide objective benchmarks for evaluating whether an employee is meeting role expectations.Regular check-ins can uncover performance concerns and give employees an opportunity to explain challenges before problems escalate.Leaders should separate observable facts from assumptions about why an employee’s performance has changed.A fitness-for-duty process can involve the employee’s treating physician in determining whether the employee can perform essential job duties and what restrictions may be necessary.Employers may have legal obligations to engage in an accommodation or interactive process when an employee discloses a protected medical condition.Documentation of performance expectations, conversations, restrictions, and accommodations is important when a practice may ultimately need to end employment.Episode Chapters:00:00 Intro01:11 Alan Twigg’s background and Bent Eriksen & Associates.04:23 Medical, cognitive, physical, and medication-related factors that can affect job performance.06:52 Why employers should not act as an employee’s treating physician.08:03 Using policies, job descriptions, and standards to establish performance expectations.11:56 Keeping job descriptions current as technology and practice needs change.15:28 Reviewing changing expectations as a dental practice grows.18:22 Understanding the fitness-for-duty process.21:21 Focusing performance conversations on standards, patients, and the team.22:45 Managing longtime employees who resist changes or plan to retire soon.28:35 Protected medical conditions and employer responsibilities.32:43 Why dental practices benefit from qualified HR guidance.35:00 How Bent Eriksen & Associates supports dental practices with HR issues.Guest Bio:Alan Twigg is the president of Bent Ericksen & Associates. For over 10 years, he has guided thousands of clients and consultants through the ever-changing world of HR and employment compliance. He is a speaker, consultant, and author who is passionate about bringing education and peace of mind to such a confusing topic.As a strong proponent of symbiotic employer-employee relations, Alan is passionate about teamwork and positive work cultures, with an emphasis on long-term personnel retention and employment compliance, where his solutions-oriented outlook excels.Episode Resources:https://bentericksen.com/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Are your financial systems helping you collect what patients owe when care happens—or are unexpected balances creating extra work for your team later? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Robyn Theisen, ACT Dental coach, about same-day collection percentage and why clear financial arrangements matter for both cash flow and the patient experience. You’ll learn what this metric measures, what low same-day collections can reveal about your systems, how stronger financial conversations reduce accounts receivable, and what your team can do to improve financial clarity before treatment begins. For practical ways to strengthen your financial systems and create more predictable collections, listen to Episode 1090 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Same-day collection percentage measures how much of the patient portion owed for treatment is collected before the patient leaves the practice.Lower same-day collections often point to weaknesses in financial arrangements rather than a collections problem alone.Reviewing and signing treatment plans before appointments helps patients understand their financial responsibility in advance.Clear financial expectations reduce unexpected balances, collection calls, statements, and administrative follow-up.High-performing practices use consistent systems, payment options, and role-playing to help team members present financial arrangements confidently.A healthy same-day collection percentage can vary based on the practice model, including differences between fee-for-service and PPO-heavy practices.Teams can audit financial readiness during chart preparation by confirming that patients have signed financial arrangements and clear payment expectations.Episode Chapters:00:00 Introduction to same-day collection percentage.01:38 Why same-day collections matter as a practice metric.05:08 Common signs that same-day collection systems are not working.07:17 How prepared teams approach financial conversations.10:17 Why collection benchmarks depend on the practice model.12:39 Auditing financial expectations during daily chart preparation.13:00 Final thoughts on improving financial systems.Guest Bio:Robyn Theisen brings an entire life and legacy of dental experience to the team and every team with which she works as the daughter and sister of dentists. With almost 20 years of experience in dentistry, her roles ranged from practice management to operations at Patterson Dental to coaching teams. Robyn’s passion is empowering teams to realize that they can dramatically impact the lives of the people they serve by implementing skills and systems to remove barriers to life-changing dental treatment. She has done it for decades and does it every day with dental teams.Outside of coaching, she enjoys time with her husband, Rob, and two daughters, Emerson and Ruby. She loves traveling, music, fitness, and cheering on the Michigan State Spartans.Episode Resources:Creating a Clear Financial Policy resource: https://hub.smilesource.com/c/resources/creating-a-clear-financial-policy-55-questions ACT Dental Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

You may be tracking KPIs in your dental practice, but do you know what those numbers are actually telling you? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Adriana Booth, an ACT Dental coach, about how key performance indicators reveal the health of your systems, team, patient care, and business.You’ll learn how to interpret KPIs as diagnostic tools, identify the systems influencing your numbers, focus your team on meaningful improvements, and make steady progress without chasing perfection. To understand what your practice data is really telling you, listen to Episode 1089 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Every KPI is influenced by multiple systems and should not be interpreted as having only one cause.KPIs can help measure both the health of the practice and the quality of patient care.Teams should ask which system produced a result instead of assigning blame to an individual.New patient growth can be affected by referrals, phone conversion, the first-visit experience, treatment presentation, and follow-up systems.High numbers of unscheduled active patients can indicate weaknesses in reappointment, recare, or other patient-retention systems.Tracking KPI trends over time provides more useful information than relying on assumptions or memory.Practices can create meaningful improvement by selecting a few important KPIs and improving the systems that influence them quarter over quarter.Episode Chapters:00:00 What KPIs can reveal about a dental practice.03:01 Using KPIs as feedback instead of judgment.05:40 Why every KPI is influenced by multiple systems.06:38 Systems that can affect new patient growth.08:30 What unscheduled active patients can reveal about a practice.09:32 KPIs as measures of practice health and patient health.11:12 How periodontal percentages can reflect patient-care outcomes.12:45 Stop asking who is responsible and start examining the system.14:38 Using collection percentage to identify system improvements.17:38 What a high broken appointment percentage can indicate.22:44 Focusing on progress rather than perfection.24:48 Choosing a few KPIs to improve each quarter.26:34 Using the KPI analysis activity to better understand practice metrics.28:50 Resources for KPI improvement and coaching support.Guest Bio:Adriana Booth is a Lead Practice Coach who partners with dentists and their teams to cultivate leadership skills, drive practice growth, and streamline business practices. With nearly three decades of experience in the dental industry, Adriana brings a deep passion for professional development, high-level training, and systems creation to her coaching.As a dental hygienist committed to continuing education and personal growth, she thrives on helping practices achieve their full potential. Adriana holds a BS in Dental Hygiene from West Liberty University/O'Hehir University and remains actively engaged in the dental community through study clubs and professional networks.Now based in Teays Valley, WV, Adriana enjoys fitness, reading, quality time with family, and exploring the outdoors with her Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Beau Duke.Episode Resources:KPI Analysis Activity: https://join.actdental.com/c/resources/kpi-analysis-activity More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

What does it take to build a stronger team that can think, collaborate, and perform without the dentist stepping in for every decision? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Michelle Wakeman, ACT Dental coach, about why stronger leadership starts with self-awareness. They explain how your behavior affects team culture, the four leadership tendencies based on care and challenge, why clarity and accountability strengthen trust, and how pausing before reacting can help you lead more effectively.Learn how to recognize your leadership patterns, give clearer feedback, and create a healthier, more accountable team — listen to Episode 1088 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Self-awareness requires understanding your strengths, shortcomings, and impact on other people.The leader’s behavior and emotional state influence the climate of the entire practice.High care with low challenge can lead leaders to avoid difficult conversations and over-function for their team.Low care with high challenge can reduce psychological safety and make team members afraid to speak up or make mistakes.High care with high challenge combines genuine support with clear expectations, honest feedback, and accountability.Pausing before responding under stress helps leaders choose a more effective response instead of reacting automatically.Consistent, proactive conversations prevent small performance issues from becoming larger cultural problems.Episode Chapters:00:00 Why stronger teams start with self-awareness.01:03 Building a team that can think and work together.02:31 Why self-awareness starts with understanding your impact on others.04:00 Using assessments and coaching to better understand yourself.06:29 Balancing care and challenge as a leader.09:19 The four leadership tendencies.20:26 The power of pausing before responding.23:18 Identifying your leadership tendency and practicing accountability.24:00 Kirk’s “today’s the day” leadership story.29:00 Final thoughts on self-awareness and leadership development.30:00 To The Top Study Club and closing remarks.Guest Bio:Michelle Wakeman, BSDH brings nearly 20 years of clinical dental hygiene, administrative, managerial and sales experience to the table. She has a passion for people and a natural aptitude for communication that has led her to develop meaningful relationships throughout her career in dentistry. As a coach, she seeks to help dental practices develop systems that enable them to enhance their patient experience, leading to better relationships among owners, team members and patients along with profitable outcomes.In her off time, Michelle can usually be found at the ice rink supporting her son, Hunter in hockey, the ball field cheering on her son, Carter, or the gym, reliving her days as a gymnast with her daughter, Leighton.Episode Resources:Radical Candor: https://www.radicalcandor.com/DISC Assessment: https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-discTo The Top Study Club: http://actdental.com/tttMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Are gaps in your schedule really a case acceptance problem, or are you simply not diagnosing enough of the care your patients need and want? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and Metric Mondays co-host Miranda Beeson explain diagnostic percentage, why it is an important leading indicator for future production, and how inconsistent exams, assumptions about patients, and excessive “watching” can limit both care and opportunity. You’ll learn how to evaluate diagnostic percentage by provider, create greater consistency in your comprehensive exams, and identify opportunities to better serve existing patients without turning treatment conversations into a sales process. To improve your diagnostic consistency and help more patients understand their options, listen to Episode 1087 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Diagnostic percentage measures the percentage of patients receiving an exam who are diagnosed or treatment planned with new treatment in the practice management software.A low diagnostic percentage can indicate inconsistent exams, incomplete documentation, communication challenges, or assumptions about what patients will accept.Practices should diagnose consistently and allow patients to decide whether and when they want to proceed with treatment.A strong clinical philosophy and standardized examination process help patients receive consistent information regardless of which provider they see.Reviewing diagnostic percentage by provider can reveal variations that should be explored rather than immediately judged as right or wrong.Miranda identifies 45% or higher as a useful benchmark while noting that percentages in the teens, 20s, or low 30s may indicate missed opportunities.Comprehensive exams for existing patients and regular review of conditions being “watched” can uncover changes in patient needs, wants, and appropriate treatment.Episode Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Metric Monday and diagnostic percentage.02:53 Diagnostic percentage as a measure of consistent patient care.05:51 Avoiding assumptions about a patient’s willingness or ability to pursue treatment.07:00 Common causes of low diagnostic percentage.10:18 How consistent standards support stronger diagnosis.12:00 Helping patients plan proactively for future dentistry.14:56 Reviewing diagnostic percentage by provider and using benchmarks.17:21 Re-evaluating existing patients with comprehensive exams.19:00 Using improved skills and technology to better evaluate patients over time.20:00 Untapped treatment opportunities within the existing practice.21:00 Closing thoughts.Guest Bio:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.Episode Resources:The Wallet Biopsy: https://www.actdental.com/blog/the-procedure-to-always-avoid-wallet-biopsyMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Hiring an office manager can add leadership and structure to a dental practice, but the title alone will not solve problems with communication, accountability, or culture. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Lorie Streeter, a longtime dental office management advocate and MaxAssist team member, about what practices need to have in place before adding an office manager. They discuss when the role becomes necessary, the leadership qualities to look for, how to define decision-making authority, why regular communication matters, and how dentists can protect strong managers from burnout. To better understand what makes the dentist-office manager relationship work, listen to Episode 1086 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:A practice should consider adding an office manager when greater leadership and coordination are needed between the clinical and front teams.A strong office manager needs leadership ability, business awareness, level-headedness, and the capacity to manage multiple areas of the practice.Longevity in a practice does not automatically qualify a team member to become the office manager.Dentists and office managers should have consistent business-focused meetings in addition to their daily patient and team communication.Dentists need to clearly define which decisions an office manager can make independently, which require discussion, and which remain the dentist's responsibility.Trust between the dentist and office manager should include appropriate oversight of KPIs, scheduling issues, unscheduled treatment, and other important business indicators.Office managers need support, communication, continued education, and clear boundaries to reduce the risk of burnout.Episode Chapters:00:00 What dental practices should know before hiring an office manager.01:37 Lorie Streeter's background in dental office management.05:19 AADOM and Office Manager Support07:00 Why an office manager will not automatically solve practice problems.11:20 Indicators that a practice may need an office manager.13:08 Leadership skills and responsibilities of an effective office manager.16:13 Office manager workload and the risk of burnout.19:07 Communication rhythms between dentists and office managers.21:52 Defining decision-making authority and responsibilities.24:23 Managing communication in multi-doctor practices.27:13 Balancing trust with appropriate oversight.31:00 Qualities to consider in a prospective office manager.31:04 Transitioning from clinical roles into practice administration.35:00 How MaxAssist supports practice teams and tracks team activity.38:00 Final guidance for dentists and office managers.Guest Bio:With nearly three decades in the dental industry, Lorie blends deep field experience with a passion for growth and connection. As a former dental office manager and past Vice President of The American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM), she understands firsthand the challenges and opportunities practices face. Her focus at MaxAssist is to expand impact through relationship-driven strategy, smart technology, and a heart for office managers.Episode Resources:AADOM: https://learn.dentalmanagers.com/Dental Assistant to Practice Administrator course from AADOM: https://learn.dentalmanagers.com/products/dental-assistant-to-practice-administrator-da-to-pa-curriculumMaxAssist: https://maxassist.com/lorie/https://www.instagram.com/loriestreetermaxedout/linkedin.com/in/loriestreeterhttps://www.tiktok.com/@loriestreetermaxedoutMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Dental marketing has changed significantly, but the goal is still to connect with the right patients and give them a reason to care. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Minal Sampat, marketing strategist, social media coach, dental hygienist, best-selling author, and founder of Marketologist, about what is working in dental marketing today. You will learn how to use AI without losing trust, create content around patient outcomes, improve local and social marketing, track where patients actually come from, and evaluate your marketing budget based on your audience and competition. For practical ways to make your marketing more effective, listen to Episode 1085 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Marketing platforms and techniques continue to change, but effective marketing still depends on connecting with people and giving them something they care about.AI should be used as a tool rather than a substitute for human communication, and practices should be transparent when AI-generated avatars or content are being used.Dental content builds more trust when it shows the patient outcome of treatment instead of focusing only on procedures.Practices can expand their local reach by supporting nearby businesses and organizations and collaborating with them through social media content.Marketing budgets should be based on the competitive environment, the patients the practice wants to serve, and the activities that produce a measurable return.New patient forms can help identify the patient journey by allowing patients to select every marketing source that contributed to their decision.Internal marketing should emphasize patient appreciation and practice culture, while external marketing should create a consistent experience across reviews, social media, websites, ads, and patient communication.Episode Chapters:00:00 What is working in dental marketing today.02:39 Minal’s background in marketing and dental hygiene.05:40 Creating a Guinness World Record campaign.10:11 How dental marketing changed after COVID-19.13:26 The growing role of AI in marketing.14:55 Using AI while maintaining trust.17:00 Humanizing AI-generated communication.21:05 Social media content and Google search visibility.22:30 Creating dental content that builds trust.28:49 A simple local marketing strategy for dental practices.30:59 Combining ground marketing with social media.33:11 Leveraging existing marketing to reduce unnecessary spending.35:37 Understanding your target audience.36:52 Marketing KPIs and tracking patient sources.40:07 Internal versus external marketing.42:29 Evaluating the potential patient journey.44:15 Final thoughts on using marketing tools effectively.44:47 Minal’s Exchange session.45:43 Podcast Wrap UpGuest Bio:Minal Sampat, RDH is the bestselling author of Why Your Marketing Is Killing Your Business, And What To Do About It. She is the founder of Marketologist® - an online marketing strategy & training course & community, a renowned marketing strategist, sought-after speaker, and social media coach extraordinaire.Minal is the founder of the popular CE on The Beach™ event! She hosts CE events & workshops on beautiful islands around the world. This event has sold out every single time!Plus, she is the Co-founder of the Pediatric Dental Marketing Course & Pediatric Dental Growth Summit!P.S. Many call Minal the "Marketing Therapist."Episode Resources:https://www.minalsampat.com/https://ceonthebeach.com/https://marketologist.com/https://www.instagram.com/minalsampatllc/https://www.facebook.com/RealTalkWithMinalSampatHeyGen: https://app.heygen.comChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Provider production reports can reveal far more than which clinician produced the most. When production numbers are viewed without context around capacity, schedule utilization, experience, and procedure mix, they can create inaccurate comparisons and unproductive conversations. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and practice coach Miranda Beeson explain how to evaluate production by provider as a management and coaching tool rather than a scorecard. You will learn how to connect production with capacity, identify what is influencing each provider’s results, and use the data to create clearer expectations and better opportunities for your team to succeed. To learn how to get more useful information from your provider production reports, listen to Episode 1084 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Provider production reports should be used as decision-making and coaching tools rather than simple scorecards.Production comparisons should account for differences in schedule capacity, clinical responsibilities, experience, and procedure mix.Capacity measures how much of a provider’s available clinical time is actually being utilized with patients in the chair.Production and schedule utilization should be reviewed together to determine whether each provider has an appropriate opportunity to produce.Practice owners should investigate why providers or specific days perform differently instead of assigning blame based on production totals alone.Reviewing successful and unsuccessful days with the team can reveal scheduling, case acceptance, and service-mix opportunities.Clear expectations and collaborative review of production data can support provider development and associate retention.Episode Chapters:00:00 Intro02:19 Why production reports matter04:00 Evaluating associate production with schedule utilization.06:15 Defining provider capacity.07:58 What practices get wrong with production reports.12:42 What healthy practices do differently.15:57 A practical exercise for reviewing production and capacity.18:00 Reviewing successful and unsuccessful days with the team.19:00 Developing providers and supporting associate retention.20:00 Closing thoughts.Guest Bio:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Does your dental practice clearly communicate what makes it different, or does it look and sound like every other office in your market? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Carlie Einarson, dental practice coach, about a four-step process for creating a practice that reflects what you value and attracts the patients you want to serve. You will learn how to differentiate your practice, define your core customer, identify your core competencies, recognize weaknesses, and align your team and patient experience around a clear strategy. To build a practice around what you do best and the patients you want to serve, listen to Episode 1083 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Differentiation starts with clearly defining what your practice stands for rather than relying on convenience, insurance participation, technology, or other features competitors can replicate.Practices should identify their core customers by examining the patients who value treatment, respect the team, keep appointments, pay their bills, and refer others.Involving the team in defining the ideal patient creates alignment and can reveal patient characteristics the dentist may overlook.Core competencies should be meaningful strengths that patients value and competitors cannot easily imitate, rather than equipment, general labels, or expected levels of service.Consistently communicating what the dentist and practice care about helps attract patients who share those values.Practices should identify weaknesses such as poor systems, limited team development, weak treatment presentation skills, or gaps in the patient experience and address them strategically.Staying focused on your own strategy, values, patients, and strengths is more useful than trying to compete with another practice's size, technology, hours, or services.Episode Chapters:00:00 Intro02:51 Why branding matters05:35 Differentiation as a strategy for standing out.07:06 Trust as the real product12:00 Identifying the core customer you want to serve.17:19 Defining your ideal patient with your team.23:00 Identifying and communicating your core competencies.28:50 Consistently talking about what your practice cares about.31:00 Identifying weaknesses with self-awareness and team feedback.33:51Clinical development, systems, and treatment presentation weaknesses.38:11Staying true to your core purpose and values.40:00 Staying focused instead of competing with other practices.41:00 The Differentiation Tool and Strategic Marketing Guide.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Carlie Einarson is a lead practice coach who has a passion for helping others succeed in the dental field. She loves helping to create a stable foundation for practices so both professionals and patients have a great experience every time they walk in the door!Carlie graduated from Utah College of Dental Hygiene. She has ten years of experience in the dental field, including clinical dental hygiene, front office, and leading teams.In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, traveling, skiing, playing volleyball, and golfing.Episode Resources:The Differentiation Tool: https://join.actdental.com/c/resources/differentiation-toolThe Strategic Marketing Guide: https://join.actdental.com/c/resources/strategic-marketingMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

A dental practice can produce millions of dollars and still leave the owner wondering where the profit went. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with dental practice coach Courtney Dalton about the four financial gaps that determine how production becomes usable cash.You will learn how to identify losses within adjustments, collections, overhead, and cash flow, along with the metrics and systems needed to improve profitability. Understand where your practice’s money is going and how to make informed financial decisions—listen to Episode 1082 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:The effort gap is the difference between a practice’s full master fees and its net production after insurance and elective adjustments.Practices must enter full fees for every procedure so their production and adjustment data accurately reflect the dentistry performed.The collections gap measures the difference between net production and the money that reaches the practice’s bank account.Financial policies, accounts receivable systems, insurance follow-up, and payment options directly affect collection performance.The overhead gap represents the percentage of collections used for operating expenses across seven expense categories.The cash flow gap explains the difference between profitability shown on a profit-and-loss statement and the cash available after loans, taxes, owner compensation, and other outflows.Measuring and monitoring each gap gives practice owners the information needed to make targeted financial improvements.Episode Chapters:00:00 Why high-producing dental practices can still lack profit.03:00 How production becomes profit within a dental practice.04:24 The effort gap and the impact of adjustments.05:44 Why practices must bill their full master fees.09:26 How the effort gap affects APV, PPD, and PPV.12:09 Why gross production does not determine practice value.14:08 The collections gap and the 99% collection target.16:04 Systems that improve collections and accounts receivable.21:08 The overhead gap and seven expense categories.23:04 Team compensation, staffing, and practice systems.26:22 The cash flow gap between reported profit and available cash.28:43 How loans and taxes affect cash flow.32:49 Why earnings and profitability determine practice value.33:20 The process of measuring, monitoring, and improving financial performance.34:39 How the four financial gaps affect one another.Guest Bio:With an A.S. in Dental Hygiene from Manor College and a B.S. in Exercise Physiology from West Virginia University, Courtney blends her expertise in both healthcare and wellness to drive success.As a member of the Business Development team, she is dedicated to helping doctors and practice owners realize their full potential by understanding the link between ownership, culture, and the health of the business. Courtney is all about building strong, thriving communities at home or in the office!Courtney has been a part of the dental community since 2004 and is as passionate about patient care as she is about those who are providing it. Outside of ACT, Courtney enjoys exercising and spending time with her family.Episode Resources:GAPS Calculator within the Community Hub: https://join.actdental.com/c/announcements-9fc6ae/financial-gaps-calculatorhttps://www.actdental.com/free-resources/Smile Source Transform Membership: https://info.smilesource.com/smile-source-act-dental-transform-membership-1More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

A strong production day does not always mean a dental practice used its time efficiently. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and Miranda Beeson, co-host of The Best Practices Show, explain why production per hour provides a clearer view of provider efficiency than production per day alone. You will learn how schedule design, procedure mix, capacity utilization, delegation, and provider hours influence productivity, as well as how to calculate and evaluate production per hour in your practice. To better understand the efficiency behind your production numbers, listen to Episode 1081 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Production per day shows the total outcome, while production per hour reveals how efficiently provider time was used.A high-production day may still be inefficient when it requires extra hours, rushed appointments, fragmented procedures, or working through lunch.Intentional scheduling and an appropriate procedure mix can help practices maintain production while reducing clinical hours.Measuring schedule utilization helps practices identify lost production caused by unfilled provider and hygiene time.Comparing high-performing and low-performing schedules can reveal which procedures, workflows, and provider habits improve hourly productivity.Delegating tasks to trained team members allows dentists to focus on the clinical responsibilities only they can perform.Production per hour should be reviewed with curiosity and used to improve systems rather than punish or compare providers.Episode Chapters:00:00 Why production per hour provides a clearer view than production per day.01:00 Introduction to Metric Mondays and production efficiency.02:17 The difference between daily production and hourly production.03:48 What inefficient production looks like in practice.05:24 Why production per hour is the ultimate measure of efficiency.06:34 Creating leadership time through more strategic scheduling.07:26 What practices do differently when they measure time effectively.09:22 Improving production through schedule and capacity utilization.10:12 The financial impact of open hygiene appointments.11:18 How to calculate production per hour.12:01 Comparing provider schedules and procedure mix.13:18 Delegation as a way to improve provider efficiency.14:41 Asking the team how efficiently time was used.15:17 Using production data to identify practice opportunities.Guest Bio:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.Episode Resources:Capacity Tracker: https://www.actdental.com/blog/data-snapshot-capacity-percentageWeekly Production Scorecard: https://www.actdental.com/blog/data-snapshot-production-per-visitMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

When every question, decision, and critical process depends on the practice owner, growth slows and the team becomes increasingly dependent on one person. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Heather Crockett, dental practice coach, about the three leadership bottlenecks that restrict practice performance: information, approval, and knowledge. You will learn how consistent communication rhythms, clearly defined decision-making authority, documented systems, and cross-training can help your team operate with greater ownership and consistency. To identify and remove the leadership bottlenecks holding your practice back, listen to Episode 1080 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:An information bottleneck occurs when important knowledge and communication flow only through the doctor or practice owner.Daily huddles, weekly team meetings, and leadership meetings create consistent communication rhythms throughout the practice.Leadership teams must align on decisions and quickly cascade the information to the rest of the team.An approval bottleneck develops when the doctor becomes responsible for routine operational decisions that other team members could own.A function and accountability chart clarifies responsibilities and gives team members defined decision-making authority.A knowledge bottleneck exists when a critical system or process is known by only one person.Documented systems, cross-training, delegation, and repeatable onboarding reduce dependence on individual team members.Episode Chapters:00:00 Intro 01:54 The three leadership bottlenecks holding practices back.03:14 Signs of an information bottleneck.04:31 Communication rhythms that improve information flow.11:32 Signs of an approval bottleneck.13:49 Developing leaders and reducing decision fatigue.21:39 Signs of a knowledge bottleneck.22:47 Documenting systems, cross-training, and delegating responsibilities.25:58 Final leadership takeaways and the Leadership Bottlenecks guide.27:28 Leadership training at the To The Top Study Club.29:00 Episode wrap upGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Heather Crockett is a Lead Practice Coach who finds joy in not only improving practices but improving the lives of those she coaches as well. With over 20 years of combined experience in assisting, office management, and clinical dental hygiene, her awareness supports many aspects of the practice setting.Heather received her dental hygiene degree from the Utah College of Dental Hygiene in 2008. Networking in the dental community comes easy to her, and she loves to connect with like-minded colleagues on social media. Heather enjoys both attending and presenting continuing education to expand her knowledge and learn from her friends and colleagues.She enjoys hanging out with her husband, three sons, and their dog, Moki, scrolling through social media, watching football, and traveling.Episode Resources:Leadership Bottlenecks Guide: https://join.actdental.com/c/resources/leadership-bottlenecks Traction by Gino Wickman: https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Miscommunication in a dental practice often begins when doctors and team members make assumptions instead of clarifying expectations. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Dana Watson, a dental practice educator, consultant, and certified Five Voices of Leadership trainer, about how assumptions create inaccurate stories, unresolved conflict, and inconsistent systems. You will learn how to establish clearer expectations, build reliable communication rhythms, prepare for difficult conversations, and improve communication with both team members and patients. To reduce assumptions and create greater clarity in your practice, listen to Episode 1079 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Team members create inaccurate stories when important information is missing.Clear expectations help teams understand and consistently perform the behaviors required in the practice.Morning huddles and regular team meetings provide structured opportunities to address communication gaps.Leaders build respect when they acknowledge their own communication mistakes.Clarifying questions such as “Help me understand” can uncover the facts behind frustration or confusion.Important systems, core values, and non-negotiable expectations should be documented in writing.Dentists should not assume that patients understand available services, treatment recommendations, or clinical terminology.Episode Chapters:00:00 The danger of assumptions in dental practice communication.01:06 Dana Watson’s background in education and dentistry.03:05 How missing information causes people to create stories.05:58 Why communication systems require ongoing attention.07:35 Dana’s Everyday Excellence non-negotiables.10:47 Creating intentional opportunities for doctors and teams to reconnect.12:39 Using “Help me understand” as a clarifying question.14:13 Expectations, personality differences, and the Five Voices of Leadership.17:05 Communication rhythms and morning huddles.19:17 The consequences of leaving conflict unresolved.21:19 Reinforcing communication through written systems.23:14 Avoiding assumptions when communicating with patients.24:32 The Exchange and CollaborCon27:15 Closing thoughts.Guest Bio:Dana is an international speaker, author of Married to Dentistry, and a dedicated advocate for excellence in the dental field. After a decade of teaching high school science, she transitioned to dentistry to help her husband run his practice. With over 20 years of experience, Dana has developed a passion for empowering dental teams to achieve their best. Her speaking journey began in 2006 when she shared insights on Bettering Your Best with an international audience.Dana says she did not “choose” to go into dentistry, but found it necessary to join her husband’s practice to help it improve. At first, she felt resentful, but she came to love it, and it ignited a great passion for working in the dental field.Today, Dana inspires teams with her leadership, culture, and systems expertise. Resources:Five Voices of Leadership by Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram:https://www.amazon.com/Voices-Communicate-Effectively-Everyone-Lead/dp/1119111099Communication Code: https://www.amazon.com/Communication-Code-Strategies-Stronger-Relationships/dp/1394150539Dana Watson’s website: https://danaspeaksdental.com/The Exchange: https://smilesource.com/exchangeCollaboriCon: https://www.collabriconcrew.com/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

How much of your practice’s production can you actually count on as collectible revenue? The gap between gross production and net production can obscure profitability, distort financial decisions, and lead dentists to work harder without improving cash flow. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and Metric Monday co-host and ACT Dental coach Miranda Beeson explain how gross production reflects clinical activity while net production reflects the financial reality of the practice. You will learn how to calculate your adjustment percentage, identify where production is being reduced, and use accurate data to make better decisions about providers, operatories, insurance participation, and growth—listen to Episode 1078 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Gross production reflects the services and clinical activity completed by the team.Net production represents the amount the practice can potentially collect after adjustments.Practices must bill their full fees to accurately measure gross production and adjustment activity.Decisions about adding providers, operatories, patients, or locations should not be based on gross production alone.Adjustment categories should be specific enough to distinguish PPO adjustments, membership plan adjustments, professional courtesies, and other discounts.The adjustment percentage is calculated by dividing total adjustments by gross production.Reviewing gross production, adjustments, and net production together provides a clearer picture of profitability and collectible revenue.Episode Chapters:00:00 Intro02:13 Gross production and net production explained04:07 Why the gap between the two metrics matters.05:45 How gross production can lead to poor growth decisions.08:14 Reframing write-offs as discounts.11:36 How practices use both metrics correctly.14:08 Working smarter vs working harder15:51 How to calculate and evaluate the adjustment percentage.18:57 Improving adjustment tracking and reporting.19:53 Wrap upGuest Bio:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected] Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Avoiding a difficult conversation may reduce discomfort in the moment, but it creates confusion, weakens accountability, and allows unresolved issues to grow. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Miranda Beeson, coach and director of education, about how leaders can address performance concerns while maintaining trust and supporting their team members. You will learn why accountability is an investment, how unclear expectations damage culture, and how to use the LIFT framework to lead productive accountability conversations. Build a healthier culture through clearer communication—listen to Episode 1077 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Avoiding uncomfortable conversations creates confusion, inconsistency, frustration, and larger problems over time.A healthy practice culture requires both support and accountability.Accountability should call people up by showing that leaders believe they are capable of meeting a higher standard.Leaders must clarify whether an expectation gap resulted from unclear leadership or a team member not meeting an established standard.Team members are more likely to accept direct feedback when leaders begin with genuine care and support.Explaining the impact of a missed expectation helps team members understand why their actions matter.Accountability conversations must end with a specific commitment, action, and follow-up plan.Episode Chapters:00:00 Why leaders avoid necessary conversations.03:06 How avoidance damages accountability and culture.06:00 Why unresolved conflict becomes a crisis.07:49 Accountability as an investment in team members.11:58 Why being nice is not always kind.14:20 Introduction to the LIFT feedback framework.15:27 Lead with care.18:10 Identify the expectation gap.21:30 Frame the impact.24:02 Translate the conversation into commitment.26:04 Applying LIFT to a scheduling and patient-flow issue.29:11 Developing leaders who can hold others accountable.32:00 Using accountability to lift people into better performance.34:00 Resources coaching & wrap upGuest Bio:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.Resources:To The Top Group Coaching: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/Guide to Giving and Receiving Feedback:https://www.actdental.com/blog/h.a.l.t.-before-giving-feedbackRadical Candor by Kim Scott: https://www.radicalcandor.com/the-bookThanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen: https://www.stoneandheen.com/thanks-feedbackMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.comContact Gina to learn more about ACT: [email protected]

Effective orthodontic collaboration depends on giving specialists a precise restorative endpoint before treatment begins. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Dr. Bill Robbins, a general dentist, educator, and co-author of Global Diagnosis, about why conventional orthodontic referrals often produce teeth that are improved but not positioned correctly for definitive restorative treatment. You will learn how pre-orthodontic and intermediate bonding create a three-dimensional blueprint, why the restorative dentist must be involved before appliances are placed, and how composite and printed restorations can make interdisciplinary treatment more efficient. To improve communication with your orthodontic team, listen to Episode 1076 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Traditional two-dimensional orthodontic prescriptions do not provide a precise restorative endpoint.Pre-orthodontic bonding makes worn teeth anatomically correct before the orthodontist moves them into position.Intermediate bonding may be necessary when a patient is already in appliances or when early bonding would create an unaesthetic appearance.The practitioner completing the final restorative treatment should be involved in treatment planning before orthodontic appliances are placed.Anatomically correct teeth improve communication with orthodontists, periodontists, and oral surgeons.General dentists who want to provide higher-level restorative dentistry need strong composite skills.Printed restorations may make pre-orthodontic bonding more efficient than direct composite placement.Episode Chapters:00:00 Intro01:05 Dr. Bill Robbins introduces the evolution of interdisciplinary communication.03:00 Why communication with orthodontists is more complex than communication with periodontists.04:06 The limitations of two-dimensional orthodontic prescriptions.05:53 How pre-orthodontic bonding creates an anatomical blueprint.07:40 Using three-dimensional communication to simplify orthodontic treatment.09:16 When intermediate orthodontic bonding is necessary.11:31 How anatomical correction affects implant placement and crown lengthening.13:26 What general dentists commonly get wrong when referring adult orthodontic cases.14:33 Why composite is an essential skill for restorative dentists.17:54 Digital wax-ups and printed pre-orthodontic restorations.19:21 The future of pre-orthodontic bonding.20:00 Dr. Robbins previews his presentation at The Exchange.20:24 The second edition of Global Diagnosis and its expanded airway component.22:00 How to access Dr. Robbins’s pre-orthodontic bonding article.25:15 Final Thanks and Wrap UpGuest Bio:Dr Bill Robbins is an acclaimed educator and author with decades of experience in restorative and interdisciplinary dentistry. His book Global Diagnosis: A New Vision of Dental Diagnosis and Treatment Planning has become a cornerstone reference for clinicians worldwide.J. William Robbins, D.D.S., M.A., maintains a private practice and is Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at the U. T. Health San Antonio Dental School. Dr. Robbins has published over 80 articles, abstracts, and chapters on a wide range of dental subjects and has lectured in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Middle East, China, and Africa.Resources mentioned in the episode:Dr. Bill Robbins’s website: https://www.robbinsdds.com/Pre-Orthodontic Bonding article: https://www.robbinsdds.com/#articlesGlobal Diagnosis: https://www.quintessence-publishing.com/usa/en/product/global-diagnosisThe Exchange: https://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Periodontal disease is common, but many dental practices still underdiagnose it, undertreat it, and perform difficult prophies that do not address the patient’s condition. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Carlie Einarson, ACT Dental coach and former dental hygienist, about the hidden clinical and financial costs of low periodontal diagnosis, visit, and treatment acceptance percentages. You will learn how to evaluate these metrics, identify gaps in your periodontal process, improve patient communication, and create a consistent protocol across your team. To uncover missed treatment opportunities and help more patients achieve better health, listen to Episode 1075 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Perio visit percentage measures how many hygiene patients receive treatment associated with periodontal codes.A low perio diagnostic percentage may indicate that periodontal disease is being missed or inconsistently documented.A low perio visit percentage may indicate that diagnosed treatment opportunities are being left untreated.A low perio acceptance percentage may reflect unclear communication about the condition, recommended therapy, and value of treatment.Every adult patient should receive a consistent periodontal evaluation that includes appropriate radiographs, probing measurements, bleeding documentation, and clinical findings.Hygienists and dentists should help patients co-discover periodontal disease instead of only telling them what treatment they need.Chart audits and a shared periodontal protocol can help providers diagnose, document, and recommend treatment consistently.Episode Chapters:00:00 The hidden cost of underdiagnosed periodontal disease.01:37 The purpose of Metric Mondays.02:30 The three periodontal metrics practices should monitor.04:18 How improving periodontal treatment affects the rest of the practice.06:08 What an underperforming periodontal program looks like.07:37 What low diagnostic, visit, and acceptance percentages reveal.09:00 Why periodontal metrics are leading indicators of practice health.10:11 What practices do differently when they get periodontal care right.11:01 Helping patients understand periodontal disease through co-discovery.12:00 Why “gum infection therapy” communicates more value than “deep cleaning.”13:15 The importance of a consistent periodontal protocol.14:08 How to review periodontal metrics and conduct chart audits.15:44 ACT Dental’s periodontal protocol resources and coaching support.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Carlie Einarson is a lead practice coach who has a passion for helping others succeed in the dental field. She loves helping to create a stable foundation for practices so both professionals and patients have a great experience every time they walk in the door!Carlie graduated from Utah College of Dental Hygiene. She has ten years of experience in the dental field, including clinical dental hygiene, front office, and leading teams.In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, traveling, skiing, playing volleyball, and golfing.More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

When should a dental practice owner continue coaching a team member, and when is it time to let that person go? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Katrina Sanders, a clinical dental hygienist, business owner, and dental educator, about identifying leadership gaps, clarifying expectations, evaluating core-value alignment, and addressing performance problems before they damage the team. You will learn how to distinguish between employees who lack support and employees who are unwilling to meet expectations, why accountability should never be a surprise, and which behaviors may signal that termination is the right decision. To build a stronger, more aligned team, listen to Episode 1074 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Leaders must clearly communicate expectations, standards, and operating procedures before holding team members accountable.Core values give team members practical guidance for making decisions and understanding what excellence looks like.Practice owners should determine whether inadequate tools, training, calibration, or support are preventing a team member from succeeding.Regular scorecards and feedback conversations give employees a clear understanding of whether they are meeting expectations.A team member’s lack of motivation may result from toxic team dynamics rather than an absence of drive.Employees who reject accountability, remain misaligned with core values, or repeatedly refuse to improve may need to be released.Team members should not be surprised by termination when leaders have provided timely feedback, corrective action, and opportunities to improve.Episode Chapters:00:00 Intro01:40 When is it truly time to let a team member go?04:02 Katrina explains what she discovered after returning from maternity leave.06:34 Leaders must examine whether expectations were communicated clearly.12:00 Core values establish practical standards for team behavior.19:23 Missing tools may be the real cause of poor clinical performance.20:24 Regular check-ins create a clear line of sight for success.23:00 Expectations should evolve as team members gain experience.24:01 Drive, determination, and work ethic cannot always be trained.26:11 Toxic team dynamics can demotivate otherwise strong employees.27:48 The “today is the day” conversation allows employees to self-select out.34:00 Counteroffers may not solve the underlying reason an employee wants to leave.37:16 Consistently reinforcing core values helps protect the practice culture.40:31 Katrina identifies the conditions that may justify termination.43:00 Katrina previews her Pockets, Paradigms and Protocols program.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:In the ever-changing world of dental science where research, technology, and techniques for patient care are constantly evolving, dental professionals look to continuing education to provide insight, deliver actionable steps, empower, and create a dramatic impact within their clinical practice.With wit, charm, and a dash of humor, Katrina Sanders enchants dental professionals with her course deliverables, insightful content, and delightful inspiration. Her message of empowerment rings mighty throughout her lectures and stirs a deep sense of motivation amongst course participants.Katrina is the Clinical Liaison for AZPerio, the country's largest periodontal practice. She performs clinically, working alongside Diplomates to the American Board of Periodontology in the surgical operatory. Katrina perfected techniques during L.A.N.A.P. surgery, suture placement, IV therapy, and blood draws. She instructs on collaborative professionalism and standard-of-care protocols while delivering education through hygiene boot camps and study clubs.Resources mentioned:Website: www.katrinasanders.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedentalwinegenist/Program: https://katrinasanders.com/speaking/https://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hubUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Owning a dental practice can become stressful when clinical production leaves little time for leadership, planning, and business development. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Ariel Sigel, dental practice coach, about three strategic shifts that help owners build more profitable, sustainable practices.You will learn how to create time to work on the business, use data to make intentional decisions, and establish communication rhythms that give your team greater clarity and accountability. For practical steps to become a more effective owner and leader, listen to Episode 1073 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Practice owners must allocate dedicated time to function as entrepreneurs rather than spending all of their time producing dentistry.Consistent administrative time and weekly team meetings can improve efficiency without reducing overall production.Practice decisions should be guided by reliable data rather than emotions, isolated complaints, or short-term fluctuations.Teams can use a small number of key metrics and an issues list to identify, discuss, and solve important problems.Regular huddles, team meetings, leadership check-ins, and quarterly planning sessions create predictable communication rhythms.Clear expectations and repeated communication reduce assumptions, improve accountability, and strengthen team alignment.Owners should implement these shifts gradually and build consistent habits instead of introducing every change at once.Episode Chapters:00:00 Intro02:07 The three roles of clinician, leader, and entrepreneur.05:24 Why owners need dedicated time to work on the business.09:10 How consistent leadership and team meeting time improves efficiency.16:10 Moving from reactive decisions to intentional decisions through data.18:00 Using habit stacking, key metrics, and quarterly priorities.20:58 Moving from chaos to clarity through communication rhythms.24:00 How consistency and proactive communication create alignment.26:36 Preventing meetings from becoming complaint sessions.28:00 Using a structured meeting format to improve effectiveness.29:08 Implementing the three strategic shifts one step at a time.31:00 Resources for KPIs, communication rhythms, and practice improvement.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!Episode Resources:https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/Atomic Habits by James Clear:https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habitsTraction by Gino Wickman: https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837To the Top study club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

When insurance drives patient conversations, treatment decisions can shift away from health needs and toward coverage limits. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Carlie Einarson, dental practice coach, about changing the way teams discuss insurance, treatment, and patient value. You will learn how insurance-first language affects trust and profitability, which metrics reveal the financial impact of PPO participation, and how to lead with relationships and clinical recommendations instead of benefits. To help patients choose your practice for the care you provide rather than your participation on an insurance list, listen to Episode 1072 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Insurance-centered conversations can cause patients to base treatment decisions on coverage rather than their health needs.Repeatedly mentioning insurance trains patients to view it as the primary decision-maker.PPO adjustments create an effort gap between a practice’s full fee and the amount it ultimately collects.Teams should explain the patient’s condition, recommended treatment, and value of care before discussing benefits.Insurance should be positioned as a benefit that may contribute toward treatment rather than determine treatment.Practices need to track their adjustment and write-off percentages before making informed decisions about PPO participation.Relationship-based conversations help patients choose a practice because they trust the team and the care it provides.Snippets:00:00 When insurance drives the conversation, value gets lost.01:19 Introduction to Metric Mondays and Carlie Einarson.02:32 Why insurance-centered conversations affect treatment decisions.03:37 How practices unintentionally create insurance-focused patients.04:15 Signs that insurance is driving conversations in the practice.05:43 How PPO write-offs create an effort gap.07:25 A relationship-based response to insurance questions.09:07 What insurance conversations look like when a practice gets them right.10:44 Track adjustments, write-offs, and the practice’s effort gap.11:16 Why trust and value should guide patient decisions.13:33 Questions teams can ask to evaluate insurance-focused language.15:09 Create value before discussing price or benefits.15:47 Share the episode with the team and discuss a different approach.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Carlie Einarson is a lead practice coach who has a passion for helping others succeed in the dental field. She loves helping to create a stable foundation for practices so both professionals and patients have a great experience every time they walk in the door!Carlie graduated from Utah College of Dental Hygiene. She has ten years of experience in the dental field, including clinical dental hygiene, front office, and leading teams.In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, traveling, skiing, playing volleyball, and golfing.More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Finger-pointing is often a sign that team members do not have clear ownership of essential practice responsibilities. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Charlene Marques, an ACT Dental coach, about using a function accountability chart to clarify roles, establish measurable accountability, and prevent important tasks from slipping through the cracks. You will learn how consistent reporting, scorecards, and one-on-one feedback can reduce conflict and help team members understand how to succeed in their roles. To create clearer ownership throughout your practice, listen to Episode 1071 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Finger-pointing is usually a symptom of unclear ownership and accountability.A lack of clarity can cause missed follow-ups, aging insurance claims, unsigned treatment plans, ordering mistakes, and scheduling problems.Leaders often respond to unclear accountability by fixing problems themselves, double-checking work, and micromanaging team members.A function accountability chart defines the practice’s major functions, the seats within each function, and the responsibilities assigned to each seat.The responsibilities of each seat should be defined before assigning a person to that seat.Scorecards and key performance indicators help teams identify whether a function is on track or off track.Regular one-on-one conversations provide timely feedback and allow leaders to coach team members throughout the year.Snippets:00:00 Intro02:00 Finger-pointing is a symptom of unclear ownership and accountability.04:17 Common language that reveals an ownership gap.05:00 Operational problems caused by unclear responsibilities.06:10 How practice leaders become fixers and micromanagers.08:21 The purpose of a function accountability chart.09:44 Why the person should be assigned to the seat last.11:00 Creating a consistent rhythm of reporting and feedback.12:00 Using a 90-day scorecard to track functional health.13:47 Tracking insurance aging and outstanding claims.15:24 Why annual performance reviews do not provide enough feedback.16:34 Structuring regular one-on-one check-ins.18:18 How consistent meetings build trust and develop leaders.19:24 Three requirements for reducing finger-pointing.20:21 Function accountability chart and scorecard resources.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:With over 20 years of experience in the administrative side of dentistry, Charlene has become a trusted coach and partner for dental practices looking to reach their full potential. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of helping many dentists turn their visions into reality, creating streamlined systems and protocols that empower both the practice and its team. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the success of a practice as it grows and thrives through thoughtful planning and execution.Outside of work, Charlene enjoys quality time with her husband and their two rescue pets - Ruby, a sweet cat and Harley, a loyal dog. She also cherishes visits to sunny Florida where she spends time with her sister and niece, making the most of family moments whenever possible.With a passion for helping others achieve their goals, Charlene is dedicated to providing exceptional guidance and support to dental practices, ensuring their success for years to come.More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://[email protected] resources: https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/

Moving away from insurance can create fear for dentists who worry patients will leave, the team will resist, or production will suffer. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Troy Schmedding, a private practice dentist in Walnut Creek, California, to explain how he transitioned out of insurance participation, rebuilt his practice around quality and communication, and created more control over how he practices. You will learn why team alignment matters, how to communicate insurance changes with patients, and why quality and customer service are essential for an out-of-network model. To learn how one dentist reclaimed control by ditching insurance and prioritizing quality, listen to Episode 1070 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Dentists often struggle to leave insurance because of fear and self-limiting beliefs about whether their patients will stay.A practice can become less busy but more productive when it is well-managed and focused on quality care.Going out-of-network requires strong communication with the team and with patients.Patients respond better when the conversation focuses on quality of care rather than complaints about insurance companies.Billing insurance on behalf of patients remains an important customer service step after leaving insurance networks.Patient referrals can become stronger when existing patients value quality, service, and the practice model.A successful out-of-network practice depends on having a team that supports the doctor’s vision and communicates well with patients.Snippets:00:00 Introduction to Dr. Troy Schmedding and the topic of moving away from insurance.01:09 Kirk introduces Dr. Schmedding and the Best Practices Show.04:15 Dr. Schmedding explains how insurance reimbursement cuts influenced his decision-making.06:51 Fear and self-limiting beliefs keep dentists from changing their insurance model.10:49 Team alignment is necessary before making major insurance changes.13:54 Referrals shift when patients understand and value the practice model.15:06 Dr. Schmedding shares his perspective on dentists’ frustration with Delta Dental.17:54 Kirk and Dr. Schmedding discuss the future of out-of-network private practice.21:28 Dr. Schmedding explains what dentists often misunderstand about his practice model.23:00 Dr. Schmedding discusses his upcoming Smile Source Exchange presentation.24:54 Final thoughts & ClosingGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Dr. Troy Schmedding is a honors graduate of the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, California. He maintains a private practice in Walnut Creek, Ca. where he focuses on aesthetic and functional dentistry. An Accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, he lectures both nationally and internationally on aesthetics and restorative materials. He has also written and published numerous articles on restorative materials and protocols in numerous dental magazines. Dr Schmedding also serves as a Key Opinion Leader for numerous manufacturers helping develop and bring new products to market.Resources mentioned in this episode:Dr. Troy Schmedding on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troyschmeddingdds/Smile Source Exchange: https://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Sharing numbers with the team can feel difficult for dentists who worry that data will seem cold, corporate, or disconnected from patient care. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, dental hygienist and coach, to explain why sharing metrics feels so hard and how to make those conversations productive, consistent, and patient-centered.You will learn how to connect KPIs to patient outcomes, reduce defensiveness around data, and help your team understand how their roles affect the health of the practice and the patients you serve. To learn how to make metrics a healthier part of your leadership, listen to Episode 1069 of The Best Practices Show!Main TakeawaysDentists often struggle more with managing and leading people than with the clinical side of dentistry.Data conversations become difficult when the team only hears about numbers during problems or emergencies.Metrics feel cold when leaders discuss production and collections without connecting them to patient care.Reappointment percentage reflects whether patients are staying on track with preventive care.Treatment acceptance shows whether patients understand the value of recommended care and are moving forward with treatment they want or need.Perio visit percentage helps teams see whether they are proactively addressing periodontal disease.Leaders can make data easier to discuss by explaining what each metric measures, what systems affect it, and how improvement benefits the patient experience.Snippets:00:00 Intro01:13 Meet Miranda Beeson02:27 Miranda explains why many practice owners hesitate to share data.05:27 What happens when practices do not review numbers with the team.06:52 Why KPI reporting can feel like it is only about making more money.10:22 What it looks like when leaders introduce KPIs well.11:10 KPI Examples That Matter14:34 Kirk discusses the compounding effect of stronger perio visit percentages.15:56 Miranda explains why leaders must set the tone around data.16:14 Miranda introduces resources for connecting metrics to patient experience.19:06 Kirk closes by encouraging leaders to share numbers in a way that helps the team and patients.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.Resources mentioned in this episode:To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/ACT Dental resources: https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/For more information about the community, contact [email protected] Mastery: https://www.actdental.com/127More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Burnout is not always caused by the amount of work someone is doing. It can also result from spending too much time performing work that creates frustration and drains energy. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Heather Crockett, ACT Dental coach, about applying the Working Genius model to burnout, leadership, team responsibilities, and patient care. You will learn how to recognize frustration-based burnout, delegate work according to energy and natural strengths, and use all six working geniuses to improve the patient experience. To create a healthier team and find more joy at work, listen to Episode 1068 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Burnout can result from the type of work someone performs, not only the amount of work assigned.High performers may burn out faster because they try to complete all six types of work at a consistently high level.Promotions can place capable team members into roles that rely heavily on their areas of frustration.Leaders should consider a team member’s energy and working geniuses instead of delegating solely according to available capacity.Each of the six working geniuses contributes differently to treatment planning, communication, follow-through, and patient trust.Team members become more effective in their geniuses when they receive regular opportunities to use and develop them.A fulfilled and energized dental team communicates more effectively and creates a stronger patient experience.Snippets:00:00 Applying Working Genius to burnout, leadership, and patient care.02:43 A review of the six working geniuses.03:43 How working frustrations drain energy.05:18 Why the type of work can cause burnout.06:35 How promotions can move high performers into frustrating work.08:26 What burnout looks like on dental teams.09:40 Why high performers may burn out faster.11:22 Leadership mistakes related to Working Genius.13:31 Delegating according to energy instead of capacity.16:12 How each working genius supports patient care.18:27 Why fulfilled teams create better patient experiences.20:20 Final lessons about burnout, team roles, and contribution.21:42 Taking the assessment and starting a team conversation.22:48 Working Genius education at the Exchange.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Heather Crockett is a Lead Practice Coach who finds joy in not only improving practices but improving the lives of those she coaches as well. With over 20 years of combined experience in assisting, office management, and clinical dental hygiene, her awareness supports many aspects of the practice setting.Heather received her dental hygiene degree from the Utah College of Dental Hygiene in 2008. Networking in the dental community comes easy to her, and she loves to connect with like-minded colleagues on social media. Heather enjoys both attending and presenting continuing education to expand her knowledge and learn from her friends and colleagues.She enjoys hanging out with her husband, three sons, and their dog, Moki, scrolling through social media, watching football, and traveling.Resources mentioned on the episode:Working Genius Assessment: https://www.workinggenius.com/The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Types-Working-Genius-Understand-Frustrations/dp/1637743297Smile Source Exchange: https://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

A clicking jaw joint may not hurt, but pain alone does not reveal whether the joint is healthy, stable, or affecting growth and occlusion. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Dr. Jim McKee, a restorative dentist and educator, about evaluating clicking joints from a structural and orthopedic perspective. You will learn how the articular disc supports condylar position, mandibular and maxillary growth, vertical dimension, bone protection, and load distribution, as well as why patient age, malocclusion, and joint anatomy should guide diagnosis. To understand why dentists need to ask better questions about clicking joints, listen to Episode 1067 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:The articular disc acts like a gasket that positions the condyle three-dimensionally and supports a repeatable bite.A displaced disc can affect mandibular and maxillary growth even when the patient does not report pain.Malocclusion can be an early clinical indicator of structurally altered temporomandibular joints.Changes in vertical dimension at the joint level can contribute to excessive loading and breakdown of terminal posterior teeth.MRI and CBCT provide information about soft-tissue and hard-tissue joint anatomy that cannot be determined from symptoms alone.Appliances can redistribute load and support adaptation, but they cannot guarantee that every structurally altered joint will adapt.An asymptomatic clicking joint in a stable adult should be evaluated differently from an asymptomatic clicking joint in a growing patient with malocclusion.Snippets:00:00 Intro02:28 Why pain may be a late-stage indicator of a joint problem.04:31 What a clicking disc may be unable to do compared with a normal disc.08:12 Why teeth are only one part of the occlusal system.10:27 How the disc supports mandibular growth.15:12 How disc displacement may affect maxillary growth.19:35 Why joint diagnosis matters before orthodontic treatment.22:54 Understanding vertical dimension at the joint level.26:44 How the disc protects bone and distributes load.29:42 Using malocclusion to identify patients who may need joint evaluation.36:05 How patient age and occlusal stability change the clinical significance of clicking.38:19 Educational resources for learning joint diagnosis and restorative treatment planning.44:27 Final Takeaways Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Dr. Jim McKee is a restorative dentist and educator focused on occlusion, TMD, and restorative diagnosis. He is a member of the Spear Resident Faculty. He has maintained a private practice since 1984 in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he treats a wide variety of cases with a focus on predictable restorative dentistry. He is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and former president of the American Equilibration Society. He has lectured both nationally and internationally for over 25 years and directs several study clubs. Dr. McKee graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1980 and earned his dental degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in 1984.Resources mentioned in this episode:Stephen Phelan’s online program featuring Dr. Jim McKee’s:https://courses.phelandentalseminars.com/tmd-webinar-wjAdvanced Occlusion Workshop at Spear Education : https://app.speareducation.com/events/workshops/advanced-occlusionEP779: The Restorative Diagnostic Practice:https://www.actdental.com/blog/779-mckeeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

A full schedule can look productive while still falling short of a practice’s financial goals. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Miranda Beeson, Director of Education at ACT Dental, about why busy days underperform and how production-per-day goals, schedule utilization, patient selection, and block scheduling create greater predictability. You will learn how to evaluate schedule quality, protect high-value clinical time, and help your administrative team make more intentional scheduling decisions. To build a full schedule that supports production, profitability, and a better workday, listen to Episode 1066 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:A full schedule can still underperform when appointments are not aligned with the practice’s production goals.Production-per-day goals should be visible in the practice management software and understood by the entire team.Schedule utilization measures how much available clinical time is being used for patient care.Administrative team members should consider procedure value and patient reliability instead of filling every opening with the first available appointment.A and B patients create greater schedule stability because they are more likely to attend appointments and pay their balances.Block scheduling protects prime clinical time for higher-value treatment and creates more predictable daily production.An ideal day schedule should balance the owner’s preferences, patient needs, and the practice’s production goals.Snippets00:00 Intro01:31 Full schedules can still produce underperforming days.02:18 Why filling every opening does not guarantee productivity.03:13 The importance of production per day and schedule utilization.05:03 Working backward from annual goals to a daily production target.06:39 What an underperforming full schedule looks like.08:13 Why practices should replace like with like when appointments change.10:30 How intentional scheduling supports production goals.12:20 Protecting prime clinical time with block scheduling.13:00 Using the production figure in practice management software before scheduling an appointment.15:05 How comprehensive treatment blocks can create peaceful, productive days.17:06 Displaying production-per-day goals in the practice management software.17:46 Building an ideal day schedule for greater consistency.19:03 The ideal day scheduling guide in the ACT Dental community hub.Guest Bio/Guest ResourcesMiranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.Guest Resource:Ideal Day Scheduling Guide in the ACT Dental community hub:https://www.actdental.com/blog/cut-the-chaos-from-your-scheduleMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSchedule a call with Gina: https://www.actdental.com/schedule-with-ginaSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Patients may seem uninterested in their oral health, but the real issue may be that they have not been given a clear reason to participate in their care. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Melissa Obrotka, a dental hygienist and oral-systemic health educator, about helping patients understand what is happening in their mouths and why it matters to their overall health. You will learn how to create patient buy-in, use visual evidence and open-ended questions, calibrate your team, and transition from task-based hygiene to a healthcare-focused approach. To improve communication and help patients take action, listen to Episode 1065 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Dental professionals must help patients understand how oral inflammation and bacteria can affect systemic health.Team calibration requires dedicated non-patient time to establish shared clinical standards, protocols, and expectations.Disclosing biofilm gives patients visual evidence that helps them understand disease, inflammation, and areas of risk.Open-ended questions and motivational interviewing can uncover the fear or previous experiences behind patient resistance.Providers can challenge patients directly while acknowledging their choices and asking permission to explain clinical concerns.Hygienists earn healthcare-level compensation by consistently delivering comprehensive healthcare rather than limited task-based services.Dentists and hygienists should learn and implement an oral-systemic approach together so patients receive consistent care.Snippets:00:00 Intro01:00 Why patients may appear not to care about their oral health.02:20 Melissa’s background in dental hygiene and oral-systemic education.03:45 The relationship between oral inflammation, bacteria, and systemic health.06:05 How hygienists inherit task-based systems and schedules.09:05 Why dental hygienists may be the most important healthcare providers patients see all year.10:55 The need to schedule non-patient time for team calibration.12:00 How disclosing biofilm creates patient buy-in.13:45 Connecting periodontal charting, radiographs, bleeding, and visible bacteria.16:00 The expanding research on oral and systemic health.18:35 Using questions and motivational interviewing with resistant patients.22:00 How to care deeply while challenging patients directly.24:20 Melissa’s perspective on dental hygiene as a career.28:45 Melissa’s courses at The Exchange.31:10 Final thoughts on helping patients care and take action.32:00 Why dentists and hygienists should attend training together.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Melissa A Obrotka, BA, RDH, holds over 25 years of experience in the dental field and concentrated clinical experience with the dental implant patient population. Melissa’s core objectives for her patients in specialty perio/prosthodontics are focused on a “whole-listic” approach to dental prevention, disease remission, and therapies that encompass total body health and wellness. Her approach to patient care is focused on biofilm disruption strategies for periodontal and peri-implant health and longevity while providing healthcare advocacy to patients. In addition, Obrotka is a dental hygiene motivator, educator, podcast host, change agent, influencer, and industry thought leader. Obrotka serves as a clinical adjunct professor at her alma mater, Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey, where she elevated clinical education by instructing students on the oral microbiome, biofilm disruption and introduced the Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) methodology. Obrotka was nationally recognized in 2016 as a Master Clinician for her outstanding clinical expertise. In 2017, Obrotka was named one of the “Six Dental Hygienists You Want to Know’’ in the clinincal practice category by Dimensions of Dental Hygiene.Resources mentioned in the episode:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsthebadasshygienist/Website: https://itsthebadasshygienist.comMentioned Programs:No More Ignored Advice &The Biology Led Hygiene Appointment: https://www.itsthebadasshygienist.com/speaking-the-badass-hygienist-melissa-obrotka-rdhOPSM Framework: Oral Prevention is Systemic Medicine: https://www.itsthebadasshygienist.com/opsm-framework-courseMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Why do some team members leave work energized while others feel drained, frustrated, or misunderstood? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with coach Heather Crockett about the Working Genius model and how dental teams can use it to better understand their strengths, frustrations, communication patterns, and roles. You will learn the six types of Working Genius, why every stage of work matters, and how shared language can improve meetings, teamwork, productivity, and joy at work. To understand how your team can work more effectively together, listen to Episode 1064 of The Best Practices Show!Main TakeawaysWorking Genius helps team members understand which types of work give them energy and which types drain them.The six Working Geniuses are wonder, invention, discernment, galvanizing, enablement, and tenacity.Each person has two geniuses, two competencies, and two frustrations.Teams need all six geniuses to move work from identifying a need through implementation and completion.Meetings become less effective when teams move directly from generating ideas to assigning tasks without discernment and galvanizing.A shared understanding of Working Genius can reduce judgment, improve communication, and help leaders assign work more intentionally.A Working Genius indicates the type of work a person enjoys, but it does not automatically mean that person has mastered it.Snippets00:00 Welcome03:17 What Is Working Genius06:55 An introduction to the six types of Working Genius.07:45 How invention generates solutions and new ideas.09:50 How discernment evaluates ideas and galvanizing creates momentum.11:12 How enablement supports implementation and tenacity completes the work.12:09 The difference between geniuses, competencies, and frustrations.13:01 How complementary geniuses helped ACT Dental grow.22:05 How Working Genius can reduce judgment and attribution errors.24:59 How Working Genius affects meetings and workplace culture.29:51 Why leaders should avoid pigeonholing people by their assessment results.32:12 A practical treatment plan for applying Working Genius.34:38 Wrap Up And Part Two Tease35:13 Final Outro And ResourcesGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Heather Crockett is a Lead Practice Coach who finds joy in not only improving practices but improving the lives of those she coaches as well. With over 20 years of combined experience in assisting, office management, and clinical dental hygiene, her awareness supports many aspects of the practice setting.Heather received her dental hygiene degree from the Utah College of Dental Hygiene in 2008. Networking in the dental community comes easy to her, and she loves to connect with like-minded colleagues on social media. Heather enjoys both attending and presenting continuing education to expand her knowledge and learn from her friends and colleagues.She enjoys hanging out with her husband, three sons, and their dog, Moki, scrolling through social media, watching football, and traveling.Working Genius Assessment: https://www.workinggenius.com/The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Types-Working-Genius-Understand-Frustrations/dp/1637743297Smile Source Exchange: https://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Production gaps are often blamed on low case acceptance or insufficient diagnosis, but the real issue may begin with how the schedule is structured, protected, and maintained. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with dental practice coach Ariel Siegel about identifying whether lost production begins in the schedule or the operatory. You will learn how reappointment systems, downtime monitoring, intentional scheduling, and future schedule protection can create more consistent production and smoother clinical days. To understand where production gaps begin and what your team can do about them, listen to Episode 1063 of The Best Practices Show!Main TakeawaysProduction problems may result from scheduling systems even when diagnosis and treatment acceptance remain strong.Constantly filling last-minute openings prevents administrative team members from completing other production-building activities.Filling schedule gaps with unsuitable appointments can disrupt the intended flow and energy of the clinical day.Strong reappointment systems help patients understand why they are returning and reduce future cancellations.Protecting the future schedule allows the team to maintain production goals and minimize bottlenecks.Monitoring doctor and hygiene downtime reveals both large openings and smaller gaps that accumulate throughout the day.Designing the schedule around provider energy and appointment type supports more consistent monthly production and revenue.Snippets:00:00 Metric Mondays Intro01:19 Schedule vs Operatory02:20 Why Gaps Happen03:28 When It Goes Wrong04:26 Scramble Fill Trap06:51 Getting It Right07:57 Protect Future Schedule09:17 Design Around Energy10:07 Action Steps Today11:17 Resources and Wrap Up11:57 Final Thanks and OutroGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!Guest Resources:https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Missed calls, staffing shortages, and phone fatigue can create a front office bottleneck that affects both the patient experience and practice production. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Richard May of Mango Voice about how modern VoIP systems and AI receptionists can help dental practices answer more calls, streamline scheduling, document patient conversations, and reduce administrative workload without eliminating the human relationships patients need.Learn where AI is most useful, which conversations should remain with team members, and how practices can evaluate these tools responsibly. To improve your phone workflow and reduce pressure on your front office, listen to Episode 1062 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Front office bottlenecks occur when team members must manage ringing phones, arriving patients, scheduling requests, insurance questions, and payments at the same time.Missed calls can represent lost new-patient opportunities and make it difficult for practices to measure the production they are losing.An AI receptionist can answer simultaneous calls, schedule selected appointments, respond to common questions, and filter spam or irrelevant calls.AI tools should be customized with accurate practice information and used as an extension of the team rather than a replacement for every human interaction.Phone integrations with practice management software can identify callers, open patient profiles, create conversation summaries, and reduce manual documentation.Payment disputes, detailed insurance questions, sensitive family concerns, and treatment conversations still require human judgment and empathy.Modern VoIP systems can use mobile applications and cellular data to keep business calls operating during an internet outage.Snippets:00:00 The front office bottleneck in dental practices.01:27 Meet Richard May04:18 How competing front office demands create workflow bottlenecks.06:21 Phone fatigue and the impact of missed calls.08:33 How an AI receptionist handles simultaneous and after-hours calls.10:09 Addressing concerns about AI representing the practice.15:09 Why dentists underestimate the importance of their phone systems.16:39 How patient expectations influence which dental practice they choose.19:10 Using transcripts, keyword searches, and automated patient notes.21:21 The staffing crisis and AI-supported administrative work.23:26 Which tasks should remain human.26:40 How AI can triage after-hours and emergency calls.29:20 How VoIP reliability and mobile applications have improved.31:32 Final considerations for adopting AI in the dental practice.34:24 How to test Margo and schedule a Mango Voice demonstration.Guest Bio/Guest ResourcesRichard has had a fulfilling career in public health, where he spent a decade dedicated to improving community wellness, health education, and preventive care. His work in public health allowed him to make a tangible difference, positively impacting lives and communities, a passion that continues to drive him.Following his public health career, Richard joined Mango, bringing his dedication to health and wellness into a new professional chapter. His role at Mango is a perfect fit, aligning with his values of teamwork, community engagement, and continuous improvement.Mango Voice: https://www.mangovoice.com/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Building, growing, and owning an independent dental practice can feel isolating, especially when decisions, team challenges, and long-term vision fall on the practice owner. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT coach and dental practice leader, to explain why community matters in practice ownership and how the right support system can help dentists and their teams make better decisions, avoid unnecessary mistakes, build confidence, and grow with greater clarity. To learn how to find the right people in your corner, listen to Episode 1061 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Independent practice owners do not have to solve every challenge alone.A strong professional community provides shared learning, support, accountability, and practical perspective.The right community helps dentists shorten the learning curve by learning from others’ real-world experiences.Community should align with the practice owner’s values and avoid judgment, toxicity, or hidden agendas.Team members also need community and role-specific support to grow in confidence and leadership.The Community Hub provides forums, study clubs, clinical education, resources, and vendor connections for dentists and their teams.Community is a strategic advantage because it helps practice owners think better, lead better, and grow faster.Snippets:00:00 Who Is In Your Corner01:19 Meet Miranda Beeson02:15 Why Dentists Feel Alone04:09 Tribe Stories And Patterns07:41 Isolation And Negative Self Talk08:34 What Community Really Means10:59 Avoid Toxic Communities13:31 Real Benefits For Owners15:25 Belief And Accountability18:15 Community For The Whole Team23:20 Inside The Community Hub26:43 Forum Wins And AI Examples32:19 More Questions Solved Fast37:56 Final Takeaways And Invite40:33 How To Get Started42:32 Closing And Call To ActionGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.Resources mentioned in this episode:To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/ ACT Dental resources: https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/For more information about the community, contact [email protected] Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Most dentists believe they need more new patients, but the real problem may be how well they are using the patients, providers, and chair time they already have. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Ariel Siegel, ACT Dental coach, to explain why active patient count, pre-appointment percentage, capacity utilization, and annual patient value matter before investing in new patient growth. Learn how to identify whether your practice has a patient problem or a utilization problem, and how to start improving schedule efficiency with the data you already have. To grow more predictably with the patients already in your practice, listen to Episode 1060 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Practices should evaluate utilization of current patients and provider capacity before pursuing more new patients.New patients can add pressure because phone calls, relationship building, and appointments require more time and energy.A healthy active patient count is often around 1,200 to 1,500 patients per provider.Unscheduled active patients and low pre-appointment rates reveal opportunities within the existing patient base.Chair time utilization around 90% to 95% creates productive schedules while leaving some flexibility.Annual patient value helps determine whether a practice needs more patients or better production per patient.Capacity tracking should be reviewed consistently so each provider column has accountability.Snippets:00:00 Metric Mondays Intro01:50 Meet Ariel Siegel02:14 More Patients Myth04:18 Active Patient Benchmarks08:07 When Utilization Fails10:33 Redefining Growth11:56 Capacity Utilization Targets14:36 Action Plan With APV18:06 Vision And Wrap Up18:33 Final GoodbyeGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Digital workflows are changing how dentists select, plan, monitor, and communicate clear aligner treatment. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Maria Jose Blanco Solis, private practice dentist and clear aligner educator, to discuss how digital workflow innovations are transforming aligner treatment in 2026.You will learn how to evaluate aligner case complexity, monitor tracking and compliance, use auxiliary techniques, manage retention protocols, and think about aligners as part of a broader functional and preventive approach to dentistry. To understand how to make aligner workflows more predictable and practical in your practice, listen to Episode 1059 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Clear aligners have expanded from simple aesthetic cases to more complex Class II, Class III, surgical, and multidisciplinary treatment plans.Case selection should include evaluation of occlusion, arch form, profile, crossbites, growth status, recession, and bone support.CBCT, STL files, and complete diagnostic records give doctors better control and confidence when planning aligner treatment.Monitoring appointments should focus on aligner fit, attachment integrity, tracking gaps, programmed IPR, and occlusal contacts.Patient compliance remains essential because aligners generally require 22 hours of daily wear.Auxiliary techniques such as buttons, elastics, TADs, and bootstrap mechanics can improve movement predictability in moderate and severe cases.Retention protocols should account for occlusal stability and patient compliance, especially when deciding between clear retainers and lingual wires.Snippets:00:00 Welcome And Guest Intro02:11 Meet Dr Mari Jose03:14 Aligners In 202605:24 Case Selection Basics06:55 Monitoring And Tracking10:37 Doctor Coaching Support11:13 Micronutrients And Compliance13:03 Retainers And Stability14:45 Aux Techniques And Elastics16:32 Posterior Open Bite Causes18:24 Retainer Wear Schedule19:52 Future Of Aligner Care22:20 Final Tips And Records23:14 Contact Info And Spark24:28 The Exchange Event Preview25:00 Final thoughts on case selection, auxiliary techniques, and live case alignment.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Dr. Maria Jose Blanco Solis is a dentist in private practice in San Jose, Costa Rica. She has worked with clear aligner therapy through Invisalign and Spark and focuses on digital dentistry, aligner workflow, case selection, clinical monitoring, and doctor education.In this episode, she discusses Spark, Vista aligners, TruGen XR material, one-on-one clinical support, and her upcoming presentation at Smile Exchange on case selection, clinical complexity, auxiliary techniques, and live case review.Resources mentioned:[email protected] code for the smile exchange: JOSEBLANCO26https://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Hiring and keeping an associate sounds simple until the interview process, compensation questions, and culture-fit issues start to derail everything. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings on Cassie Tallon, an operations expert and founder of The Fractional Match, to explain why most dental practices fail when hiring associates and what to do differently. You’ll learn how to evaluate fit beyond clinical skills, how to set compensation expectations with transparency, why paying on collections matters, and how to prepare your practice so an associate can actually succeed and stay. Listen to Episode 1058 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Decide whether you want an associate purely for production or someone you will develop into a leader and potential legacy successor.Use a recruitment service instead of posting a job yourself without understanding today’s compensation models and contract pitfalls.Evaluate relational and empathetic patient-care philosophy early, not just clinical procedure capability.Confirm the associate is coachable and willing to be led during onboarding, not just eager to produce immediately.Start onboarding with financial clarity—how the P&L works and how pay is calculated—to prevent distrust and turnover.Pay associates on collections to tie compensation to real revenue and reinforce documentation, billing, and follow-through habits.Fix patient mix, services, and marketing before hiring an associate instead of expecting the associate to solve a broken model.Snippets:00:00 Hiring Associates Is Hard01:06 Meet Cassie Tallon03:41 Associate or Partner Choice05:30 Recruiting Landscape Today06:56 Fit Over Clinical Skills10:40 Pay Models That Work12:35 Equity and Autonomy14:31 Fix Patient Mix First19:10 Develop Associates Skills22:00 Retention and Transparency24:02 Work Life Satisfaction27:47 XChange Soft Skills Talk30:01 Final Advice and Wrap UpGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Cassie Tallon is a dental operations leader with 20 years of experience spanning multi-doctor practices and DSOs, including supporting growth and operational efficiency across multiple locations. She is an author focused on dental operations and has dedicated her current work to helping dentists improve efficiency, navigate growth decisions, and strengthen systems without adding unnecessary overhead.Resources mentioned:The Fractional Match: thefractionalmatch.comBook: Permission to DreamBook (upcoming): Permission to ScaleMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Why can your practice feel busier than ever, show higher production, and still not see more money in the bank? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT Dental’s Director of Education, to explain why gross production is often a misleading proxy for profitability and what to measure instead. You’ll learn the difference between gross and net production, how write-offs and overhead quietly erase gains, and the first steps to protect margins so profit can follow production. Listen to Episode 1057 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Gross production can be a “gross misrepresentation” of what a practice can actually collect, while net production reflects what is realistically collectible.Higher production does not automatically create higher profit when write-offs grow and overhead rises at the same time.Practices get it wrong when they celebrate production without tracking what gets adjusted away and what it costs to deliver the care.Large write-offs (insurance, membership plan discounts, elective courtesies, and untracked adjustments) can create an “effort gap” where work is done but revenue is not collectible.Adding hours, days, team members, and equipment to chase production can increase expenses and compound the profitability problem.Practices get it right by tracking adjustments by category (and often by individual insurance carriers) and by regularly reviewing the P&L to confirm expenses are aligned with revenue-producing needs.The first action steps are to clarify write-offs in the practice management system and to understand where overhead dollars are going before pushing for more production.Snippets:00:00 Why production can be up while profit doesn’t follow.02:10 Gross vs. net production and why the distinction matters for doctors and teams.06:10 What it looks like when practices get it wrong and the bank account doesn’t grow.07:05 Write-offs and the “effort gap” between delivered care and collectible revenue.08:35 How chasing more production can quietly drive overhead higher.10:05 Why the real issue is often strategy, not production.14:15 The mindset shift for fee-for-service: being okay with downtime and using it well.17:10 The first thing to do tomorrow: get clarity on write-offs and adjustments.19:05 The next step: review the P&L and understand overhead buckets.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

What do you do when a failure, setback, or “detour” hits your practice or life and you can’t see the point of it yet? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt interviews Dr. Timothy Bizga, private practice dentist and educator, about the mindset shifts behind his book Timeless Tidbits of Wisdom and how to find perspective when dentistry feels heavy.You’ll learn why “life happens for you,” how boundaries prevent burnout, and how community changes your trajectory. Listen to Episode 1056 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Dr. Bizga wrote his book to serve readers with practical wisdom drawn from patient stories and his own experiences.Writing a book requires commitment and support systems, not isolation or “doing it alone.”A misgraded writing exam in eighth grade became a long-term gift by sparking Dr. Bizga’s love of writing.The chapter “The Gift Inside the Detour” centers on changing mindset from “this is happening to me” to “this is happening for me.”Perspective often comes later, and progress in hard seasons can mean simply continuing to move forward.“Even Enamel Has Limits” is a reminder that caregivers and clinicians need boundaries to avoid burnout and breakdown.Smile Source Exchange is positioned as a community-driven learning environment where relationships and mentorship accelerate growth.Snippets:00:00 Welcome01:22 Meet Dr Tim Bizga03:04 Why Dr. Bizga wrote Timeless Tidbits of Wisdom and how patient stories shaped it.04:50 “Writing a book is the hardest thing ever” and why Dr. Bizga disagrees.06:09 “My hope is not to impress you, but to serve you” and the goal of 31 short chapters.07:50 The story behind “The Gift Inside the Detour”14:09 Applying detours to dentistry: procedures, team issues, health crises, and mindset.17:42 “Even Enamel Has Limits” and why boundaries matter for dentists and caregivers.21:39 Where to Get the Book22:26 Why Attend The Exchange 202625:09 Final thoughts on dentistry as a profession Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Dr. Timothy Bizga is a 2006 DDS graduate of the School of Dentistry! Along with having a successful practice, Dr. Bizga is an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Dentistry at the School of Dentistry and the Director of Education for Smile Source, a network of more than 1,000 independent dentists who benefit from group buying, collective education and peer-sharing programs. Dr. Bizga has lectured nationally for more than 16 years and recently authored Timeless Tidbits of Wisdom.Guest resources mentioned in the episode:Timeless Tidbits of Wisdom: https://a.co/d/0aFvJ3MsThe Exchange 2026: https://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Documentation, charting, and insurance narratives are taking time away from patient care, and many teams are already stretched thin. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with Rushi Ganmukhi, founder of Bola AI and former MIT AI/NLP researcher, and Cassie Tallon, a dental operations leader and author, to explain how voice-enabled AI can reduce clinical documentation burden, improve note quality, and help practices get paid faster. You’ll learn where voice tech fits best (perio, restorative charting, and clinical notes), what it changes operationally, and how to identify the friction points in your own workflow. Listen to Episode 1055 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Voice technology can reduce the time and disruption of perio charting by allowing hands-free entry during hygiene visits.Faster perio charting supports more comprehensive perio exams, which can improve identification and treatment of periodontal disease.Delayed or incomplete notes can delay insurance submission and cash flow, creating a backlog of unsent claims.Templated, generic notes and late documentation can weaken clinical records for both insurance review and legal defensibility.Insurers are increasingly requiring more documentation, including perio charting for restorative claims, to support medical necessity.Effective adoption of AI tools depends on fast implementation, flexibility in workflows, and customization to an office’s documentation preferences.Practices can start by tracking daily workflow “sticking points” for a week and mapping which issues could be reduced with voice-driven documentation.Snippets:00:00 Voice tech as the “hidden power” of AI for practice efficiency.01:00 The documentation burden: perio charts, restorative docs, and insurance narratives.02:10 Rushi’s background in AI/NLP and MIT research, and why he entered dentistry.04:35 Why voice tech fits clinical environments better than consumer voice assistants.06:00 Bola AI’s early focus on voice perio charting and expansion to notes and restorative charting.07:05 Why integrations with practice management systems matter (Dentrix, Open Dental, Curve, Patterson, Henry Schein).08:00 The time cost of manual charting and its impact on hygiene workflows.10:00 How delays and backdating notes can hold up insurance submission and revenue.11:20 The risks of cut-and-paste templates for insurance and legal documentation.13:00 Insurance requiring more documentation, including perio charting for restorative claims.14:00 Why “decay” alone is not a sufficient clinical reason in a narrative.15:00 How dental-specific logic and terminology improve accuracy over general dictation tools.16:35 What “plug-and-play” adoption should look like in the operatory.18:10 Handling variation across practices (sleep/airway, medical billing, pediatrics, customization).19:00 Current curiosity vs. adoption: workforce shortages and the cash-flow case for AI.22:00 Overview of Bola’s three core products: Voice Perio, Voice Restorative, and AI Scribe.26:00 A practical challenge: measure how long perio charting takes and identify workflow friction points.29:00 Final guidance: start small, solve specific problems, and choose tools proven in clinics.30:10 Where to learn more and request a demo (bola.ai).Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Rushi Ganmukhi is the founder of Bola AI and has a professional background in artificial intelligence and natural language processing, including research experience at MIT focused on helping computers understand human speech and language. He leads Bola AI’s work applying voice technology to dental workflows, including perio charting, restorative charting, and AI-assisted clinical documentation.Cassie Tallon is a dental operations leader with 20 years of experience spanning multi-doctor practices and DSOs, including supporting growth and operational efficiency across multiple locations. She is an author focused on dental operations and has dedicated her current work to helping dentists improve efficiency, navigate growth decisions, and strengthen systems without adding unnecessary overhead.Resources mentioned in the episode:Bola AI (demos and product information): www.bola.aihttps://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Tracking every KPI can feel productive, but it often creates noise and diffuses accountability. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with Miranda Beeson, ACT’s co-host and practice coach, to explain why “tracking everything is the fastest way to improve nothing.”You’ll learn how to narrow your focus to a small set of metrics that match your top quarterly priority, how to separate leadership-level monitoring from team-level focus, and what to do when a metric is off-track so it actually improves. Listen to Episode 1054 of The Best Practices Show!Main TakeawaysTrack data because feelings are not reliable indicators of what is happening in the practice.Too many KPIs create overwhelm, dilute accountability, and make it harder to prioritize action.Choose three to seven “main” KPIs each quarter that directly correlate to the practice’s current priority.Leadership can monitor a broader scorecard, but the team should stay focused on the quarter’s priority metrics.Practices that track everything often bounce between problems week to week without making measurable progress.When a focus metric is off-track, the team must issue-discuss-solve instead of only reporting the number.Assign clear ownership for collecting and reporting each KPI so the numbers stay visible and actionable.Snippets:00:00 Metric Mondays Kickoff01:22 Meet Miranda Beeson02:00 Why Tracking Everything Fails03:20 Pick Few KPIs for Traction05:51 Data Rich Direction Poor07:52 What It Looks Like Done Right08:42 Choose Focus Metrics This Quarter10:47 Action Steps and Accountability13:17 Solve Off Track Metrics14:43 Wrap Up and Get HelpGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Cash flow confusion can make a busy, high-producing practice feel like it has no money left at the end of the month. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt explains why production and a “profitable” P&L don’t always translate into cash in the bank, and he brings in coach Robyn Theisen to break down the cash flow gap. You’ll learn the difference between net profit and actual cash available, the three common places cash disappears, and which financial statements you need to see the full story and build a plan for taxes, debt, and owner compensation. Listen to Episode 1053 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Net profit on the P&L is not the same as cash in the bank.The cash flow gap is the difference between what your P&L shows and the cash actually available.Cash commonly disappears in three places that don’t show clearly on the P&L: taxes, debt payments, and owner draws/distributions.Interest expense may appear on the P&L even when the actual loan payments and balances aren’t being tracked.To understand where the money went, you need to review the P&L, cash flow statement, and balance sheet together.Predictable owner compensation, tax reserves, and a debt strategy reduce reactive decisions and stabilize cash flow.Ongoing monthly accountability and review are necessary to keep cash flow clean, especially in multi-owner practices.Snippets:00:00 Net profit versus cash in the bank.06:00 What the cash flow gap is and where it usually shows up.07:00 Why paying down debt doesn’t appear on the P&L.10:00 The three strategies: tax reserves, debt strategy, and owner compensation.11:00 The three financial statements needed to understand cash movement and what’s owed.15:00 Why multi-owner practices add complexity and require consistent monthly review.17:00 The cash flow statement tells the full story, not the P&L.18:00 BPA tools mentioned: reading the three statements, Financial Gaps at a Glance, and the calculator.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Robyn Theisen brings an entire life and legacy of dental experience to the team and every team with which she works as the daughter and sister of dentists. With almost 20 years of experience in dentistry, her roles ranged from practice management to operations at Patterson Dental to coaching teams. Robyn’s passion is empowering teams to realize that they can dramatically impact the lives of the people they serve by implementing skills and systems to remove barriers to life-changing dental treatment. She has done it for decades and does it every day with dental teams.Outside of coaching, she enjoys time with her husband, Rob, and two daughters, Emerson and Ruby. She loves traveling, music, fitness, and cheering on the Michigan State Spartans.Resources Mentioned:Financial Gaps at a Glance: https://www.actdental.com/gaps-at-a-glanceFinancial Gaps Calculator: https://www.actdental.com/gaps-calculatorMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Dentists often keep operating beliefs long after the market, technology, and patient expectations have changed. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with recurring guest Dr. Tom Hedge, practicing dentist and educator, to unpack myths dentists still believe — from selling to DSOs and misunderstanding recap/valuation, to overestimating the cost and complexity of modern technology, imaging, magnification, and hygiene staffing. You’ll learn how to rethink “rules of thumb,” evaluate DSO offers more clearly, adopt practical tech that improves diagnosis and case acceptance, and use education and community to stay adaptable. Listen to Episode 1052 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Dentists often assume what worked ten years ago will keep working, even when costs, fees, and alternatives have changed.DSO deals can break down when recapitalization happens and cheap money is no longer cheap, shrinking what DSOs can “skim” between dentist pay and profitability.A “second bite of the apple” payout is not guaranteed, and dentists can lose value if the DSO is not financially strong when the holdback comes due.Technology prices and workflows have changed dramatically, and many tools (cameras, scanners, digital X-rays) now deliver faster diagnosis and better patient understanding.Patient imaging can be created quickly using AI tools, which can help patients visualize outcomes and move forward without high-pressure selling.Magnification and hands-free lighting can simplify clinical work, reduce operatory clutter, and improve the patient experience compared to traditional overhead lights.Investing in continuing education moves dentists from “not knowing what you don’t know” to confident clinical decision-making, but learning never stops.Snippets:00:00 Welcome And Setup02:04 Why Myths Persist02:38 Rethinking Fees03:42 DSO Big Check Myth05:31 Recap And EBITDA08:19 Independent Dentistry Future09:39 Tech Costs Myth12:59 Hands Free Operatory Tech13:50 AI Smile Imaging Fast15:58 Magnification Lighting Simplified17:33 Hygiene Crisis Reframed19:27 Education And Community20:35 SmileSource Exchange Invite22:09 Final Takeaways GoodbyeGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Dr. Tom Hedge is widely known as one of the top-notch cosmetic dentists in the United States. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he majored in biology and chemistry. While studying at the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, he conducted research resulting in the publication of seven abstracts and one paper, which received numerous awards at the state and national levels. After graduating from dental school, he completed a general practice residency at Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina. This advanced education included training in anesthesia, pediatrics, emergency medicine, geriatrics, TMJ treatment, endodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, oral surgery, prosthetics, and implantology.Dr. Hedge is nationally recognized not only for excellence in clinical programs, but for sound business practices that make full use of the newest technologies in dentistry. He is an alumnus of the renowned Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, as well as the Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education. Dr. Hedge is a frequent contributor to dental publications, as well as professional development magazines.Resources mentioned in the episode:Smile Source Exchange: https://smilesource.com/exchangeMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Why does hygiene feel “booked out” and still leave you scrambling to fill holes at the last minute? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with ACT coach Ariel Siegel about why an underperforming hygiene schedule is almost always a systems problem—and how to fix it with two foundational levers: a strong reappointment/recare follow-up system and a calibrated periodontal protocol. You’ll learn what breakdowns create reactive scheduling, what “getting it right” looks like in the numbers and in patient communication, and what your team can do today to start rebuilding predictability in hygiene. Listen to Episode 1051 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:A consistently full hygiene schedule depends on two core systems: strong reappointment/recare follow-up and a strong periodontal protocol.When systems are missing, teams become reactive and spend significant time scrambling to fill last-minute openings.Automated reminders are necessary, but they cannot replace a defined recare follow-up process that tracks and re-engages unscheduled patients.“Booked out” hygiene can still indicate a breakdown if the practice is constantly scrambling to fill tomorrow’s holes.A strong hygiene reappointment process requires patients to leave with the next visit scheduled and a clear understanding of why they are returning.A calibrated perio protocol increases consistent diagnosis, patient understanding, and acceptance, which supports both hygiene stability and restorative scheduling.Building systems up front reduces future effort and prevents the ongoing “chasing patients” cycle that patients often resist.Snippets:01:55 The two systems that keep the hygiene schedule predictably full.03:50 What it looks like when hygiene scheduling is broken and the team becomes reactive.04:20 Why reminders can’t be the whole recare system.05:40 “We’re booked out months” but still scrambling—what that signals.07:10 What “getting it right” looks like: reappointment commitment and follow-up tracking.09:00 How calibrating a perio protocol changes perio percentages and 4000 codes.11:30 Stop chasing patients—capture commitment while they’re in the practice.12:10 What your team can do today: find the gaps driving last-minute holes.12:40 The easiest short-term win: improve hygiene reappointment expectations.14:05 Why perio protocol calibration takes alignment, tools, and consistent messaging.16:10 Systems save hours: invest now instead of living in reactive mode.16:55 Where to find BPA resources for hygiene reappointment/recare follow-up and calibrated perio protocol.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!Resources mentioned:Best Practices Association (BPA) resources: https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Many practices keep looking for more new patients when the bigger problem is the gap between what gets diagnosed and what actually gets scheduled, completed, and collected. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Sameer Bhasin of CareCredit about building reliable, measurable systems that make unscheduled dentistry visible, tighten the diagnose-to-schedule pathway, and improve follow-through so patients get the care they need without adding more chaos to the schedule. You’ll learn how to create an actionable dashboard, protect procedure time, clean up revenue cycle habits, and use technology to amplify (not replace) your workflow. Listen to Episode 1050 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Most private practices aren’t short on diagnosing treatment; they’re short on conversion and follow-through.Unscheduled dentistry should be broken down into a dashboard by timeframe, procedure type, value tier, and patient readiness so it becomes actionable.A strong diagnose-to-schedule pathway requires consistent handoffs, clear “why now,” and protecting schedule time for the procedures you want to do.Production on paper isn’t the same as performance because value is often lost in handoffs, case acceptance, scheduling, and collections.Clean revenue cycle discipline includes early benefit verification, collecting patient portions appropriately, and consistent weekly AR and aging-claims follow-up.Technology should amplify an existing workflow (analytics, reminders, online scheduling guardrails) rather than replace human follow-up and accountability.As a benchmark, about 10% of patients should be applying for third-party financing to ensure financial options are part of the process, not an afterthought.Snippets:00:00 Unscheduled dentistry is the opportunity most practices aren’t working.08:23 How to build an unscheduled treatment dashboard by time, procedure, and value tier.11:52 Standardizing the diagnose-to-schedule pathway and creating urgency with the “next best appointment.”15:40 What a “clean revenue cycle” looks like and why write-offs are a major hidden problem.18:05 Technology amplifies a workflow; it doesn’t replace one.20:10 The metrics Samir watches, including the 10% financing application benchmark.23:10 The “Great Wall of China” myth and how misconceptions show up in practice systems.26:55 Approval rate realities and why you can’t get approvals without applications.33:00 What a CareCredit practice review reveals and how it’s used to find opportunities.35:45 A simple action plan: pull the last 90 days of unscheduled dentistry and call the top 20 patients.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Sameer Bhasin, Vice President of Strategic Alliances at CareCredit, is responsible for working with dentistry’s key opinion leaders and educators to gather the latest insights and trends. Previously, Mr. Bhasin held positions as a CareCredit Practice Development Manager and Regional Sales Manager where he acquired more than a decade of front line practice experience. He holds both a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Business and an MBA in Healthcare Administration.Email: [email protected]: https://www.facebook.com/sameer.bhasin/https://www.instagram.com/sam.i.am.329/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Core values sound simple until you try to use them to lead a team consistently, especially when things get busy or uncomfortable. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt explains how to turn core values into daily decision-making tools with Heather Crockett, coach at ACT Dental.You’ll learn how to make values behavioral and observable, build them into your communication rhythms, and use them as a practical filter for hiring, accountability, and tough leadership calls. Listen to Episode 1049 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Core values only work when they drive daily behavior, not when they’re just words on a wall.Values must be actionable and observable so the team can interpret and apply them consistently.“Core values without function” shows up as subjective interpretations, inconsistent culture, and leaders hesitating to hold people accountable.Make each value behavioral by defining what it means, documenting examples of how it shows up, and listing the results when it’s alive and well.Operationalize values by embedding them into hiring, onboarding, daily huddles, weekly team meetings, monthly check-ins, and quarterly planning.Use values as the decision-making filter for real-time issues like scheduling, finances, patient care, and team dynamics to reduce decision fatigue.Hire and evaluate people on two criteria: they get results and they fit your core values, using tools like a Right Person, Right Seat scorecard.Snippets:00:00 How to turn core values into daily decision-making tools.02:10 Why core values matter only if they drive behavior.03:10 Why vague values (like “excellence” or “integrity”) don’t work as daily tools.04:30 What “core values without function” looks like inside a practice.06:10 How to make values behavioral with definitions, examples, and outcomes.08:00 Using “anti-values” and standout team behaviors to clarify what you want.10:10 Putting core values into systems and communication rhythms.12:10 Using huddles and team meetings for value shout-outs and accountability.18:00 Using core values as a daily decision filter to reduce decision fatigue.22:10 Heather’s final takeaways on visibility, systems, and reflection.23:50 BPA tools mentioned: Identifying Core Values, bringing values alive, Right Person Right Seat scorecard.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Heather Crockett is a Lead Practice Coach who finds joy in not only improving practices but improving the lives of those she coaches as well. With over 20 years of combined experience in assisting, office management, and clinical dental hygiene, her awareness supports many aspects of the practice setting.Heather received her dental hygiene degree from the Utah College of Dental Hygiene in 2008. Networking in the dental community comes easy to her, and she loves to connect with like-minded colleagues on social media. Heather enjoys both attending and presenting continuing education to expand her knowledge and learn from her friends and colleagues.She enjoys hanging out with her husband, three sons, and their dog, Moki, scrolling through social media, watching football, and traveling.Resources mentioned in this episode:Identifying Your Core Values (exercise outline): https://www.actdental.com/hubfs/Identify%20Your%20Practices%20Core%20Values.pdfBPA tool on how to bring core values alive:https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/how-to-bring-your-core-values-aliveRight Person, Right Seat scorecard:https://www.actdental.com/blog/2-key-tools-for-accountability-successMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Burnout can feel like a personal failure, but it often shows up because the business isn’t operationally aligned. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back coach Ariel Siegel to explain why burnout is a business signal, what numbers reveal the real problem, and which metrics to track so your schedule, profitability, and energy feel more sustainable. You’ll learn how days worked, write-offs, and margin create (or relieve) pressure — and what to start measuring right now to regain control. Listen to Episode 1048 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Burnout often feels personal, but it is typically a signal that something in the business is not working.Adding more hours, skipping lunch, and squeezing in patients can increase effort without delivering proportional financial relief.Days worked and write-offs have risen significantly post-COVID, creating instability and stress when margin becomes inconsistent.Recovery is a requirement for success, and time away from the practice must be built in, not “earned” later.Dentists must track the true number of clinical days worked because most don’t know the real number from the prior year.Margin matters more than production because it shows what is left after overhead and debt, and it reveals profit leaks.Write-offs must be understood by source so you can see how many days you are effectively working “for free” and build a plan to improve.Snippets:00:00 Metric Monday Intro01:35 Burnout Is A Signal03:36 When It Goes Wrong04:56 Post COVID Metrics Shift06:16 Margin Stress Spiral08:26 Getting It Right09:51 Track Days And Margin13:15 Busy But Not Profitable14:55 Action Step Write Offs16:47 Resources And Wrap UpGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!Guest resources mentioned in this episode:PPO Freedom Course: https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/ppo-roadmap/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

When PPO write-offs climb, adding more patients can increase stress while decreasing profitability. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with Miranda Beeson, ACT’s Director of Education, to unpack “the PPO trap” and explain why more patients can mean less money. You’ll learn how to spot the effort gap, gather the right data before making insurance decisions, and shift the insurance mindset and language so your team can confidently support a more profitable model—whether that means going fully fee-for-service or reducing PPO exposure strategically. Listen to Episode 1047of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:More patients can increase production but still reduce profit when write-offs and effort gap widen.Practices should make PPO decisions with data—not emotion—by analyzing write-offs, plan mix, production, and procedure impact.Going fee-for-service must match your business model and requires leadership, team alignment, and consistent communication.If you’re not ready to go fully out-of-network, you can improve profitability by tracking write-offs per plan and participating selectively.Capacity matters: if you have holes in the schedule, it may not be the right time to drop plans aggressively.Teams must shift language from “coverage” to “benefits” and keep clinical recommendations separate from insurance limitations.Front office and team buy-in are critical, because inconsistent messaging and fear-based language will sabotage the transition.Snippets:00:00 More patients doesn’t automatically mean more profit—and why the effort gap matters.04:59 How write-offs have grown after COVID, including practices seeing 30–55%+.10:18 Why going fee-for-service isn’t just an insurance decision—it’s a business model and leadership decision.14:22 The key data to review before dropping a plan (patients, production, write-offs, procedures, attrition tolerance).18:40 How to participate strategically: track write-offs per plan, evaluate plan impact, and consider fee negotiation.22:29 How to identify “poor fit” plans and include admin team friction (appeals, phone time, denials) in the decision.28:05 The mindset shift: insurance as a benefit, not coverage—and why insurance shouldn’t drive diagnosis.31:53 Language that protects the health recommendation and reduces insurance-driven conversations.36:48 How to answer “Do you take my insurance?” without undermining value or confidence.38:10 First steps: confirm you bill full fees, know true write-offs, and clarify your practice model direction.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.Resources mentioned in this episode:PPO Roadmap: https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/ppo-roadmap/\Say This Not That: https://www.actdental.com/hubfs/Say%20This%2C%20Not%20That%20-%20Fillable.pdfTo The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

When patients don’t accept treatment, most dentists assume it’s about money — but the real breakdown often happens earlier in the process. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Jim McKee to share the five questions that determine whether a patient will say yes and whether you should take the case. You’ll learn how to diagnose the real problem, frame expectations, evaluate timing and affordability, and build the kind of trust that prevents conflict in complex dentistry. Listen to Episode 1046 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Case acceptance starts when the dentist clearly understands the problem and has a predictable solution.Patients say no when they understand the complaint but don’t understand the real diagnosis or why the proposed solution makes sense.Many declined treatment plans are a timing issue in the patient’s life, not a fee issue.Affordability often comes down to phasing treatment while clearly explaining the risks, changes, and potential added cost over time.Unrealistic expectations — clinical, financial, or both — are a leading cause of difficult cases and post-treatment conflict.Trust is built by accurate diagnosis, transparent expectation-setting, and having the clinical skills to manage complex problems.You should trust your “spider senses” and be willing to lose the case early rather than getting stuck in treatment you can’t deliver predictably.Snippets:00:00 Where the “five keys to case acceptance” came from.00:05 “Checkers vs. chess” patients and why Julie’s case changed the conversation.00:07 Why tooth-based solutions fail when the problem is skeletal or joint-based.00:11 Unrealistic expectations and the hidden mismatch between insurance and “perfect” dentistry.00:17 Why “too expensive” is often a timing issue, not the real reason patients delay.00:19 The money question: phasing complex cases without surprising patients later.00:25 The trust question and why sustaining practices are built on relationships, not volume.00:30 How to think through failure points before you start treatment.00:33 Why it’s better to lose up front than disappoint a patient mid-treatment.00:38 Where to learn more: online training, hands-on workshops, and a Chicago study club.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Dr. Jim McKee is a restorative dentist and educator focused on occlusion, TMD, and restorative diagnosis. He is a member of the Spear Resident Faculty. He has maintained a private practice since 1984 in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he treats a wide variety of cases with a focus on predictable restorative dentistry. He is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and former president of the American Equilibration Society. He has lectured both nationally and internationally for over 25 years and directs several study clubs. Dr. McKee graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1980 and earned his dental degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in 1984.Guest Resources Mentioned:Online program through Phelan Dental Seminars: https://courses.phelandentalseminars.com/tmd-pdsAdvanced Occlusion Workshop at Spear Education : https://app.speareducation.com/events/workshops/advanced-occlusionMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

When your schedule is packed, it’s easy to assume your practice is healthy—but “busy” can hide low productivity and weak profitability. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings in ACT Dental coach Robyn Theisen to explain why volume masks inefficiency longer than any other metric, how “busy” becomes a false proxy for performance, and what to measure instead. You’ll learn how to compare number of visits with production per visit and production per hour, what inefficient schedules look like, and how to build a strategic schedule that slows down on purpose while producing more. Listen to Episode 1045 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:A full schedule can look healthy while profitability is not there because volume can hide inefficiency.“Busy” is a false proxy and has zero value unless you connect it to productivity and profitability.Compare number of visits with production per visit (PPV) and production per hour (PPH) to see whether you’re churning through patients or producing efficiently.Low PPV and low PPH often show up as lots of short, low-value appointments and reactive treatment planning that keeps the day running long.Inefficient volume creates physical fatigue and mental fatigue when the activity doesn’t match what ends up in the bank account.A practice that gets it right builds a strategic schedule with the right mix of procedures, not just filled spots, and matches time to clinical complexity and value.Start by planning the year (days worked, vacations, holidays, CE, meetings), set an annual production goal, and break it down into a daily target to build the schedule around.Snippets:00:00 Why a busy schedule doesn’t automatically mean a profitable schedule.03:10 Why “busy” is a false proxy and what “time is the new rich” looks like.04:05 The homework metric: calculate PPV, PPH, and compare them to number of visits.06:00 What inefficient volume looks like in the schedule and treatment planning.08:05 What it looks like when a practice gets it right with a strategic schedule.11:05 The first step: plan your year, set annual goals, and convert them into a daily production target.12:00 Why write-offs matter and how inaccurate assumptions can hide the real numbers.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Robyn Theisen brings an entire life and legacy of dental experience to the team and every team with which she works as the daughter and sister of dentists. With almost 20 years of experience in dentistry, her roles ranged from practice management to operations at Patterson Dental to coaching teams. Robyn’s passion is empowering teams to realize that they can dramatically impact the lives of the people they serve by implementing skills and systems to remove barriers to life-changing dental treatment. She has done it for decades and does it every day with dental teams.Outside of coaching, she enjoys time with her husband, Rob, and two daughters, Emerson and Ruby. She loves traveling, music, fitness, and cheering on the Michigan State Spartans.Resources mentioned in the episode:Pro Coaching (ACT Dental): https://www.actdental.com/proTo The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Dental insurance rules are changing fast, and “dental loss ratio” (DLR) is becoming a key issue dentists can’t ignore. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with Shelley DeGroff of PPO Advisors to explain what DLR is, how it works, why states are adopting it, and what it could mean for premiums, access to coverage, and the future of PPO participation. You’ll learn how DLR is measured, what accountability could improve for patients and practices, and where to watch for state-by-state updates as the market shifts. Listen to Episode 1044 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Dental loss ratio (DLR) is the percentage of dental insurance premium dollars spent on patient care rather than overhead, administration, or profit.DLR is state-specific legislation, and states can require carriers to meet a target percentage or refund premium dollars back to patients.The current national average DLR discussed is about 64%–67%, which is driving efforts to push DLR targets into the 80% range.As DLR expands, dentists may see operational improvements like fewer denials and faster claims processing, depending on how carriers respond.One downside risk is that some carriers may raise premiums or exit certain markets, making coverage harder to find or more expensive for employers and patients.NCOIL (National Council of Insurance Legislators) has a model DLR framework that states can use as a starting point when drafting legislation.Dentists should track DLR activity through their state dental society and stay engaged in the legislative conversation as changes accelerate.Snippets:00:00 Why dentists need to understand dental loss ratio (DLR).04:00 What DLR is and how premium dollars are measured against patient care.06:00 How state DLR laws can trigger refunds of premium dollars to patients.09:00 The national average DLR discussed (64%–67%) and the push toward the 80s.10:00 Why brokers may feel the squeeze first as carriers adjust to DLR pressure.12:00 How relying on PPO lists can become riskier as networks and rules shift.13:00 A warning sign: treatment planning based on insurance instead of clinical judgment.18:00 What NCOIL is and how it influences state DLR bills.19:00 How DLR could mirror medical loss ratio dynamics, including premium pressure.24:00 Where to start: practice evaluation and understanding how insurance impacts the business.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Shelley DeGroff, founder and CEO of PPO Advisors, knows dentistry. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, she began working as a dental receptionist in a nearby dental office. After completing her certification as a dental assistant, Shelley transitioned to become a successful office manager. It was in that role that Shelley began noticing the need for PPO negotiations for her employing doctor. This experience began the business model for PPO Advisors, which has now become a nationwide industry leader.Resources mentioned in the episode:PPO Advisors website: https://ppoadvisors.com/PPO Advisors blog: https://ppoadvisors.com/ppo-insights/blog/NCOIL (National Council of Insurance Legislators) model dental loss ratio framework:https://ncoil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/NCOIL-DLR-Model-Health-Cmte-Adopted-1-26-24.pdfMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Do you ever catch yourself thinking, “Why am I even doing this?” When dentistry becomes all noise—production goals, staffing issues, and nonstop mental load—it’s easy to lose your purpose and drift into burnout. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back practice coach Miranda Beeson to explain how reconnecting to service—without sacrificing yourself—restores energy, strengthens leadership, and makes the work meaningful again. You’ll learn how service applies to patients, your team, your profession, and your community, plus practical ways to re-anchor your mindset through daily habits and better language around numbers. Listen to Episode 1043 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Dentistry is a helping profession, and burnout grows when purpose gets replaced by task-focus, noise, and transactional thinking.Service is not self-sacrifice; you have to protect boundaries and run a strong business to serve appropriately.When patients become “appointments” or “dollar signs,” fulfillment drops and emotional fatigue increases for both doctors and teams.Serving your team means creating an opportunity for financial stability, fulfillment, and development—not just expecting performance.Leadership is a mindset, not a title, and anyone can lead by showing up with an others-focused approach.Serving the profession and community through mentorship, study clubs, and giving back can restore meaning and re-energize seasoned dentists.Re-anchoring daily to purpose and gratitude helps reset mindset, improves team language around metrics, and supports healthier leadership.Snippets:00:00 Burnout And The Why01:23 Meet Coach Miranda03:02 Dentistry Noise Overload04:22 Service Fuels Purpose06:22 Serve Without Sacrifice09:06 When Service Gets Lost14:10 Serving Patients Deeply16:50 Serving Your Team20:52 Leadership Without Titles22:21 Serve Dentistry Community24:15 Community Service Mindset24:32 Mentorship Stories25:34 Giving Back Fuels Joy27:12 Keep the Fire Lit27:25 Margin and Mindsets29:07 Practical Reset Tips30:16 Purpose in Huddles31:41 Gratitude Over the Gap33:38 Reframing Numbers as Care35:03 Accountability and the Right People37:14 Final Takeaways on Service41:28 Core Purpose and Resources42:41 Podcast FarewellGuest Bio/Guest Resources:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaBest Practices Resources:https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com