Dental Drills Bits: Recent Episodes
Sandy Pardue
Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury of Classic Practice Resources discuss issues facing the dental practice owner of today. This podcast show features the movers and shakers of the dental industry as well as opinion leaders. Enjoy the fun, laid-back vibe as things get real.
Dana has been in dentistry for over 15 years. She first entered the industry at the ripe old age of 18 years old selling a crown and bridge removal system. She left to go to college and worked part-time, moving to full-time after graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University with a degree in Marketing and almost a minor in Math (but she barely remembers how to reduce fractions nowadays).
Sandy is an energetic lecturer and consultant in the area of dental practice management. She is Director of Consulting with Classic Practice Resources and has over 36 years of “hands-on” experience.
What does your staff really cost your dental practice? The answer goes far beyond payroll.
In the Staff portion of our Systems. Staff. Training. series, Sandy and Dana look at staffing as a business investment. Being understaffed can mean missed calls, unfinished follow-up, rushed patient interactions, neglected recall, and opportunities that quietly slip through the cracks. Sometimes what looks like a performance problem is really a capacity problem.
This conversation digs into the real ROI of having enough of the right people, why dental experience shouldn't automatically determine who gets hired, and how desperation can lead practices into costly hiring decisions.
Sandy also shares one of her favorite quality-control metrics for evaluating staffing: collections per full-time-equivalent team member. It gives practice owners another way to look beyond payroll and ask whether their staffing is actually supporting the production and growth of the practice.
And finding great people is only half the equation. Sandy and Dana discuss what happens when practices hold onto the wrong employees too long, how that affects high performers, and why strong systems and documentation make turnover much less disruptive.
In This Episode * How to recognize when your practice is truly understaffed * The hidden financial impact of not having enough of the right people * Sandy's collections-per-full-time-equivalent metric for evaluating staffing * Why attitude, intelligence, and coachability can matter more than dental experience * How poor hiring and retention decisions can ultimately cost you your best employees
Key Takeaways: The goal isn't to have the smallest team possible.
It's to have the right people, in the right roles, with enough capacity to execute the systems that make your practice successful.
If you're focused only on the cost of adding another employee, ask a different question:
What is it costing your practice not to have enough of the right people?
📲 Join the Conversation! *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-testid= "conversation-turn-10" data-turn="assistant"> Where is your biggest staffing challenge right now?
Finding the right people? Having enough capacity? Keeping your best employees? Or knowing when it's time to let someone go?
Join the conversation in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. We'd love to hear what's happening in your practice and may feature your experience in a future episode.
🎟️ Front Desk Pro Live Front Desk Pro Live is coming to Dallas on September 18!
Don't let the name fool you. This one-day, in-person training is designed for the entire team and dives into communication, patient objections, phone skills, collections, reactivation, unscheduled treatment, and the overall patient experience.
Use promo code Secret Sauce when registering.
What does your staff really cost your dental practice? The answer goes far beyond payroll.
In the Staff portion of our Systems. Staff. Training. series, Sandy and Dana look at staffing as a business investment. Being understaffed can mean missed calls, unfinished follow-up, rushed patient interactions, neglected recall, and opportunities that quietly slip through the cracks. Sometimes what looks like a performance problem is really a capacity problem.
This conversation digs into the real ROI of having enough of the right people, why dental experience shouldn't automatically determine who gets hired, and how desperation can lead practices into costly hiring decisions.
Sandy also shares one of her favorite quality-control metrics for evaluating staffing: collections per full-time-equivalent team member. It gives practice owners another way to look beyond payroll and ask whether their staffing is actually supporting the production and growth of the practice.
And finding great people is only half the equation. Sandy and Dana discuss what happens when practices hold onto the wrong employees too long, how that affects high performers, and why strong systems and documentation make turnover much less disruptive.
In This Episode * How to recognize when your practice is truly understaffed * The hidden financial impact of not having enough of the right people * Sandy's collections-per-full-time-equivalent metric for evaluating staffing * Why attitude, intelligence, and coachability can matter more than dental experience * How poor hiring and retention decisions can ultimately cost you your best employees
Key Takeaways: The goal isn't to have the smallest team possible.
It's to have the right people, in the right roles, with enough capacity to execute the systems that make your practice successful.
If you're focused only on the cost of adding another employee, ask a different question:
What is it costing your practice not to have enough of the right people?
📲 Join the Conversation! Where is your biggest staffing challenge right now?
Finding the right people? Having enough capacity? Keeping your best employees? Or knowing when it's time to let someone go?
Join the conversation in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. We'd love to hear what's happening in your practice and may feature your experience in a future episode.
🎟️ Front Desk Pro Live Front Desk Pro Live is coming to Dallas on September 18!
Don't let the name fool you. This one-day, in-person training is designed for the entire team and dives into communication, patient objections, phone skills, collections, reactivation, unscheduled treatment, and the overall patient experience.
Use promo code Secret Sauce when registering.
Every dental practice has systems—whether they're written down or not.
In Part One of our special three-part series honoring Dr. Robert Westerman's 90th birthday, Sandy Pardue explores the first leg of Dr. Westerman's timeless philosophy: systems.
Many practice owners believe their biggest challenge is finding better employees. But what if the real problem isn't your people at all? What if your practice depends on knowledge that's locked inside one employee's head?
In this episode, Sandy explains why documented systems create consistency, reduce stress, simplify training, and protect your practice when team members leave. She also introduces the concept of "tribal knowledge"—one of the biggest hidden risks in dentistry.
Whether you're a dentist, office manager, or team member, this conversation will challenge the way you think about leadership and organization.
Key Takeaways: * Why your hiring process may be costing you great hygienists * The biggest mistake practices make during hygienist interviews * Why DISC is a powerful development tool—but a poor screening tool * Why licensed professionals want to meet the doctor early in the hiring process * How to remove unnecessary hiring roadblocks and move faster with confidence
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation! *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-testid= "conversation-turn-10" data-turn="assistant"> Have you ever lost a great hygienist during the hiring process?
What's one change you could make this week to remove a roadblock for your next candidate?
Join the conversation in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. We'd love to hear what's working in your practice—and what hiring lessons you've learned along the way.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 September 18, 2026 – Dallas, Texas
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: SecretSauce
September has earned a bad reputation in dentistry, but is "Sucktember" really the problem?
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana Pardue challenge the idea that a slow September is inevitable. Instead, they look at the systems behind treatment acceptance, unscheduled treatment, and patient follow-up.
Many practices are sitting on hundreds of thousands, or even more than a million dollars, in diagnosed treatment that was never scheduled. The patient owns the decision to move forward, but the diagnosing practice still owns the process. That includes clear communication, assigned responsibility, consistent follow-up, and a system that does not allow patients to quietly disappear into a report.
If your practice is waiting for patients to remember to call, this episode may explain why treatment acceptance is slipping.
Key Takeaways: * Why your hiring process may be costing you great hygienists * The biggest mistake practices make during hygienist interviews * Why DISC is a powerful development tool—but a poor screening tool * Why licensed professionals want to meet the doctor early in the hiring process * How to remove unnecessary hiring roadblocks and move faster with confidence
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation! *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-testid= "conversation-turn-10" data-turn="assistant"> Have you ever lost a great hygienist during the hiring process?
What's one change you could make this week to remove a roadblock for your next candidate?
Join the conversation in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. We'd love to hear what's working in your practice—and what hiring lessons you've learned along the way.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 September 18, 2026 – Dallas, Texas
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: SecretSauce
Finding a great hygienist is difficult enough in today's market. The last thing your practice needs is a hiring process that unintentionally drives qualified candidates away.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana Pardue challenge one of the most common assumptions in dentistry: that the hygienist shortage is the only reason practices can't fill open positions. While the shortage is real, many practices are creating unnecessary barriers through slow decision-making, gatekeepers, personality assessments, and interview processes that put the doctor—the very person candidates want to meet—at the end of the process instead of the beginning.
If you've ever had a hygienist accept your offer only to disappear before their first day, this episode may explain why.
Key Takeaways: * Why your hiring process may be costing you great hygienists * The biggest mistake practices make during hygienist interviews * Why DISC is a powerful development tool—but a poor screening tool * Why licensed professionals want to meet the doctor early in the hiring process * How to remove unnecessary hiring roadblocks and move faster with confidence
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation! *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-testid= "conversation-turn-10" data-turn="assistant"> Have you ever lost a great hygienist during the hiring process?
What's one change you could make this week to remove a roadblock for your next candidate?
Join the conversation in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. We'd love to hear what's working in your practice—and what hiring lessons you've learned along the way.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 September 18, 2026 – Dallas, Texas
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: Secret Sauce
Episode Description Every dental practice wants employees who take ownership, solve problems, and think independently. But what if the biggest obstacle isn't your team—it's the way they're being led?
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue explore the leadership habits that unintentionally create dependent employees. From constant reminders and answering every question to rescuing projects instead of coaching through them, they explain how well-meaning leaders can accidentally train their teams to wait instead of think.
Learn how clear expectations, documented systems, accountability, and intentional leadership create confident employees who make decisions, solve problems, and help your practice run more efficiently without constant oversight.
Key Takeaways: * Why constant reminders are a sign of a system problem—not a people problem * How SOPs and job descriptions create confident, independent employees * The leadership questions that encourage critical thinking instead of dependency * Why accountability should be built into every role from day one * How effective delegation develops stronger teams and better long-term practice performance
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation! *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-testid= "conversation-turn-10" data-turn="assistant"> What's one leadership habit you've changed that helped your team become more independent?
How do you encourage employees to solve problems instead of immediately coming to you for answers?
Join the conversation in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. We'd love to hear what's working in your practice, and your insight may be featured in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 September 18, 2026 – Dallas, Texas
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: Secret Sauce
Every day, patients leave dental practices knowing they need treatment... yet many never schedule. The result? Health problems worsen, patients disappear, and practices unknowingly leave hundreds of thousands—even millions—of dollars in diagnosed treatment sitting unscheduled.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue tackle one of the biggest missed opportunities in dentistry: treatment plan follow-up. Dana also shares her personal health journey and why following through on recommended care made all the difference, creating a powerful reminder of what patients experience after they leave your office.
Discover why simply presenting treatment isn't enough, who should own the follow-up process, and the simple systems every practice can implement to help more patients receive the care they need.
Key Takeaways: * Why patients delay scheduling treatment after saying "yes" * Who should own treatment plan follow-up in your practice * How to build a consistent follow-up system that gets results * The reports and statistics every practice should be tracking * Why better communication leads to healthier patients and stronger practices
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation! *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:2f0b811b-53fa-40f2-82df-e70d643f5c53-4" data-testid= "conversation-turn-10" data-turn="assistant"> Who owns treatment plan follow-up in your practice?
What's been the most effective way you've found to reconnect with patients who leave without scheduling?
Join the conversation in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. We'd love to hear what's working in your practice, and your insight may be featured in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 September 18, 2026 – Dallas, Texas
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: Secret Sauce
Are broken appointments disrupting the flow of your dental practice and impacting your bottom line?
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy dive deep into a chronic challenge faced by many dentists: managing broken appointments. Sandy, drawing from her wealth of expertise, sheds light on effective strategies to tackle this issue head-on. She discusses how proper appointment confirmations can make all the difference and shares her sharp observations on recognizing patterns that often lead to last-minute cancellations.
Sandy stresses the imperative of clear and consistent communication as well as the establishment of effective control mechanisms within the practice. She discusses assigning a dedicated scheduler to manage appointments prudently and to ensure patients show up. Sandy shows us actionable verbal techniques, empowering practice owners to see immediate improvements in patient compliance. Wrapping up with key insights, she reminds listeners of the importance of truly understanding patient needs and maintaining well-regulated schedules, offering a roadmap to improved practice efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Key Takeaways: * Techniques for reducing the rate of broken appointments. * The impact of proper appointment confirmations on practice workflow. * How to detect patterns and triggers that lead to cancellations. * Methods for categorizing different types of patient cancellations. * The importance of effective communication within your practice. * How a dedicated scheduler can boost patient adherence. * Verbal strategies to encourage patients to keep their appointments.
Ready to enhance your practice's efficiency? Tune in now to stop those no-shows!
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation! What interview question has helped you identify a great team member—or a major red flag?
Have you changed the way you hire in today's workforce environment?
Join the discussion in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we'd love to hear your experience and may feature it in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 September 18, 2026 – Dallas, Texas
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: Secret Sauce
Why do so many dental practices struggle with staffing, accountability, and turnover? According to Sandy Pardue, the issue may not be the team at all — it may be leadership.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy dive into the uncomfortable but necessary conversations around leadership, onboarding, staff meetings, expectations, accountability, and why many practices unknowingly create the chaos they complain about. From poor onboarding experiences to managers who were never trained to lead, this episode breaks down the habits that quietly damage team culture and drive good employees away.
If your practice feels stressed, inconsistent, or stuck in constant staffing frustration, this conversation will challenge you to rethink the systems, structure, and leadership habits shaping your office every day.
Key Takeaways: * Why leadership problems often disguise themselves as staffing problems * The onboarding mistakes that set new employees up to fail * How unclear expectations create unnecessary stress in practices
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation! What interview question has helped you identify a great team member—or a major red flag?
Have you changed the way you hire in today's workforce environment?
Join the discussion in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we'd love to hear your experience and may feature it in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 September 18, 2026 – Dallas, Texas
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: Secret Sauce
*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-69fa7be0-0f24-83ea-bf5a-a0bc0abe6937-1" data-turn-id-container= "request-69fa7be0-0f24-83ea-bf5a-a0bc0abe6937-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-18" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> Most hiring conversations in dentistry start with the wrong question.
"Do people even want to work anymore?"
But today's workforce trends tell a different story.
Employees are evaluating workplaces just as much as employers are evaluating them—and many candidates are prioritizing flexibility, leadership, clarity, and culture over compensation alone.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack one of the biggest frustrations in dentistry right now: hiring hygienists in a changing workforce landscape.
Together, they break down how practices can stop hiring emotionally, start interviewing strategically, and create environments where the right people actually want to stay.
You'll also hear: ✔️ Why "needing a job" is not a predictor of long-term success ✔️ The biggest mistake doctors make during hygiene interviews ✔️ How to ask behavioral-based interview questions that reveal the truth ✔️ Why candidates are evaluating your practice during the interview process ✔️ The role leadership and structure play in retention ✔️ How unclear expectations contribute to disengagement and burnout ✔️ Why alignment—not desperation—is the key to better hiring ✔️ One immediate change you can make in your next interview
Key Takeaway Hiring isn't about finding someone who needs a job.
It's about finding someone who aligns with the environment, expectations, and leadership within your practice.
When expectations are clear, systems are structured, and communication is consistent, practices stop hiring reactively—and start building stronger, more reliable teams.
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation! What interview question has helped you identify a great team member—or a major red flag?
Have you changed the way you hire in today's workforce environment?
Join the discussion in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we'd love to hear your experience and may feature it in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 September 18, 2026 – Dallas, Texas
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: Secret Sauce
Are we expecting people to lead… without ever teaching them how?
In dental practices everywhere, strong team members are promoted into management roles—but without clear systems, protocols, or expectations, they're left to figure it out on their own. The result? Confusion, inconsistency, and leaders who feel stuck, reactive, or overwhelmed.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack one of the biggest gaps in dentistry today: the lack of structure behind leadership.
Because the truth is—most managers aren't failing because they're incapable… they're struggling because no one ever showed them what to do next.
Together, they break down what happens when structure is missing, why emotional leadership takes over, and how clear systems can transform not just your managers—but your entire practice.
You'll also hear: ✔️ Why promoting great employees doesn't automatically create great leaders ✔️ The real reason managers freeze, avoid conflict, or react emotionally ✔️ How inconsistent decision-making quietly breaks trust within your team ✔️ What happens when there are no clear protocols or expectations ✔️ Why bypassing your manager damages authority and team culture ✔️ How to create simple, repeatable systems for handling real situations ✔️ The role structure plays in building confidence, clarity, and accountability
Key Takeaway Leadership isn't about personality—it's about structure.
When expectations are clear, decisions become easier. Communication improves. Trust builds. And your team begins to operate with confidence instead of confusion.
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the Conversation! Have you ever stepped into a leadership role without clear direction—or seen it happen in your practice?
What made the biggest difference for you?
Join the discussion in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we'd love to hear your experience and may feature it in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar 📍 May 8, 2026 – New Orleans, Louisiana
www.classicpractice.com
🎟️ Promo Code for $100 Off Tuition: Secret Sauce
AI is changing the way dental practices operate—but should it replace the front desk?
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy take a real, balanced look at AI receptionists in dentistry. From answering phones and scheduling appointments to managing patient communication, automation is becoming more accessible than ever.
But here's the bigger question: Where does AI improve efficiency—and where does it risk losing the patient connection?
Sandy shares real conversations she's having with dentists right now, including practices considering reducing front desk staff. Together, they break down what AI can handle well… and where it simply can't replace a skilled team member.
You'll also hear: ✔️ When AI can support your practice (after-hours, overflow calls, staff meetings) ✔️ Why the first phone call is still your most valuable marketing moment ✔️ The biggest missed opportunities happening on calls right now ✔️ How tools like Practice by Numbers are using AI to enhance—not replace—team performance ✔️ The real reason patients choose one practice over another
Dentistry is still a relationship business. And while AI can process requests, it can't replace trust, reassurance, or connection.
If you're exploring AI in your practice, this episode will help you think strategically—not reactively.
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! Where did you start when learning the business side of dentistry—and what would you do differently now? Share your experience in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar May 8, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana
www.classicpractice.com
Promo code for $100 off tuition: Secret Sauce
Front Desk Chaos to Clarity Episode Description: In this episode of The Dental Drill Bits Podcast, Sandy and Dana tackle one of the biggest front desk challenges in dental practices—how to maintain consistency and organization when multiple team members rotate through the same position. 🔄
One doctor from the Dental Drill Bits Facebook group asked: How do I streamline communication and documentation when different front desk employees work on different days? Sandy and Dana break it all down, sharing real-world strategies to bring clarity and structure to the front office.
They discuss the importance of detailed checklists, clear procedures, and training that eliminates confusion, ensures predictability, and keeps both doctors and teams stress-free. Plus, they dive into the hidden risks of poor communication—and how to fix them fast.
Key Takeaways: ✔️ Why inconsistency in front desk processes causes frustration for both doctors and employees 😫 ✔️ How standard operating procedures (SOPs) create predictable and stress-free workflows 📋 ✔️ The must-have checklists that keep your front office running smoothly every day ✅ ✔️ How to prevent micromanagement while still ensuring accountability 🔄 ✔️ Why role clarity reduces conflict and improves team morale 🙌 ✔️ A step-by-step action plan to start organizing your front office today 🏁
Sandy also shares how Front Desk Pro attendees are already using these strategies to create smoother, more productive front desks!
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Want to master front desk efficiency? Don't miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 New Orleans, LA - May 8, 2026
Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
Take Action Today: Don't let front desk chaos slow you down! Take Sandy's challenge: ➡️ Sit down with your front office team and list everything that needs to happen daily ➡️ Create a simple checklist to ensure consistency ➡️ Store your SOPs in a digital folder or binder for easy training and accountability
Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Don't forget to subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies.
]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:0bb2d385-839d-4751-9f37-01e788c4bec9-3" data-testid= "conversation-turn-8" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> In this episode, we tackle one of the most common—and overwhelming—questions new dentists face: "Now what?"* After dental school, the clinical foundation is there—but the business side often feels unclear, scattered, and reactive.
Many dentists jump from course to course, system to system, trying to fix everything at once. But without a clear starting point and sequence, progress stalls—and frustration builds.
We discuss what actually matters first when building the business side of a practice—from leadership and culture to metrics, systems, and accountability. You'll learn how to cut through the noise, focus on what drives results, and create a structured path forward.
If you want clarity, direction, and a smarter way to grow your practice without wasting time or energy, this episode will challenge how you think about getting started.
What You'll Learn • Why most new dentists feel stuck when approaching the business side • The biggest mistake: trying to fix everything at once • Why leadership—not systems—is the true starting point • How to identify the right metrics to track first • The importance of sequencing your business improvements • How to move from reactive decisions to intentional growth
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! Where did you start when learning the business side of dentistry—and what would you do differently now? Share your experience in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar May 8, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana
www.classicpractice.com
Promo code for $100 off tuition: Secret Sauce
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:0abb5bc4-797e-4a67-b715-7c1d8d36dac3-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-4" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> In this episode, we shift the focus from chasing new patients to strengthening one of the most overlooked drivers of growth—patient retention. Many practices are working hard to bring patients in, while unknowingly allowing just as many to slip out the back door.
When recall systems are inconsistent or over-reliant on email and text, patients fall through the cracks. And without clear tracking, most practices don't even realize how many they've lost.
We discuss how poor retention impacts production, schedule stability, and long-term growth—and what practice owners and teams must do to re-engage overdue patients, clean up their systems, and create a more reliable path to growth.
If you want a fuller schedule, stronger patient relationships, and better results without constantly increasing your marketing spend, this episode will challenge how you think about retention.
What You'll Learn • Why most practices don't know their true patient retention rate • How ineffective recall systems quietly reduce production • The risks of relying only on email and text communication
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! What has made the biggest impact on patient retention in your practice? Share your experience in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar May 8, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana
www.classicpractice.com
Promo code for $100 off tuition: Secret Sauce
In this episode, we break down one of the fastest ways practices lose control—not from lack of systems, but from inconsistent enforcement of them.
When policies are applied differently depending on the person, tenure, or situation, they stop being policies and start becoming suggestions. And your team notices.
We discuss how uneven accountability impacts culture, performance, retention, and even legal risk—and what practice owners and managers must do to reset expectations, rebuild trust, and lead with consistency.
If you want a stronger team, better retention, and a more stable practice, this episode will challenge how you define—and enforce—fairness.
What You'll Learn • Why inconsistent enforcement is more damaging than having no policy at all • How favoritism (intentional or not) leads to disengagement and turnover • The difference between flexibility and inconsistency • How uneven treatment can create HR and legal risk • Early warning signs your team is losing trust in leadership • How to reset expectations without creating backlash • Practical ways to reintroduce accountability and consistency
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! What systems have made the biggest impact on production in your practice? Share your experience in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar May 8, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana
www.classicpractice.com
Promo code for $100 off tuition: Secret Sauce
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:19589dbd-236d-4144-b1a5-8ac24b2159e3-2" data-testid= "conversation-turn-6" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> n this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana begin a three-part series exploring one of the most common questions dentists ask: how does a solo practice consistently reach an additional $150,000 per month in production?
Many dentists assume the answer is more marketing, new technology, or outside solutions. But Sandy explains that production growth is usually driven by systems already inside the practice. When teams improve communication, scheduling, patient education, and training, they often uncover significant missed opportunities.
In Part 1 of this series, Sandy and Dana break down four key production drivers that can immediately impact practice growth: same-day dentistry, phone call conversion, visual communication with patients, and consistent team training.
Topics We Discuss
- Same-day dentistry and capturing treatment opportunities while the patient is in the office
- How unscheduled treatment represents one of the biggest missed opportunities in dental practices
- Why phone call conversion is critical to turning marketing into scheduled appointments
- How automated phone systems can create barriers for potential new patients
- Why visual tools help patients understand and accept treatment
- How intraoral photos, mirrors, and images improve case acceptance
- Why ongoing team training strengthens communication, systems, and production growth
Special thanks to our sponsors:
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! What systems have made the biggest impact on production in your practice? Share your experience in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana discuss one of the most overlooked leadership systems in dental practices: documentation. Many practice owners believe conversations alone are enough to manage team performance, only to find themselves in difficult situations when there is no written record of expectations, warnings, or accountability.
This conversation breaks down what should be in a personnel file, why documentation protects both the practice and the employee, and how proper record keeping makes leadership clearer and more consistent.
If you have ever thought, "We've talked about this before," but nothing was written down, this episode will help you understand why documentation matters and how to implement it properly in your practice.
Topics We Discuss
- Why documentation protects both the practice and the employee
- The most common documentation mistakes practices make
- What should be included in a personnel file
- Why verbal conversations are not enough
- The difference between coaching, counseling, and written warnings
- When documentation should begin
- What should be included in a termination letter
- State separation notices and employment documentation requirements
- How documentation strengthens leadership and accountability
Special thanks to our sponsors:
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! Have you ever experienced a situation where expectations weren't as clear as you thought? Share your story in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
What happens when a new doctor buys a practice… but the team expects the same automatic raises they've received for the last 20 years?
Excitement meets resistance. Vision meets comfort. And compensation conversations get awkward fast.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack the tension between loyalty and leadership — and why raises must be tied to increased value, not just time served.
This conversation isn't about dismissing long-term employees. Stability matters. Commitment matters. Institutional knowledge matters.
But alignment matters more.
You'll learn how to:
• Reset compensation expectations during a practice transition • Communicate clearly about raises before review season hits • Understand the difference between a raise and a bonus • Use staff overhead percentages to create a sustainable quarterly bonus model • Identify whether you're rewarding trajectory or tenure • Lead growth without funding stagnation
Sandy walks through a practical bonus structure based on collections — not production — using a benchmark staff overhead percentage (typically 25–27%). When overhead comes in under target, the margin becomes a shared team reward.
Transparent. Measurable. Sustainable.
You'll also hear a powerful reminder:
Raises are not a reward for time served. They are a reward for increased value.
If you don't define value, your team will define it for you.
Clarity protects your culture. Clarity protects your profitability. Clarity protects your relationships.
Special thanks to our sponsors:
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! Have you ever experienced a situation where expectations weren't as clear as you thought? Share your story in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
Dentists are trained to think in formulas. Spend X. Get Y. Measure it. Optimize it.
So when marketing doesn't deliver immediate, perfectly trackable ROI, the reaction is often the same: turn it off.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy are joined by Grace Rizza, CEO of Identity Dental Marketing, to challenge that mindset.
Grace breaks down the three buckets of marketing every practice must understand: foundational credibility, lead generation for high-intent patients, and brand recognition that builds long-term authority. Each bucket has a different purpose, a different timeline, and a different way to measure success.
The conversation also gets real about what happens inside the practice. Sometimes marketing is working — but phone skills, internal tracking, and team accountability determine whether those leads ever convert.
Grace shares key questions every dentist should ask their marketing agency, including transparency in ad spend, keyword strategy, ownership of digital assets, and how AI search is reshaping visibility.
If you've been chasing ROI month-to-month, this episode may help you see growth through a different lens.
Connect with Grace at identitydental.com
You introduce a new system. A new expectation. A new metric.
And someone struggles.
They're not aggressive. Not insubordinate. Not openly defiant. But they're hesitant. Slow. Guarded. Quietly pushing back.
So the question becomes: Do we show empathy? Or do we hold accountability?
In this episode, Dana and Sandy unpack the reality that most employees aren't resistant to change — they're protective of competence, routine, and confidence. But understanding human behavior does not mean lowering standards.
Drawing on research from McKinsey & Company showing that nearly 70 percent of major change efforts fail due to employee behavior and leadership misalignment, they explore why great ideas fade out after implementation.
They discuss:
• Why consistency builds discipline • How unclear follow-through trains teams to ignore new systems • When coaching turns into enabling • The power of written protocols and documented conversations • Why accountability is clarity, not punishment
Because in a growing practice, adaptability is not optional.
The standard is the standard.
Special thanks to our sponsors:
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! Have you ever experienced a situation where expectations weren't as clear as you thought? Share your story in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
What happens when a termination feels clear to leadership—but not to the employee? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana Pardue Salisbury and Sandy Pardue unpack a surprisingly common scenario: an employee is told they're being let go, only to return to work days later like nothing happened.
Through real dental office experiences and a famous Larry David story that inspired a Seinfeld episode, they explore the psychology behind denial, shame, and stress—and why documentation and written follow-through aren't HR formalities, but essential leadership tools.
You'll learn how unclear communication creates risk, why verbal conversations fail under stress, and how systems, separation notices, and documentation protect the practice, the team, and the patients watching it all unfold.
Special thanks to our sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com
📲 Join the conversation! Have you ever experienced a situation where expectations weren't as clear as you thought? Share your story in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.
What if your marketing isn't the problem—but your expectations are? In this episode, Dana and Sandy welcome Grace Rizza, the powerhouse behind Identity Dental Marketing, to break down why most dental campaigns fall flat—and what actually works. From unethical agencies to underfunded ad budgets, Grace unpacks the truth most marketers won't say out loud.
If you've ever felt burned by a marketing agency, overwhelmed as a startup, or scared to go fee-for-service—this one's for you.
You'll learn how to:
✅ Spot the difference between strategic marketing and expensive guesswork ✅ Avoid wasting thousands on low-quality leads and poor conversion ✅ Set realistic expectations for Google Ads and SEO ✅ Know when your marketing isn't the problem—your front desk is ✅ Confidently budget and brand your way to sustainable growth
📓 Listener Challenge: Review your last 6 months of new patient numbers. Are you tracking the right data? Is your marketing converting—or just collecting clicks?
Key takeaways: 👉 You can't market your way out of bad conversion. Start with honest analysis. 👉 Dabbling in ads (like $1,000/month on Google) is worse than doing nothing. 👉 Fee-for-service practices need stronger branding, not just lead generation. 👉 Your front desk is your filter—train them or waste your marketing dollars. 👉 Success starts with realistic expectations and total ownership of your results.
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
📲 Join the conversation! What marketing myths have you had to unlearn? Share your experience in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature your insight in a future episode!
Episode Description Most managers don't avoid tough conversations because they're hard. They avoid them because they're awkward.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy tackle the real-world issues that show up in nearly every dental practice: sloppy scrubs, chronic tardiness, missed clock-ins, appearance concerns, and employees who seemed perfect in the interview but show up very differently on the job.
The problem isn't the people. It's the lack of clear expectations.
Sandy shares decades of experience helping doctors and managers shift these conversations away from emotion and back to policy, systems, and consistency. Together, they walk through how strong onboarding, written policies, documentation, and leadership modeling prevent most of these issues before they ever escalate.
You'll learn how to:
- Address uncomfortable topics without damaging relationships
- Keep conversations focused on business standards, not personal judgment
- Know when to observe, when to remind, and when behavior becomes a performance issue
- Use documentation to protect the practice and fairly support employees
- Build a culture where professionalism is expected, not policed
If you've ever delayed a conversation hoping the problem would fix itself, this episode will give you the language, confidence, and structure to lead clearly and compassionately—starting from day one.
What You'll Learn • Why unclear expectations turn small issues into awkward conversations • How onboarding sets the tone for accountability • Why employees often forget policies—and how to reset them • How to lead correction conversations without emotion or defensiveness • When and how to reference policies effectively • Why consistency matters more than confrontation • How clear expectations protect both leaders and teams
Episode Sponsors Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "c2d61f3a-b2c8-4558-8e8c-d5c66bc4a21c" data-testid= "conversation-turn-6" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Episode Summary Tracking statistics does not have to feel like micromanagement or extra work. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue Salisbury break down why teams push back on numbers and how leaders can shift compliance into cooperation.
You will learn how the right statistics eliminate micromanaging, create clarity, and help teams feel confident in their roles. Sandy shares real world examples from decades in dentistry, practical ways to assign metrics by position, and where practices should start if statistics have never been consistently tracked.
What You'll Learn • Why teams resist statistics when they feel like pressure or blame • How tracking numbers reduces micromanagement • Why statistics should align with what each role can control • The danger of waiting until year end to evaluate performance • Where to start if your practice feels overwhelmed by numbers • How statistics support patient care and reduce chaos • How monthly reviews turn numbers into leadership tools
Episode Sponsors This episode is sponsored by:
Identity Dental Marketing Helping dental practices grow through clear messaging, branding, and marketing systems designed specifically for dentistry.
Plan Forward Providing in house membership plans that improve collections, patient loyalty, and financial predictability.
Upcoming Event Front Desk Pro In-Person Seminar May 8, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana
www.classicpractice.com
Promo code for $100 off tuition: Secret Sauce
Subscribe and Share If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or manager who is struggling with team buy-in around statistics. Subscribe to Dental Drill Bits so you never miss an episode.
Episode Summary Most dental practices don't actually have a referral problem — they have a system problem. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury break down why referrals don't happen by chance, how inconsistent service and communication quietly sabotage growth, and what simple systems practices can put in place to earn consistent, high-quality referrals.
Through real-world service examples, team accountability strategies, and practical chairside scripts, this conversation shows why referrals are a byproduct of confidence, consistency, and gratitude — not hope.
What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why referrals are built through systems, not luck • How phone experiences and follow-up impact word-of-mouth • When and how team members should confidently ask for referrals • The most natural moments in the patient journey to introduce referrals • Why referred patients accept treatment and stay loyal longer • Referral incentive considerations and state regulations to know • A realistic referral benchmark every practice should aim for • How gratitude systems drive repeat referral behavior • Simple ways to track and celebrate referrals with your team
Key Takeaways • Referred patients are more loyal and more likely to accept treatment • Team confidence directly influences referral outcomes • If team members aren't referring their own friends and family, that's a red flag • Asking for referrals is not pushy when it's genuine and well-timed • Gratitude and follow-up multiply referral behavior • Internal marketing delivers some of the highest ROI in a practice
Thank You to Our Show Sponsors Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Episode Summary In this strategic and energizing episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of practice stability and growth, your annual planning session.
Together, they walk through the questions, metrics, team conversations, and leadership decisions that set the tone for a productive, organized, and profitable new year.
Sandy shares her trusted framework for evaluating practice performance, identifying bottlenecks, and turning missed opportunities into measurable goals. Dana breaks down how to communicate the importance of an annual planning meeting to your team—even if you haven't done one in a few years.
From KPI awareness and production forecasting to team agreements, CE planning, and SOP check-ins, this episode gives practices everything they need to create a clear, motivating roadmap for 2026.
If you want to stop drifting into the new year and instead design it—this episode is your guide.
Show Notes In This Episode, You'll Learn:
- Why most practices drift into the new year unprepared—and how to fix it
- The must-track KPIs for evaluating your year-end performance
- How to hold a productive annual planning meeting (without turning it into a gripe session)
- What your team really needs to contribute meaningful input
- How agreements, policies, and SOPs eliminate frustration and set expectations
- How to turn dropped statistics into 2026 wins
- Why tracking new patient sources matters more than ever
- How to anticipate "slow" months and outflow your way into a full schedule
- CE planning and skill inventories for every position
- The importance of setting daily and hourly production goals
- Updates your website and systems may be overdue for
- The role of communication in shaping team culture and patient experience
Episode Sponsors Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP for dental practices that want fewer missed calls, better patient communication, and stronger scheduling. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
Links & Resources
- Email Sandy for details on Front Desk Pro Virtual Training: sandy@classicpractice.com
- Follow us on Facebook: Dental Drill Bits
- Share this episode with your office manager, dentist, or colleague!
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy discuss the importance of measuring team energy and performance metrics in dental practices. They emphasize that while patient care is paramount, tracking statistics can enhance care quality and team morale. The conversation explores the concept of buy-in from team members, the significance of accountability, and how metrics can serve as tools for improvement rather than judgment. The episode concludes with actionable steps for practices to foster a positive culture through measurement and celebration of achievements. takeaways * Your team's energy is crucial for productivity. * Statistics can enhance patient care, not detract from it. * Tracking metrics helps connect efforts to results. * Buy-in from the team is essential for success. * Purpose should always come before profit. * Celebrating small wins boosts team morale. * Metrics can reveal blind spots in practice management. * Accountability fosters a culture of improvement. * Positivity is contagious within a team. * Consistent actions lead to predictable outcomes.
🔊 Episode Sponsors: Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
Episode Summary:
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury explore the often-overlooked power of a well-crafted job description. They explain why generic or outdated descriptions can set your practice up for failure—creating confusion, legal risk, and missed hiring opportunities. You'll learn what must be included, how to stay compliant, and why being transparent about your expectations (including physical demands and performance metrics) is key to attracting the right candidates. If you're serious about improving your hiring process and retaining top talent, this conversation is a must-listen.
Takeaways:
- Job descriptions should reflect the specific needs of your practice.
- Outdated job descriptions create misalignment and confusion.
- Every job description serves as a legal agreement between employer and employee.
- Transparency in compensation, expectations, and requirements is essential.
- Include physical job requirements and measurable performance goals.
- Store and organize job descriptions properly for easy access and compliance.
🔊 Episode Sponsors: Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.mangovoice.com
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.planforward.io
Episode Summary:
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue tackle one of the most underestimated tools in the hiring process—your job ad. They explain why hiring should be treated like a marketing campaign and how your job postings either attract or repel the very people you are trying to hire.
From crafting compelling headlines and utilizing creative job titles to understanding hiring psychology, Sandy and Dana share strategies to elevate your job ads and recruit with intention. They also explore the power of nontraditional hiring sources and the importance of keeping your energy positive throughout the hiring process. Whether you are actively hiring or just building your team, this conversation is packed with must-use tips to help you find and retain great talent.
Takeaways:
- If you are having trouble hiring, check your job ads first
- Always accept resumes even when you are not actively hiring
- Make sure job ads reflect your practice's values and culture
- Use creative job titles to capture attention and stand out
- Women apply when they meet 80 percent of requirements; men at 20 percent
- Treat hiring like a marketing campaign, not just an HR task
- Track where your applicants come from to measure effectiveness
- Consider nontraditional candidates from service-oriented industries
- Stay positive throughout the process—your mindset matters
- Great employees are often already employed—go find them
🔊 Episode Sponsors:
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again 👉 www.mangovoice.com
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The number one membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient friendly 👉 www.planforward.io
You can have the best marketing strategy in the world, but if your phone skills are lacking, patients will walk. In this episode, Dana and Sandy get real about what happens when dental teams unknowingly drive callers away with poor phone habits, disconnection, or defaulting to "no."
They walk through mystery shopper call examples, red-flag language to avoid, and the mindset shift every front desk team member needs to convert, not repel, new patients.
This one's packed with real talk, laugh-out-loud stories, and practical ways to be the cheerleader your practice needs.
You'll learn how to:
✅ Build rapport in the first 7 seconds of a call ✅ Ask the right questions during discovery ✅ Avoid "no" language and still set boundaries ✅ Take control of the appointment conversation ✅ End calls in a way that reduces broken appointments
📓 Listener challenge: Call your own office or listen to a recorded call (if legal in your state). Would you schedule an appointment based on how it sounds?
Key takeaways:
- Your marketing dollars are wasted if your phone skills don't back it up.
- "Unfortunately" and "Sorry" are red flags—replace them with warmth and guidance.
- Patients don't want homework. Take the lead, get their name and number first.
- Schedule with confidence. Too many options = confusion.
- A cheerful, confident voice beats fancy scripts every time.
Episode Sponsors Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP for dental practices that want fewer missed calls, better patient communication, and stronger scheduling. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
📲 Join the conversation! Drop your favorite phone call tip or share a "worst call ever" moment in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—your post could inspire our next episode!
Episode Title: Wasted Time, Open Time, and Maximizing Your Schedule
Episode Description: Welcome to another exciting episode of Dental Drill Bits! This week, Sandy Pardue is joined by a very special guest—Dana Pardue, the original co-host and HR business professional. Together, they kick off the new season with a deep dive into one of the most critical topics for dental practices: managing open time in your schedule.
Discover actionable tips to identify, track, and eliminate wasted time in your practice. Whether you're dealing with broken appointments, patient no-shows, or underutilized slots, this episode equips you with practical strategies to improve productivity, enhance patient care, and boost your bottom line.
Plus, hear Dana's unique perspective on the patient experience and why over-communicating about appointment changes can backfire. Stay tuned until the end for a game-changing resource that could revolutionize how you handle in-house membership plans!
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Dana Salisbury's journey back to Dental Drill Bits and her insights on training and development for dental practices.
- The real cost of open time and why tracking it is crucial.
- How to calculate daily, hourly, and per-unit production goals.
- Strategies to reduce cancellations, no-shows, and last-minute reschedules.
- The importance of maintaining a reliable call list and leveraging patient interactions.
- Patient perspective: Why excessive appointment changes can harm patient satisfaction.
- The role of team meetings in addressing missed opportunities.
- An introduction to Plan Forward—a custom dental membership platform offering tools for automated billing, patient communication, and more.
Sponsors:
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
In this festive episode, Dana and Sandy unwrap the unforgettable world of dental office Christmas parties — the good, the chaotic, and the "HR-will-hear-about-this" kind of moments.
From table fires to haunted hotels, over-served team members, questionable Ubers, party buses, shopping sprees, and meaningful low-budget celebrations, they share what makes a holiday party truly memorable while keeping your practice safe, appreciated, and drama-free.
Whether you're planning a simple potluck or an all-out evening event, this episode gives you the ideas, warnings, and best practices to make your celebration merry, bright, and not a future cautionary tale.
What You'll Learn * How to plan a Christmas celebration that boosts morale without breaking the budget * Common holiday party pitfalls (alcohol, transportation, guest dynamics) and how to prevent them * Gift and appreciation strategies that genuinely resonate with your team * Why thoughtful holiday traditions strengthen culture and improve team retention
Listen Now: Dental Drill Bits on Apple Podcasts
Episode Sponsors Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
Episode Summary In this strategic and energizing episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of practice stability and growth, your annual planning session.
Together, they walk through the questions, metrics, team conversations, and leadership decisions that set the tone for a productive, organized, and profitable new year.
Sandy shares her trusted framework for evaluating practice performance, identifying bottlenecks, and turning missed opportunities into measurable goals. Dana breaks down how to communicate the importance of an annual planning meeting to your team—even if you haven't done one in a few years.
From KPI awareness and production forecasting to team agreements, CE planning, and SOP check-ins, this episode gives practices everything they need to create a clear, motivating roadmap for 2026.
If you want to stop drifting into the new year and instead design it—this episode is your guide.
Show Notes In This Episode, You'll Learn:
- Why most practices drift into the new year unprepared—and how to fix it
- The must-track KPIs for evaluating your year-end performance
- How to hold a productive annual planning meeting (without turning it into a gripe session)
- What your team really needs to contribute meaningful input
- How agreements, policies, and SOPs eliminate frustration and set expectations
- How to turn dropped statistics into 2026 wins
- Why tracking new patient sources matters more than ever
- How to anticipate "slow" months and outflow your way into a full schedule
- CE planning and skill inventories for every position
- The importance of setting daily and hourly production goals
- Updates your website and systems may be overdue for
- The role of communication in shaping team culture and patient experience
Episode Sponsors Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP for dental practices that want fewer missed calls, better patient communication, and stronger scheduling. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
Episode Quotes Worth Sharing * "Your success or your lack of it depends 100 percent on what happens within your own four walls." * "Annual planning isn't paperwork—it's the heartbeat of a stable growing practice." * "You can't improve what you're not aware of. Stats tell the truth." * "Direction beats intention every single time."
Links & Resources * Email Sandy for details on Front Desk Pro Virtual Training: sandy@classicpractice.com * Follow us on Facebook: Dental Drill Bits * Share this episode with your office manager, dentist, or colleague!
In this eye-opening episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy Pardue tackle a topic few talk about openly — why some dentists genuinely love their profession while others can't wait to get out. Drawing from Sandy's experience consulting with over 600 dental practices, they reveal the defining difference: the dentists who thrive understand business and leadership, not just clinical care.
Together, they unpack why mastering people skills, systems, and practice management can transform dentistry from stressful to deeply fulfilling. From learning how to manage money and motivate your team to leading with gratitude and balance, this episode is packed with mindset shifts to help you fall back in love with dentistry.
If you've ever thought, "I hate being a dentist," this episode will remind you—it's not the dentistry, it's the missing business tools. You can learn those. You can take control. And you can love your work again.
Key Takeaways
- Business knowledge is the bridge between burnout and balance.
- Leadership and communication skills create calm, confident teams.
- Systems bring structure, and structure brings freedom.
- Appreciation and consistency are stronger than pay raises.
- Detachment and compassion prevent emotional exhaustion.
- A strong leader defines vision, sets expectations, and celebrates wins.
- You can't buy culture—you build it through trust and gratitude.
- Reignite your love for dentistry by investing in your people and yourself.
🎧 Listen Now: Dental Drill Bits on Apple Podcasts
🔊 Episode Sponsors:
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy dive into one of the most challenging scenarios in any dental practice—when a team member refuses a task that's part of their role.
Inspired by a real Dentaltown post, Sandy breaks down what's really behind these moments, from unclear expectations and lack of training to blurred lines of authority. She shares how leaders can respond calmly, communicate clearly, and reset accountability without damaging trust.
Dana adds perspective on balancing empathy and authority, and how understanding communication styles can help prevent tension before it starts. Together, they offer practical, real-world advice to help practices turn moments of conflict into opportunities for clarity and growth.
💡 Takeaways * Most refusals come from confusion, not defiance. * Clear systems and written expectations prevent recurring issues. * Communication—both verbal and written—is the foundation of trust. * Leaders must stay approachable while reinforcing accountability. * Consistency in expectations leads to predictable, positive outcomes.
🔊 Episode Sponsors:
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy discuss the importance of measuring team energy and performance metrics in dental practices. They emphasize that while patient care is paramount, tracking statistics can enhance care quality and team morale. The conversation explores the concept of buy-in from team members, the significance of accountability, and how metrics can serve as tools for improvement rather than judgment. The episode concludes with actionable steps for practices to foster a positive culture through measurement and celebration of achievements. takeaways * Your team's energy is crucial for productivity. * Statistics can enhance patient care, not detract from it. * Tracking metrics helps connect efforts to results. * Buy-in from the team is essential for success. * Purpose should always come before profit. * Celebrating small wins boosts team morale. * Metrics can reveal blind spots in practice management. * Accountability fosters a culture of improvement. * Positivity is contagious within a team. * Consistent actions lead to predictable outcomes.
🔊 Episode Sponsors: Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
✨ Upcoming Event – Don't Miss Out! Want to take your front desk skills to the next level? Join Sandy Pardue and the Classic Practice team for Front Desk Pro in Las Vegas on Friday, November 7, 2025. This one-day seminar is packed with proven systems to reduce cancellations, boost treatment acceptance, and transform your patient experience.
Register now at 👉 www.ClassicPractice.com Save $100 with code SecretSauce
💡 Episode Summary: In this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana Pardue and Sandy Pardue tackle a topic every dental team faces but rarely talks about — complaining about patients. What starts as harmless venting can quietly poison your team's morale and even drive productivity down. Dana and Sandy unpack how negativity spreads through emotional contagion, why gossip never stops at patients, and how leaders can recognize when venting has crossed into toxicity.
Sandy shares real-world examples from decades in consulting — from Dentaltown discussions to lessons learned working alongside Dr. Westerman — revealing how great teams turn patient frustrations into opportunities for better systems and stronger relationships. Dana adds insights from psychology studies, showing how negativity lowers initiative and innovation across teams.
Together, they explore practical strategies to build a positive culture: using staff meetings as reset points, coaching through gossip, and creating team agreements rooted in empathy and gratitude. The episode closes with a challenge to listeners — smile first, meet people where they're at, and watch how kindness changes the energy of your practice.
🔊 Episode Sponsors: Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com
✨ Upcoming Event – Don't Miss Out! Want to take your front desk skills to the next level? Join Sandy Pardue and the Classic Practice team for Front Desk Pro in Las Vegas on Friday, November 7, 2025. This one-day seminar is packed with proven systems to reduce cancellations, boost treatment acceptance, and transform your patient experience.
Register now at 👉 www.ClassicPractice.com Save $100 with code SecretSauce
Episode Summary: In this episode, Dana Pardue Salisbury and Sandy Pardue unpack one of the most complex topics in dentistry: hiring an associate dentist. From knowing when your practice is truly ready to bring on another provider, to understanding why most associateships only last one to two years, this conversation blends humor, real-world stories, and practical numbers.
You’ll hear how culture, contracts, and communication can make or break the associate relationship—and how to avoid costly mistakes that so many practice owners make when expanding their teams.
💡 Key Takeaways * Don’t hire on a hunch. Use data—2,000+ active patients, 30+ new patients monthly—as your benchmark. * Always use a customized legal contract; handshake agreements and borrowed templates lead to disaster. * Culture and ethics matter as much as production. * Get clear on who supervises the associate: owner vs. manager roles. * Most associates leave within two years—alignment and transparency change that outcome.
🔊 Episode Sponsors:
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.planforward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.mangovoice.com
✨ Upcoming Event – Don’t Miss Out! Want to take your front desk skills to the next level? Join Sandy Pardue and the Classic Practice team for Front Desk Pro in Las Vegas on Friday, November 7, 2025. This one-day seminar is packed with proven systems to reduce cancellations, boost treatment acceptance, and transform your patient experience.
Register now at 👉 www.ClassicPractice.com and save $100 with code Secret Sauce.
Episode Summary This week on Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy open up about real-world customer service experiences that prove just how important it is to put yourself in the patient's shoes.
Dana kicks things off with her eye doctor visit, from tiny-font registration forms to confusing waiting rooms and perfume-passing that crossed the line. She then shares what her tire appointment taught her about easing patient anxiety and making sure customers leave with confidence.
Sandy brings her own story to the table about trying to buy fireplace logs, only to be talked out of making the purchase by the very person answering the phone. Together, they explore what it means to honor the customer’s current concern, anticipate their questions, and create experiences that build trust.
If you’ve ever wondered how the smallest details can make or break customer loyalty, this episode will make you rethink every touchpoint in your practice.
Key Takeaways
- Always imagine yourself in the customer’s position—what feels confusing vs. reassuring?
- Honor the customer’s current concern, even if you think they need something else.
- Anticipate wants, questions, and needs before the customer even asks.
- Every interaction is an opportunity to build confidence—or lose it.
🔊 Episode Sponsors:
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.planforward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.mangovoice.com
✨ Upcoming Event – Don’t Miss Out! Want to take your front desk skills to the next level? Join Sandy Pardue and the Classic Practice team for Front Desk Pro in Las Vegas on Friday, November 7, 2025. This one-day seminar is packed with proven systems to reduce cancellations, boost treatment acceptance, and transform your patient experience. Register now at 👉 www.ClassicPractice.com and save $100 with code Secret Sauce.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury continue their step-by-step Hiring Series with one of the most sensitive and risky steps: the job offer.
Too many dental practices skip this or handle it haphazardly, leaving themselves open to misunderstandings, legal trouble, and even losing great candidates. Sandy and Dana walk you through why offer letters matter, what must be included, and how to avoid turning them into binding contracts.
From conditional vs. unconditional offers, to pay pitfalls (why you should never state an annual salary), to the benefits and reporting structure every candidate deserves in writing—this episode is a playbook for clarity, compliance, and culture. You’ll also hear real stories from the field, red flags to watch for, and the right way to pair a congratulatory phone call with a solid written offer.
If you want to protect your practice, set clear expectations, and welcome new team members the right way, this episode is a must-listen.
Takeaways: * Every job offer should be conditional on something, background checks, license verification, or I-9 documentation. * Avoid stating annual salaries; use hourly, weekly, or monthly to stay compliant. * Offer letters should spell out pay, benefits, start date, reporting structure, and expectations—clearly and concisely. * Always include at-will employment language (where applicable by state). * Never promise future raises or bonuses in writing—leave those for separate agreements. * Give candidates a clear deadline to accept, so you don’t lose momentum with your second choice.
🔊 Episode Sponsors: Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.planforward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.mangovoice.com
✨ Upcoming Event – Don’t Miss Out! Want to take your front desk skills to the next level? Join Sandy Pardue and the Classic Practice team for Front Desk Pro in Las Vegas on Friday, November 7, 2025. This one-day seminar is packed with proven systems to reduce cancellations, boost treatment acceptance, and transform your patient experience. Register now at 👉 www.ClassicPractice.com and save $100 with code Secret Sauce.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury continue their step-by-step Hiring Series with a focus on reference checks. Too many dental practices skip this step because it feels awkward or unnecessary, but failing to do so can cost you money, morale, and even legal trouble.
Sandy and Dana share true stories from the field (including embezzlement cases that could have been avoided), compliance tips that keep you safe, and the exact questions that reveal whether your next hire is reliable or risky. From separating personal vs. professional references to knowing what you can ask—and what you should only confirm—you’ll leave this episode with a clear system for protecting your practice from a bad hire.
Plus, they tackle a listener question about how to manage new hires who want to “change everything,” and why systems are the antidote to chaos.
If you want to safeguard your hiring process and build a stronger team, this episode is a must-listen.
Takeaways:
- Skipping reference checks exposes your practice to unnecessary risk.
- Always separate personal references from professional ones.
- Confirm dates, pay, and rehire eligibility when giving a reference; ask open-ended questions when checking references.
- New hires with “big ideas” need structure—systems first, suggestions second.
- Reference checks = protection for your million-dollar business.
🔊 Episode Sponsors: Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.planforward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.mangovoice.com
✨ Upcoming Event – Don’t Miss Out! Want to take your front desk skills to the next level? Join Sandy Pardue and the Classic Practice team for Front Desk Pro in Las Vegas on Friday, November 7, 2025. This one-day seminar is packed with proven systems to reduce cancellations, boost treatment acceptance, and transform your patient experience. Register now at 👉 www.ClassicPractice.com and save $100 with code Secret Sauce.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury tackle one of the most dreaded times in the dental calendar: “Sucktember.” As kids go back to school and cancellations rise, many practices see their production slump, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Sandy shares why mindset matters more than market trends, how to uncover hundreds of patients hiding in your own software, and why reactivation projects can both fill your schedule and boost team morale. From calling patients who haven’t been in for years to creating fun staff incentives, you’ll discover proven strategies that transform September into Success-tember (and set you up for Rocktober).
If you’re ready to stop the slump and finish the year strong, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Takeaways: * Your mindset shapes your results: stop expecting September to “suck.” * Patient reactivation projects reveal hundreds of opportunities already in your database. * Most patients who haven’t been in still believe you’re their dentist — reach out. * Consistency in outreach creates predictable schedules. * Boost team morale by gamifying reactivation with small rewards. * Increased outflow (calls, texts, emails, mailers) is the key to saving your September.
🔊 Episode Sponsors: Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.planforward.io
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.mangovoice.com
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana Salisbury and Sandy Pardue discuss the challenges of hiring and retaining new employees in dental practices. They explore the reasons behind high turnover rates, the importance of effective onboarding, and creating a welcoming workplace culture. The conversation emphasizes the need for structured training plans and the impact of workplace bullying on employee retention. The hosts also highlight the financial costs associated with poor hiring practices and the significance of enhancing the candidate experience.
Key Takeaways * Stop blaming the applicant and look at your own processes * Onboarding is crucial for employee retention * A welcoming culture can significantly impact new hires * The cost of hiring mistakes can be substantial * Workplace bullying can drive new employees away * Structured training plans are essential for new hires * Communication during the hiring process is key * Involve existing staff in the hiring process * Always welcome potential candidates regardless of openings * Evaluate your practices to improve employee satisfaction
Event Spotlight: Front Desk Pro – Las Vegas, NV – November 7 Join Sandy in Las Vegas for Front Desk Pro, a high energy, high impact training event designed to level up your front desk systems and skills.
Special Listener Discount: Save $100 with code Secret Sauce (two words, both capitalized). Beautiful CAD CAM facility, just off the Strip with nearby affordable hotels.
Episode Sponsors A big thank you to our show sponsors for helping bring Dental Drill Bits to you each week:
- Plan Forward – The membership plan experts helping practices boost revenue and patient loyalty. https://www.planforward.io/
- Mango Voice – The smart, all in one business phone system designed for dental practices. https://mangovoice.com/
- Identity Dental Marketing – Stand out, get noticed, and attract your ideal patients with custom marketing strategies. https://identitydental.com/
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, hosts Dana Salisbury and Sandy Pardue go beyond the surface of the interview process to reveal the deeper intentions that should guide your hiring conversations. Whether you are fresh out of dental school or a seasoned practice owner, this conversation will help you build a more intentional, compliant, and effective approach to interviewing.
Sandy and Dana share real world examples, cautionary tales, and the subtle cues they watch for that a resume will never reveal. They cover how to avoid common pitfalls like skipping the interview entirely, how to keep interviews consistent and bias-free, and why you should think twice about hiring family or close friends without a proper process. You will learn how to set the right tone from the very first question, uncover hidden red flags, and balance gut instinct with consistent standards.
And yes — the broccoli salad that Dana could not stop raving about makes an appearance. As promised, you can grab Sandy’s go to Broccoli Salad Recipe here: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/broccoli-salad/. It is healthy, easy, and a hit with the whole family, even the kids.
🎯 Key Takeaways * Set a clear purpose before you ask the first interview question * Keep the process consistent to protect your team culture and reduce bias * Spot hidden red flags in tone, word choice, and body language * Avoid the risks of working interviews and use skill-based tests instead
📅 Event Spotlight: Front Desk Pro – Las Vegas, NV – November 7 Join Sandy in Las Vegas for Front Desk Pro, a high energy, high impact training event designed to level up your front desk systems and skills.
Special Listener Discount: Save $100 with code Secret Sauce (two words, both capitalized). Beautiful CAD CAM facility, just off the Strip with nearby affordable hotels.
💡 Episode Sponsors A big thank you to our show sponsors for helping bring Dental Drill Bits to you each week:
- Plan Forward – The membership plan experts helping practices boost revenue and patient loyalty. https://www.planforward.io/
- Mango Voice – The smart, all in one business phone system designed for dental practices. https://mangovoice.com/
- Identity Dental Marketing – Stand out, get noticed, and attract your ideal patients with custom marketing strategies. https://identitydental.com/
Episode Description:
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana Salisbury and Sandy Pardue continue the Hiring Series with a proven time-saving strategy: the group interview. Sandy shares her step-by-step process for getting every qualified applicant in front of you at once, identifying the best candidates quickly, and avoiding the weeks-long cycle of one-on-one interviews. From creating the right environment, using a “plant” in the room, and testing retention skills, to gracefully dismissing non-hires, this episode is packed with actionable tips to streamline your hiring process and build a stronger team—fast.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why group interviews can save you hours and improve hiring decisions
- How to structure the perfect group interview from start to finish
- How to test candidates’ listening and retention skills on the spot
- The importance of graciously handling declined candidates
- How to narrow down your applicant pool in just 90 minutes
🔊 Episode Sponsors:
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again 👉 www.mangovoice.com
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The number one membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient friendly 👉 www.planforward.io
Exploring Dental Membership Plans: A Smarter Alternative to Insurance
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana Salisbury and Sandy Pardue are joined by Meg Lohman from Plan Forward to unpack why in-house membership plans are becoming a go-to solution for dental practices looking to grow and better serve their patients. They discuss how these plans help identify patients who are overpaying for insurance, simplify preventive care, and strengthen patient loyalty. The trio also explores the power of proactive marketing and the importance of educating patients ahead of open enrollment season.
Whether you're new to membership plans or looking to refine your strategy, this episode offers a practical roadmap to create a win-win for both your patients and your practice.
🎯 Key Takeaways:
- Use your PMS to identify patients who may be overpaying for insurance.
- Target groups like retirees, young adults, and those with limited coverage.
- Membership plans foster loyalty by offering bundled, preventive care services.
- Promote your plan with short, clear messaging via email, text, and social media.
- Start outreach early to stay ahead of open enrollment.
- Implement systems that simplify plan management and reduce admin errors.
🛠️ Sponsored By:
- Plan Forward — Empowering dental practices with simple, automated membership plans. Start today at www.planforward.io
Episode Summary:
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury tackle one of the most underestimated tools in the hiring process—your job ad. They explain why hiring should be treated like a marketing campaign and how your job postings either attract or repel the very people you are trying to hire.
From crafting compelling headlines and utilizing creative job titles to understanding hiring psychology, Sandy and Dana share strategies to elevate your job ads and recruit with intention. They also explore the power of nontraditional hiring sources and the importance of keeping your energy positive throughout the hiring process. Whether you are actively hiring or just building your team, this conversation is packed with must-use tips to help you find and retain great talent.
Takeaways:
- If you are having trouble hiring, check your job ads first
- Always accept resumes even when you are not actively hiring
- Make sure job ads reflect your practice's values and culture
- Use creative job titles to capture attention and stand out
- Women apply when they meet 80 percent of requirements; men at 20 percent
- Treat hiring like a marketing campaign, not just an HR task
- Track where your applicants come from to measure effectiveness
- Consider nontraditional candidates from service-oriented industries
- Stay positive throughout the process—your mindset matters
- Great employees are often already employed—go find them
🔊 Episode Sponsors:
Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again 👉 www.mangovoice.com
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The number one membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient friendly 👉 www.planforward.io
Episode Summary:
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury explore the often-overlooked power of a well-crafted job description. They explain why generic or outdated descriptions can set your practice up for failure—creating confusion, legal risk, and missed hiring opportunities. You’ll learn what must be included, how to stay compliant, and why being transparent about your expectations (including physical demands and performance metrics) is key to attracting the right candidates. If you're serious about improving your hiring process and retaining top talent, this conversation is a must-listen.
Takeaways:
- Job descriptions should reflect the specific needs of your practice.
- Outdated job descriptions create misalignment and confusion.
- Every job description acts as a legal agreement between employer and employee.
- Transparency in compensation, expectations, and requirements is essential.
- Include physical job requirements and measurable performance goals.
- Store and organize job descriptions properly for easy access and compliance.
🔊 Episode Sponsors: Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.mangovoice.com
Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.identitydental.com
Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices—simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.planforward.io
In this episode, Sandy Pardue kicks off a powerful conversation about the most overlooked step in fixing front desk chaos: assessing your team’s current morale, mindset, and motivation. Before you implement new systems or pile on training, you’ve got to address the emotional temperature of your practice. Is your team ready for change? Or are they quietly resisting it?
Sandy lays out practical ways to reframe, re-energize, and reset expectations—ensuring your next move is a lasting one. If you want real ROI from your front desk, start here.
What You'll Learn:
- Why morale must be addressed before systems
- What warning signs signal a disengaged front desk
- How to rally your team around performance without creating pressure
- The conversation you should be having in your next team meeting
- A mindset shift that changes everything about your approach to training
Thank You to Our Sponsors: 🦷 Mango Voice – Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.
💰 Plan Forward – Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.
📈 Identity Dental Marketing – Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.
In this eye-opening episode, Sandy digs into one of the most overlooked contributors to rising accounts receivable (AR) in dental practices—abandoning mailed statements too soon.
You may be emailing and texting patients about balances, but do you actually know how many patients you're reaching? Sandy breaks down the data and shares real stats from dental dashboards, showing that many practices have incomplete contact info for 20–40% of their patients—and it’s costing them tens of thousands.
Whether your AR is creeping past $100,000 or you’re trying to build a smarter collection system, this episode will help you understand the risks of relying too heavily on tech—and how to create a system that actually works.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Evaluate how many patient emails and cell numbers are actually in your system ✅ Set up a multi-step system for statements that includes email, text, and physical mail ✅ Use dashboards like Practice by Numbers to track and improve your data ✅ Minimize collection delays by acting faster and smarter—not cheaper ✅ Understand the real cost of “saving 60 cents” on postage
📓 Listener Challenge: Pull your AR report. Look at your 30-, 60-, and 90-day buckets. Then audit your system—do you know how many patients are unreachable by email or text?
Key takeaways: 👉 Most practices don’t have complete contact data—and don’t realize it 👉 Text-to-pay consistently performs better than email-based statements 👉 Mailing a statement isn’t outdated—it's often necessary to get paid 👉 AR doesn’t shrink itself; assign ownership and follow a consistent process 👉 The longer you wait, the harder it is to collect—act at 30 days, not 90
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 📞 Mango Voice – Smart, reliable phone systems designed for dental practices. Learn more at mangovoice.com
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Get strategic, ethical, and conversion-driven marketing from the pros who care. Visit identitydental.com
🦷 Plan Forward – Membership plans made simple for dental teams. Learn more at planforward.io
📲 Join the conversation! What’s working (or failing) in your AR process? Share your experiences inside our Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we’d love to hear from you, and you might be featured in a future episode!
What if your marketing isn’t the problem—but your expectations are? In this episode, Dana and Sandy welcome Grace Rizza, the powerhouse behind Identity Dental Marketing, to break down why most dental campaigns fall flat—and what actually works. From unethical agencies to underfunded ad budgets, Grace unpacks the truth most marketers won’t say out loud.
If you've ever felt burned by a marketing agency, overwhelmed as a startup, or scared to go fee-for-service—this one’s for you.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Spot the difference between strategic marketing and expensive guesswork ✅ Avoid wasting thousands on low-quality leads and poor conversion ✅ Set realistic expectations for Google Ads and SEO ✅ Know when your marketing isn’t the problem—your front desk is ✅ Confidently budget and brand your way to sustainable growth
📓 Listener Challenge: Review your last 6 months of new patient numbers. Are you tracking the right data? Is your marketing converting—or just collecting clicks?
Key takeaways: 👉 You can’t market your way out of bad conversion. Start with honest analysis. 👉 Dabbling in ads (like $1,000/month on Google) is worse than doing nothing. 👉 Fee-for-service practices need stronger branding, not just lead generation. 👉 Your front desk is your filter—train them or waste your marketing dollars. 👉 Success starts with realistic expectations and total ownership of your results.
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com
🦷 Plan Forward – Build and grow a profitable dental membership plan with ease. Learn more at planforward.io
📲 Join the conversation! What marketing myths have you had to unlearn? Share your experience in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature your insight in a future episode!
Hiring is never just about plugging a hole. It’s a strategic leadership move—and when rushed or mismanaged, it can quietly sabotage your entire practice.
In Part 2 of the Hiring Series, Dana and Sandy dive deep into what happens between identifying a hiring need and getting the green light to bring someone on board. From pecking orders to prep work, leadership courage to legal compliance, they unpack everything you should have in place before you hit “post job ad.”
They also share formulas and benchmarks to help you bring data—not just emotion—into your hiring decisions. Because the right people in the right seats don’t just ease stress... they build your business.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Calculate attrition rate and turnover cost ✅ Know when leadership is lagging—and how to step up ✅ Use team dynamics and KPIs to confirm true staffing needs ✅ Spot red flags in candidates and existing team members ✅ Make confident decisions about who to keep, who to lose, and when to act fast
📓 Listener challenge: Pull out your team’s job descriptions and update them. Is everyone clear on their seat, their duties, and how success is measured?
Key takeaways:
- Hiring starts with leadership. Don’t outsource what only you can model.
- Don’t ignore the front office. Patient flow is the clearest indicator you need more hands.
- Attrition above 25% is a red flag. Act on it, don’t ignore it.
- Turnover costs average 30% of annual salary. Every rushed hire costs more than you think.
- You must always accept resumes. Train your team and stay compliant.
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors:
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com
🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io
📲 Join the conversation! What formulas or hiring benchmarks have helped you lead with confidence? Post your insights in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. Your input might be featured in a future episode!
A growing team sounds like success, but adding the wrong hire too soon can wreck morale, raise overhead, and increase chaos.
In this kickoff to the Hiring Series, Dana and Sandy break down how to assess whether your practice truly needs to hire or if it’s time to get serious about systems, training, and communication first. They walk through real-world scenarios (yes, including a team walking out!) and offer tools to help you make strategic hiring decisions instead of emotional ones.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Recognize signs of burnout and bottlenecks ✅ Use patient flow (not just production) to assess staffing needs ✅ Perform a job analysis to refine roles before hiring ✅ Outsource strategically while maintaining quality ✅ Avoid hiring when your culture or patient satisfaction is already suffering
📓 Listener challenge: Revisit your job descriptions and KPIs before you write that job ad. Is your team really at capacity, or just undertrained?
Key takeaways:
- Burnout often stems from broken systems, not just headcount
- Patient flow—not production, is the best indicator for front desk staffing
- Don’t hire to “fix” a bad culture—address team satisfaction first
- Smart outsourcing (like billing or insurance verification) can bridge the gap
- A great team member might be hiding in plain sight—they just need training
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com
📲 Join the conversation! What signs tell you it’s time to hire—or not? Post your thoughts in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group, and we just might cover them in our next episode!
A dental team without effective meetings is like a GPS with no signal—lost, frustrated, and going in circles.
In this episode, Dana and Sandy dive into the often-overlooked power of consistent, structured team meetings. From setting agendas and reviewing stats to celebrating birthdays and avoiding gum-chewing drama, they lay out the exact formula for turning “just another meeting” into a high-impact tool for team alignment, accountability, and growth.
This episode is inspired by a post in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group (thanks, Heather!), and it answers all your questions about frequency, timing, food, and how to keep the meeting professional without turning it into a complaint fest.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Build consistency and trust through regular meetings ✅ Set a professional tone that encourages open communication ✅ Use stats to manage without micromanaging ✅ Create a clear agenda that respects everyone’s time ✅ Avoid common traps—like canceling because “one person’s out”
📓 Listener challenge: Pull out your calendar and mark team meetings for the rest of the year. Pro tip—choose the first Thursday (or another set day) of each month and make it a tradition!
Key takeaways:
- Your calendar is your culture—pre-schedule meetings 12 months in advance.
- A great meeting starts with a plan, ends with accountability, and includes a little cake.
- Never use meetings to discipline—address policy violations 1-on-1.
- A facilitator keeps meetings on time and on topic.
- Phones off the table. Literally.
- Celebrating wins builds trust; structure builds momentum.
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com
📲 Join the conversation! How do you run staff meetings at your office? Share your best tips or horror stories inside the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we might just feature it in an upcoming episode!
You can have the best marketing strategy in the world, but if your phone skills are lacking, patients will walk. In this episode, Dana and Sandy get real about what happens when dental teams unknowingly drive callers away with poor phone habits, disconnection, or defaulting to “no.”
They walk through mystery shopper call examples, red-flag language to avoid, and the mindset shift every front desk team member needs to convert, not repel, new patients.
This one’s packed with real talk, laugh-out-loud stories, and practical ways to be the cheerleader your practice needs.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Build rapport in the first 7 seconds of a call ✅ Ask the right questions during discovery ✅ Avoid “no” language and still set boundaries ✅ Take control of the appointment conversation ✅ End calls in a way that reduces broken appointments
📓 Listener challenge: Call your own office or listen to a recorded call (if legal in your state). Would you schedule an appointment based on how it sounds?
Key takeaways:
- Your marketing dollars are wasted if your phone skills don’t back it up.
- “Unfortunately” and “Sorry” are red flags—replace them with warmth and guidance.
- Patients don’t want homework. Take the lead, get their name and number first.
- Schedule with confidence. Too many options = confusion.
- A cheerful, confident voice beats fancy scripts every time.
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com
📲 Join the conversation! Drop your favorite phone call tip or share a “worst call ever” moment in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—your post could inspire our next episode!
Let me know if you’d like a shortened version for social, or if this episode will also be linked to a specific event or download!
We’re diving into a topic that separates struggling practices from high-performing ones—your front desk metrics. Dana and Sandy break down the most important KPIs your admin team should be tracking daily, weekly, and monthly. Spoiler alert: if you’re not measuring it, you can’t manage it!
Whether you're brand new to tracking stats or need a refresh to re-energize your team, this episode gives you simple, actionable ways to bring structure and accountability to your schedule, collections, and patient flow.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Track leading and lagging indicators ✅ Set realistic goals that don’t overwhelm your team ✅ Empower employees to “own” their numbers ✅ Reduce cancellations and no-shows ✅ Create a consistent system for growth—without expensive software
📓 Listener challenge: Grab a notepad (or your phone) and follow along as Sandy walks through the 10 KPIs that every dental front desk should be tracking.
Key takeaways:
- What gets measured gets managed.
- Metrics don’t remove the human touch—they improve it.
- New patients, calls out, and appointment conversion rates matter just as much as production.
- Use a physical binder to track schedule changes and spot patterns at a glance.
- Sharing goals consistently (not just when things go wrong) builds morale and accountability.
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com 📞 Mango Voice – Smart, reliable phone systems designed for dental practices. Learn more at mangovoice.com
📲 Join the conversation! Share your favorite KPI or ask a practice management question in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group — your question might inspire our next episode!
Membership Plans That Work: What Compliance Really Looks Like
Dental membership plans aren’t new—but compliance around them is becoming more critical than ever. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana are joined by Jane Levy, Co-founder and CEO of Plan Forward, to uncover how in-house dental plans can boost treatment acceptance, increase loyalty, and help practices navigate the complex world of legal compliance.
They discuss real-world misconceptions, why membership plans aren’t just for fee-for-service practices, and how the right tools (and the right vendor) make all the difference. Jane also shares exciting KPIs from real clients and explains how Plan Forward’s intuitive software puts your membership program on autopilot.
If you’ve been manually managing your plan—or wondering if one is worth the trouble—this conversation will change the way you look at in-house dental membership.
In This Episode You’ll Learn How To:
- Boost Production: Find out how these plans can increase practice revenue by getting patients to say “yes” to treatment and cancel less.
- Keep Patients Coming Back: Learn the secret to turning patients into loyal members & an integral part of your dental community.
- Kiss No-Shows Goodbye: Hear how membership cuts down on those missed appointments, making your day less stressful.
- Make Life Easier: Get the scoop on Plan Forward’s easy-to-use software that handles payments, renewals, and is compliant with state regulations.
- Break Free from Insurance: Discover how to ditch PPOs and stand out when only 20–25% of practices are doing this.
Grab a coffee and tune in—this episode’s a must for taking your practice to the next level! Upcoming Event: Front Desk Pro – Chicago August 1, 2025 Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person Seats are limited and these events always sell out!
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.
Identity Dental Marketing Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.
Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.
Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a dental friend who’s ready to level up their patient loyalty and revenue with a smarter membership plan.
We’re diving into a topic many practice managers quietly struggle with—what happens when your team feels more like friends than employees? Dana and Sandy tackle a heartfelt listener question: “How do I manage a team I’ve been friends with for years?”
Whether you were promoted from within, or made the mistake of hiring a friend, this episode will help you maintain professionalism without sacrificing connection. You’ll learn how to:
- Lead with warmth while keeping your edge
- Set clear boundaries and expectations
- Avoid favoritism and cliques
- Stay approachable without losing authority
- Create protocols that do the talking for you
👥 Listener shoutout: Thank you, Heather, for bravely sharing your story and inspiring this important conversation.
Key takeaways:
- Consistency over comfort builds trust.
- Keep friend chat and leadership decisions separate.
- Use writing to reduce drama and maintain accountability.
- If you hire a friend, be prepared to lead like a boss—not a buddy.
🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com 📞 Mango Voice – Smart, reliable phone systems designed for dental practices. Learn more at mangovoice.com
📲 Join the conversation! Ask your question or suggest a topic in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group — your comment could be featured on a future episode!
Vacation-Proofing Your Team
Episode Description Taking time off as a dental professional shouldn't leave you stressed out or worried about what's happening back at the office. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana break down how to set your team up for success before you leave—so you can truly unplug.
They cover real-world strategies to vacation-proof your practice, from setting department-specific goals to sending advance memos, and even encouraging team members to take ownership of their responsibilities. Plus, they tackle the big one: why showing trust in your team matters more than you might realize.
If you’ve been nervous about stepping away—or if your last vacation didn’t go as smoothly as you hoped—this episode will give you the tools and mindset shifts you need to set your team (and yourself) up for a win.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
- Why setting department-specific goals boosts accountability while you're away
- The simple but powerful memo every practice owner or manager should send before leaving
- How inviting your team to list their self-made responsibilities builds ownership
- The critical importance of showing trust (and not policing the clock)
- How strong leadership before vacation leads to stronger team dynamics year-round
- Why handling your time off well is a leadership skill worth mastering
Upcoming Event: Front Desk Pro – Philadelphia May 9, 2025 Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person Seats are limited and these events always sell out!
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Identity Dental Marketing Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.
Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.
Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.
Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a dental friend who deserves a truly relaxing, worry-free vacation.
Gossip at Work: The Hidden Cost of Chatter Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury Gossip at Work: The Hidden Cost of Chatter 0:00
Episode Description Gossip may seem like harmless chatter, but it has the power to erode trust, damage morale, and derail productivity in your dental practice. In this episode, Sandy and Dana tackle the tough topic of workplace gossip—what it sounds like, why it spreads, and how to stop it before it takes a toll on your culture and your team.
From NLRB rules to real-life consulting stories, they share practical ways to address negativity, encourage accountability, and build a team that thrives on trust. Plus, Dana delivers scripted verbal skills you can use right away to shut gossip down respectfully and effectively.
Whether you're a practice owner, manager, or team member, this episode will help you foster a workplace where professionalism wins and gossip has no place.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
- Why “friendly chatter” sometimes crosses the line into legal risk
- What the National Labor Relations Board says about banning gossip
- How negativity spreads—and how to stop it at the source
- Why some team members resist consulting and how to handle it
- How to create a safe, gossip-free workspace with open doors and clear roles
- The real reason broken appointments and low morale go hand in hand
- Why clearly defined job descriptions reduce friction and confusion
- How to use team agreements and core values to unify your staff
- A leadership lesson from the book The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon
- Verbal skills to shut gossip down with professionalism
- Why patients are paying attention to more than just your dentistry
Bonus Resource: Want a team-building moment at your next staff meeting? Look up the poem “Nobody’s Friend” and read it aloud. You might be surprised by the conversations it sparks.
Upcoming Event: Front Desk Pro – Philadelphia May 9, 2025 Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person Seats are limited and these events always sell out!
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.
Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.
Identity Dental Marketing Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.
Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a dental friend who’s ready to build a drama-free, high-performing team.
When the economy starts to shake, most dental practices start to shrink. But Sandy says now is the time to lean in and level up—and she’s sharing exactly how to do it.
In this episode, Dana and Sandy break down what it takes to recession-proof your practice before anything happens. From tightening your finances to training your team, maximizing re-care systems to building patient loyalty, this episode is your no-fluff guide to keeping treatment plans up—even when wallets are down.
Whether you’re nervous about the future or just want to boost production now, this conversation will help you lead with confidence, stay consistent, and find opportunity where others see obstacles.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
- Why mindset matters more than market trends
- The first two things to do when the economy dips
- How to avoid becoming your own worst enemy in front of the team
- The real cost of third-party re-care systems that leave you in the dark
- A simple report to pull that could reactivate hundreds of patients
- Why untrained phone calls = missed treatment acceptance
- How to double down on marketing without wasting dollars
- Why patients need more than just a reminder—they need to feel missed
- How membership plans keep the back door closed and loyalty high
- The forgotten art of verbal skills and how they change everything
📅 Upcoming Event: 🗓️ Front Desk Pro – Philadelphia 📍 May 9, 2025 🎟️ Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person 🚨 Seats are limited and these events always sell out!
🙏 Thank You to Our Sponsors:
➡️ Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.
➡️ Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.
➡️ Identity Dental Marketing Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.
📌 Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a dental friend who could use a boost in strategy—and mindset. Let’s recession-proof your practice together.
Episode Summary: This week, Sandy is fresh off an energizing Front Desk Pro seminar in Burbank, California—and she’s bringing the heat! Dana and Sandy dive deep into a topic that every dental practice owner and manager needs to master: employee one-on-ones. From handling raise requests to increasing team engagement and reducing turnover, this episode is packed with real-world strategies and scripted verbal skills you can use right away.
Sandy shares how acknowledgment and structure transform the culture of a practice, while Dana brings in heartfelt reminders of how leadership impacts lives beyond the workplace. Whether you’re avoiding tough conversations or want to build a better team dynamic, this episode will give you the confidence (and language) to lead.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
- Why repeat attendees at Front Desk Pro are proof that the system works
- What to say when a raise just isn’t feasible right now
- The verbal skill every manager needs when a team member feels unappreciated
- How to handle “she’s doing my job” type complaints without fueling gossip
- The surprising way asking employees to “write it up” filters noise from facts
- How to build review systems that actually get followed through
- Why one-on-ones aren't about raises—they’re about retention, growth, and clarity
- A reflective exercise that helps you lead with legacy in mind
📅 Upcoming Event: 🗓️ Front Desk Pro – Philadelphia 📍 May 9, 2025 🎟️ Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person 🚨 These sell out—don’t wait!
🙏 Thank You to Our Sponsors:
➡️ Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.
➡️ Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.
📌 Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a colleague who needs to stop avoiding those tough conversations.
Want to retain great employees and build a team that runs like a dream? It all starts with one-on-one conversations that count. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury share how regular one-on-one meetings can transform your culture, boost accountability, and keep your team growing in the right direction.
They break down the timing, tools, and tone of a successful one-on-one—plus how to turn them into growth opportunities, not gripe sessions. If you want more engagement and less drama in your dental office, start here.
What You’ll Learn: * How to set up meaningful one-on-ones with your team * Why these meetings are more powerful than traditional reviews * How to use self-evaluation tools to start real conversations * What to document and track before each meeting * How one-on-ones can reduce turnover and improve morale * The role of emotional deposits and team development in retention
Real Results in Action: Sandy and Dana discuss what happens when one-on-ones are done right—from better communication to uncovering training gaps before they become performance issues. Learn why most team breakdowns stem from a lack of connection, not capability.
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Want to boost your front desk skills? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025
Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
📢 Sponsored by: ✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. 💡 Exclusive Offer: Mention Dental Drill Bits for one month free! https://www.planforward.io/
✅ Mango Voice – The VoIP phone system designed for dental offices, helping teams provide a seamless patient experience. Visit MangoVoice.ai and use code DentalDrillBits for 1 Month FREE!
💡 Take Action Today: 📌 Sandy’s Challenge: Build stronger teams—one conversation at a time! ➡️ Schedule regular one-on-ones with each team member ➡️ Use self-evaluation forms to spark honest feedback ➡️ Track progress, goals, and follow-ups after every meeting ➡️ Train your managers on how to lead growth-focused one-on-ones
👍 Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies to grow your practice.
Is your hygiene schedule disappearing before your eyes? You’re not imagining it! No-shows, last-minute cancellations, and poor confirmation strategies can leave your hygiene team scrambling and your bottom line suffering.
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue Salisbury break down why hygiene schedules fall apart—and how to fix it for good! From smarter pre-scheduling to foolproof confirmation techniques, they’re sharing real-world solutions to keep your chairs full and your patients accountable.
What You’ll Learn: ✅ The #1 reason why hygiene schedules collapse before your eyes ✅ How pre-scheduling the wrong patients is hurting your practice ✅ A foolproof confirmation system that actually works ✅ The perfect balance of texts, calls, emails & postcards for max confirmations ✅ Why new patient time slots should be set in stone (and how to protect them!) ✅ The morning huddle strategy that prevents no-shows before they happen
Real Results in Action: 🔍 Sandy shares what her consulting team discovered after reviewing thousands of broken appointments—and how a simple 80/20 rule can save your hygiene schedule!
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Want to boost your front desk skills? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025
Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
📢 Sponsored by: ✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. 💡 Exclusive Offer: Mention Dental Drill Bits for one month free! https://www.planforward.io/
✅ Mango Voice – The VoIP phone system designed for dental offices, helping teams provide a seamless patient experience. Visit MangoVoice.ai and use code DentalDrillBits for 1 Month FREE!
💡 Take Action Today: 📌 Sandy’s Challenge: Stop hygiene chaos before it starts! ➡️ Audit your broken appointments—who keeps canceling? ➡️ Set a stricter pre-scheduling policy—not every patient should be auto-booked! ➡️ Revamp your confirmation system—postcards, emails, texts, and calls should work together 📅
👍 Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies to grow your practice.
📣 Tag a dental pro who needs to hear this episode! 👇 #DentalDrillBits #HygieneScheduling #NoMoreNoShows #PracticeGrowth
📢 Episode Title: "Ring, Ring! Mastering the First Impression – Live Call Analysis"
🎙 Episode Description What happens when a potential patient calls your dental office? That first impression can make or break their decision to schedule an appointment. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue Salisbury analyze a real call from a dental practice, breaking down what worked, what didn’t, and how small tweaks can dramatically improve conversion rates. Listen in as they share pro tips on phone etiquette, tone, and the must-have scripts that turn callers into lifelong patients.
✅ What You’ll Learn: 🔹 The #1 mistake team members make when answering the phone—and how to fix it ☎️ 🔹 How to confidently promote your doctor and practice without feeling "salesy" 🎤 🔹 The importance of a warm, engaging tone—and how to achieve it 🎶 🔹 How to avoid costly missed opportunities that waste your marketing dollars 💰 🔹 The four essential steps to a winning phone call: Greeting, Discovery, Invitation, and Close 🎯 🔹 Why front desk training is the best investment you can make for your practice 🚀
📣 Real Results in Action: One team member went from hesitant and unsure to a rockstar receptionist just by making one small adjustment to her approach. Tune in to hear how role-playing and scripting turned her into a confident, patient-converting machine!
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Want to take your front desk skills to the next level? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025 Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
📢 Sponsored by: ✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. Exclusive for Dental Drill Bits listeners: Get 1 month free! Learn more at PlanForward.io
✅ Mango Voice – The VoIP phone system designed for dental offices, helping teams provide a seamless patient experience. Visit MangoVoice.ai and use code DentalDrillBits for 1 Month FREE!
💡 Take Action Today: ➡️ Listen to one of your practice’s recorded calls—what areas could improve? 🎧 ➡️ Implement Sandy’s Cheerleader Method to confidently promote your doctor 💪 ➡️ Role-play common patient objections with your team this week 🗣️
👍 Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies.
📩 Got a topic you’d love for us to cover? Join the Dental Drill Bits community and let us know what’s on your mind!
Episode Description Unexpected call-outs can throw your dental practice into chaos—but they don’t have to! In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue Salisbury break down how to create an attendance culture that keeps your team accountable without being rigid. They’ll share real-world strategies for managing sick calls, setting clear attendance policies, and keeping your team engaged.
What You’ll Learn: ✅ How to prevent a culture of absenteeism from spreading in your practice 🚫 ✅ The importance of direct communication about attendance expectations 🗣️ ✅ Why texting in sick is a problem—and how to fix it 📵 ✅ A reward system that actually works to improve attendance 🎯 ✅ How to balance compassion with accountability when employees need time off ⚖️ ✅ The must-have policies every practice needs for handling sick days ✍️
Real Results in Action: Sandy shares how one dental office cut unexpected call-outs dramatically using a simple "Ping Pong Game" reward system—and how you can implement it in your own practice!
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Want to master front desk efficiency? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025
Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
📢 Sponsored by: ✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive.
💡 Take Action Today: Don’t let last-minute sick calls disrupt your practice! Take Sandy’s Challenge: ➡️ Review your attendance policies—are they clear and effective? ➡️ Establish a protocol for how employees must call in sick 📞 ➡️ Consider an attendance reward system to boost reliability 🎟️
👍 Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies.
Hiring is one thing—but the interview process is where you make or break your chances of getting the right person. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury share expert strategies to help you conduct interviews with confidence, ask the right questions, and avoid costly hiring mistakes.
What you’ll learn: ✅ The difference between situational vs. behavioral interview questions—and why both matter 🎯 ✅ Why working interviews are a legal and financial risk you shouldn’t take 🚫 ✅ The must-ask questions that reveal a candidate’s true communication skills and work ethic 💬 ✅ How to use group interviews to quickly identify top candidates 👥 ✅ The secret to assessing body language, energy, and attitude in an interview 🔍 ✅ A step-by-step process to make better hiring decisions faster ⏳
Real Results in Action: Sandy shares how a simple group interview strategy helped find top hires in just one session—and how you can use it to streamline your own process!
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Want to master front desk efficiency? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Burbank, CA – March 28, 2025 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025
Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
📢 Sponsored by: ✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. Mention Dental Drill Bits for an exclusive offer! Learn more here.
💡 Take Action Today: Don’t let a bad interview process lead to a bad hire! Take Sandy’s Challenge: ➡️ Review your interview questions—are they revealing enough about candidates? ➡️ Consider a group interview to quickly assess multiple applicants ➡️ Implement situational & behavioral questions to uncover real insights
👍 Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies.
Finding the Right Candidate
Hiring the right person for your dental practice can feel like searching for a unicorn—but it doesn’t have to be! In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury dive deep into how to attract and hire top talent for your dental practice without the frustration.
What you’ll learn: ✅ Why a strong job ad is your first (and biggest) hiring tool ✍️ ✅ How to attract working professionals instead of job hoppers 💼 ✅ The balance between experience, attitude, and coachability ⚖️ ✅ Why phone screenings matter—and what to listen for 📞 ✅ The secret to making your practice the workplace of choice 🏆 ✅ A step-by-step plan to streamline your hiring process 🔄
Real Results in Action: Sandy shares how a well-placed blind ad led to 180 applicants in just a few days—and how this approach can help you find the right candidate faster than you think!
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Want to master front desk efficiency? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Burbank, CA – March 28, 2025 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025
Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
📢 Sponsored by: ✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. Mention Dental Drill Bits for an exclusive offer! Learn more here.
💡 Take Action Today: Don’t let hiring challenges slow down your practice growth! Take Sandy’s Challenge: ➡️ Review your current job ad—does it attract the right candidates? ➡️ Implement a phone screening process to filter applicants faster ➡️ Make your hiring process an extension of your practice culture
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Front Desk Chaos to Clarity Episode Description: In this episode of The Dental Drill Bits Podcast, Sandy and Dana tackle one of the biggest front desk challenges in dental practices—how to maintain consistency and organization when multiple team members rotate through the same position. 🔄
One doctor from the Dental Drill Bits Facebook group asked: How do I streamline communication and documentation when different front desk employees work on different days? Sandy and Dana break it all down, sharing real-world strategies to bring clarity and structure to the front office.
They discuss the importance of detailed checklists, clear procedures, and training that eliminates confusion, ensures predictability, and keeps both doctors and teams stress-free. Plus, they dive into the hidden risks of poor communication—and how to fix them fast.
Key Takeaways: ✔️ Why inconsistency in front desk processes causes frustration for both doctors and employees 😫 ✔️ How standard operating procedures (SOPs) create predictable and stress-free workflows 📋 ✔️ The must-have checklists that keep your front office running smoothly every day ✅ ✔️ How to prevent micromanagement while still ensuring accountability 🔄 ✔️ Why role clarity reduces conflict and improves team morale 🙌 ✔️ A step-by-step action plan to start organizing your front office today 🏁
Sandy also shares how Front Desk Pro attendees are already using these strategies to create smoother, more productive front desks!
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Want to master front desk efficiency? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Burbank, CA – March 28, 2025 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025
Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
Sponsors: ✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. Mention Dental Drill Bits for an exclusive offer! Learn more here.
Take Action Today: Don’t let front desk chaos slow you down! Take Sandy’s challenge: ➡️ Sit down with your front office team and list everything that needs to happen daily ➡️ Create a simple checklist to ensure consistency ➡️ Store your SOPs in a digital folder or binder for easy training and accountability
Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Don't forget to subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies.
Episode Title: Do You Really Need an Office Manager? Episode Description: In this episode of The Dental Drill Bits Podcast, Sandy and Dana tackle one of the most common dilemmas for dental practice owners—Do you really need an office manager? 🤔
Hiring an office manager can seem like the perfect solution to reducing stress and improving operations, but without a clear role definition, it can create more challenges than solutions. In this episode, they break down when an office manager is truly needed, what skills are essential for success, and whether team leaders might be a better alternative.
They also discuss how to structure leadership within a practice to maximize efficiency, build team culture, and create accountability.
Key Takeaways: ✔ Should your practice have an office manager, or is there a better solution? 🤷♂️ ✔ The most common mistakes practice owners make when appointing an office manager 🚨 ✔ What to look for in an ideal candidate (hint: it's not just about tenure) 🎯 ✔ The power of team leaders and how they can provide structure without creating bottlenecks 🔄 ✔ Why communication is critical and how to prevent role confusion 🗣️ ✔ How to train and empower leadership within your team for long-term success 🚀
They also highlight upcoming training opportunities that can help practice owners and office managers strengthen their leadership skills and build a thriving, efficient team.
Listen Now: 🎧 Tune in to the full episode here: [Insert Podcast Link]
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Thinking about leveling up your front office leadership? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Burbank, CA – March 28, 2025 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025
Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com
Sponsors: ✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. Mention Dental Drill Bits for an exclusive offer! Learn more here.
Take Action Today: Start evaluating your leadership structure! Do you need an office manager, or would team leaders be a better fit? Outline clear roles, set accountability measures, and ensure every leader knows their purpose.
Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Don't forget to subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.
Episode Title: Mastering Onboarding for a Thriving Dental Practice
Episode Description:
In this episode of The Dental Drill Bits Podcast, Sandy and Dana dive into the make-or-break process of onboarding new team members in a dental practice. A strong onboarding system not only prevents turnover but also sets the stage for a thriving team culture and long-term success. 🚀
They share real-world experiences, practical strategies, and actionable steps to ensure new hires feel welcomed, supported, and set up for success from day one.
Key Takeaways: ✔ The biggest onboarding mistakes that lead to early resignations 🚨 ✔ How to create a structured onboarding journey that boosts retention 🎯 ✔ Why assigning a buddy system makes integration seamless 👫 ✔ The power of checklists, SOPs, and training milestones 📋 ✔ How to gather feedback to continuously improve your onboarding process 🔄 ✔ What “turnover trauma” is and how to prevent it from costing your practice thousands 💸
They also discuss Sandy’s upcoming Front Desk Pro seminar, where dental teams can get hands-on training to improve efficiency, communication, and patient experience.
Listen Now: 🎧 Tune in to the full episode here: [Insert Podcast Link]
🎟 SPECIAL OFFER: Sign up for Front Desk Pro and use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off! 👉 Register at ClassicPractice.com
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Take Action Today: Start tracking your open time and production goals now! Print out your schedules, analyze past weeks, and involve your team in finding solutions. Remember, every day is an opportunity to optimize your schedule and serve your patients better.
Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review. Your feedback helps us continue to deliver valuable content!
Episode Title: Wasted Time, Open Time, and Maximizing Your Schedule
Episode Description: Welcome to another exciting episode of Dental Drill Bits! This week, Sandy Pardue is joined by a very special guest—Dana Pardue Salisbury, the original co-host and HR business professional. Together, they kick off the new season with a deep dive into one of the most critical topics for dental practices: managing open time in your schedule.
Discover actionable tips to identify, track, and eliminate wasted time in your practice. Whether you're dealing with broken appointments, patient no-shows, or underutilized slots, this episode equips you with practical strategies to improve productivity, enhance patient care, and boost your bottom line.
Plus, hear Dana’s unique perspective on the patient experience and why over-communicating about appointment changes can backfire. Stay tuned until the end for a game-changing resource that could revolutionize how you handle in-house membership plans!
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Dana Salisbury's journey back to Dental Drill Bits and her insights on training and development for dental practices.
- The real cost of open time and why tracking it is crucial.
- How to calculate daily, hourly, and per-unit production goals.
- Strategies to reduce cancellations, no-shows, and last-minute reschedules.
- The importance of maintaining a reliable call list and leveraging patient interactions.
- Patient perspective: Why excessive appointment changes can harm patient satisfaction.
- The role of team meetings in addressing missed opportunities.
- An introduction to Plan Forward—a custom dental membership platform offering tools for automated billing, patient communication, and more.
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Take Action Today: Start tracking your open time and production goals now! Print out your schedules, analyze past weeks, and involve your team in finding solutions. Remember, every day is an opportunity to optimize your schedule and serve your patients better.
Subscribe & Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review. Your feedback helps us continue to deliver valuable content!
This is a question Sandy Pardue gets quite often in her events, so we decided to cover it here!
Here are a couple things you want to do:
You need a time clock software. (Sandy recommends a software)
Don’t give everyone access to change their time clock.
Create a policy, and be super specific in this policy. (Sandy gives us great examples).
What to say if someone still violates the policy? (Sandy provides us with what to do, a script, and how many times should we allow it).
How to present the overtime policy at a team meeting.
Wondering how to ease the burden and stress off yourself as the doctor?
In this week's rerun episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy are exploring the universe of responsibilities that come with the role of an office manager in a dynamic and demanding dental practice. They break down the essential duties that will keep your practice running smoothly without the added headache. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Understand the scope of day-to-day activities a dental office manager oversees.
- Discover the role an office manager plays in shaping employee and patient relations.
- Uncover how essential marketing, compliance, and staff training duties fall under the office manager's purview.
- Realize the importance of clear and consistent communication between the office manager and the doctor.
- Appreciate effective strategies for cultivating excellent customer service and patient relations skills.
- Gain insights on the significance of consistency and communication in propelling the practice forward.
- Learn useful tips for avoiding burnout and strategies to find the right fit for your office manager role.
Tune in to this episode of Dental Drill Bits and boost your dental practice's effectiveness, efficiency, and overall success with an office manager!
(This episode originally aired on 1/3/2024)
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency with no long-term contracts? Visit DocSites' website here and be sure to mention this podcast episode for a special deal! https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
In this rerun episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Michael delve headfirst into the crucial role of an office manager in your dental practice. Listen as they unlock the job description of a successful manager and explore how imperative it is for dentists to identify potential talent hidden within their teams while filling this impactful role. Sandy and Michael dissect the cardinal role of duplication skills in a manager's toolbox and how this skill can set apart a thriving practice from a struggling one.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Understanding the crucial role and job description of an office manager in a dental practice
- Identifying and fostering talent within your team for the office manager post
- What are duplication skills and why are they important in office management?
- Strategies and tips for successful office management
- Overcoming common challenges faced by office managers.
Tune in to today's discussion and transform your dental practice with a brilliant office manager!
(This episode originally aired on 12/27/2023)
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency with no long-term contracts? Visit DocSites' website here and be sure to mention this podcast episode for a special deal! https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Are you struggling with patient no-shows that disrupt your dental practice’s schedule?
In this rerun episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Michael dive deep into practical strategies to minimize cancellations and improve patient attendance. The conversation kicks off with a focus on the art of clear communication, where they assert the power of personalized phone calls over cold automated messages. These personal touches not only confirm appointments but also strengthen the patient-practice bond, making each patient feel recognized and appreciated.
Moving beyond communication, Sandy and Michael explore the often-overlooked aspect of office efficiency, from managing personnel roles to implementing effective scheduling systems. They provide a candid critique of over-automation, pointing out how it can erode patient relations and lead to an uptick in unattended appointments. By sharing relatable anecdotes and actionable advice, Sandy illustrates the importance of addressing unconfirmed slots quickly and empathizing with patient concerns from the get-go. Wrapping up, the hosts offer a toolkit for handling broken appointments and stress the need for practices to take charge of their scheduling processes to foster efficiency and elevate patient care.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The significance of personalized communication over automated messages.
- The role of clear communication in reducing no-shows and cancellations.
- How to balance automation with personal patient relations.
- Effective appointment confirmation techniques that engage patients.
- Strategies for efficient schedule management, including personnel roles.
- Tips for promptly addressing unconfirmed appointments.
- Handling patient objections to decrease cancellations.
- Insights into maintaining a patient-first approach throughout the scheduling process.
Tune in now to transform your practice's appointment strategies and strengthen patient connections!
(This episode originally aired on Sep 06, 2023)
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what DocSites can do for you: DocSites.com/landing-pages/ddb
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Front Desk Pro
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, we're exploring the dynamics of a healthy vendor-client relationship as Sandy delves into an inspiring conversation with Megan Lohman from Plan Forward. Together, they unlock the powerful components of successful partnerships, from the nuances of clear communication to fostering mutual respect. The duo emphasizes the importance of setting realistic expectations and maintaining open lines of communication to ensure vendor relationships become long-term, growth-oriented collaborations. Sandy further highlights the benefits of her Front Desk Pro seminars, a series promising transformative engagement for entire dental teams across the U.S., offering practical tools to enhance their practice management skills.
The discussion takes a practical turn as Megan shares valuable tips, rooted in personal experience, on navigating the challenges of vendor implementation while optimizing business efficiency. Sandy rounds off the episode by stressing the importance of a teamwork-driven approach, where practice leaders must transparently relay goals and expectations to their teams, ensuring seamless adoption of new services.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The key ingredients of a successful vendor-client relationship in dental practices.
- Tips for setting realistic expectations and maintaining fruitful communication with vendors.
- Strategies for viewing vendors as long-term business partners.
- Insights on the value of regular feedback and being open to change.
- Practical steps for improving vendor implementation and business efficiency.
- How effective team communication can enhance the adoption of new tools and services.
Listen in today to take your vendor relationships to new heights!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Dentaltown
Events:
Front Desk Pro - February 7, 2025 Houston, Texas (Use code "Secret Sauce" at checkout for $100 off!) Businesses:
Burbank Dental Lab
Software:
Dentrix
Zoom
Terms:
KPIs - Key Performance Indicators
PMS - Practice Management Software
Managing a successful dental practice often hinges on the seamless collaboration and communication of its team.
In this episode, Michael and Sandy explore the vital elements of effective team management that can transform your practice into a harmonious and high-functioning operation. They reveal how strong systems for hiring and onboarding are not just administrative necessities but foundational strategies that influence the overall success of the practice. Sandy shares her insights into building a clear vision that resonates across the team, emphasizing how consistent communication can break down barriers and foster an environment where everyone works towards common objectives.
As the conversation unfolds, Michael and Sandy turn their focus to the human elements of practice management, emphasizing the importance of motivation and acknowledgment during times of change. Whether it's integrating new technologies or adapting to policy changes, they offer practical advice on how to maintain morale and encourage cooperation among team members. By the end of the episode, you’ll have a toolkit of strategies to reinforce your practice's vision, ensuring that your team is not only aligned but invigorated to achieve shared goals.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The critical role of structured hiring and onboarding processes.
- How to establish and communicate a clear vision within your team.
- Techniques for overcoming common team management obstacles.
- The importance of motivation and acknowledgment during practice transitions.
- Practical steps to ensure team alignment with new policies and technologies.
Tune in now to unlock key strategies for transforming your dental practice through effective team management!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Dentaltown
Events:
Front Desk Pro - February 7, 2025 Houston, Texas (Use code "Secret Sauce" at checkout for $100 off!) People:
Dr. Howard Farran
Are broken appointments disrupting the flow of your dental practice and impacting your bottom line?
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy dive deep into a chronic challenge faced by many dentists: managing broken appointments. Sandy, drawing from her wealth of expertise, sheds light on effective strategies to tackle this issue head-on. She discusses how proper appointment confirmations can make all the difference and shares her sharp observations on recognizing patterns that often lead to last-minute cancellations.
Sandy stresses the imperative of clear and consistent communication as well as the establishment of effective control mechanisms within the practice. She discusses assigning a dedicated scheduler to manage appointments prudently and to ensure patients show up. Sandy shows us actionable verbal techniques, empowering practice owners to see immediate improvements in patient compliance. Wrapping up with key insights, she reminds listeners of the importance of truly understanding patient needs and maintaining well-regulated schedules, offering a roadmap to improved practice efficiency and patient satisfaction.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Techniques for reducing the rate of broken appointments.
- The impact of proper appointment confirmations on practice workflow.
- How to detect patterns and triggers that lead to cancellations.
- Methods for categorizing different types of patient cancellations.
- The importance of effective communication within your practice.
- How a dedicated scheduler can boost patient adherence.
- Verbal strategies to encourage patients to keep their appointments.
Ready to enhance your practice's efficiency? Tune in now to stop those no-shows!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what DocSites can do for you: DocSites.com/landing-pages/ddb
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Front Desk Pro
Dentaltown
People:
Taylor Swift
Dr. Robert Westerman
Software:
Dentrix
Is your practice struggling with low treatment acceptance rates?
Tune in to this enlightening episode of the Dental Drill Bits podcast, where Michael and Sandy unravel proven strategies to help you turn patient hesitance into commitment. Sandy opens up about the power of mindset, sharing how a positive and empathetic approach can transform the way patients view necessary treatments. By diving into effective communication and questioning strategies, Sandy provides invaluable advice on steering conversations towards understanding patient reluctance, even before they set foot in the office.
But that's not all—this episode is rich with practical tools to boost your practice's effectiveness in patient interactions. Discover how education, confidence, and teamwork play crucial roles in presenting treatment plans that resonate. Sandy discusses trust-building techniques involving visual aids like patient photos and educational videos, coupled with addressing financial concerns through customized payment plans. Break down common barriers such as fear, cost, and lack of understanding with tailored approaches that emphasize emotional intelligence and compassionate listening.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The role of a positive mindset in enhancing treatment acceptance.
- Strategic questions and phrases to reveal patient hesitance.
- The impact of cohesive team efforts in presenting treatment plans.
- Techniques for building trust through visual aids and educational tools.
- Approaches to handling financial objections effectively.
- Overcoming barriers such as fear, cost, and misunderstanding in dental care.
- Utilizing emotional intelligence to connect with patients on a deeper level.
Listen now to equip yourself with actionable strategies to boost your treatment acceptance rates!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - February 7, 2025 Houston, Texas (Use code "Secret Sauce" at checkout for $100 off!) Financing:
CareCredit
Veridi
Tools:
DDS GP
People:
Dr. Harold Wirth
Brands:
Disney
Louis Vuitton
Studies:
ADA Study on Cost of Treatment
Henry Schein Treatment Acceptance
Quotes:
“Man will not test the depth of water with both feet”
Are you equipped to transform your dental practice from good to great as 2025 draws near? In this episode, Michael, Sandy, and Ali embark on a dynamic discussion about the evolving landscape of dental practice management and marketing. Ali, founder of DocSites, takes the floor to break down how his company is revolutionizing dental marketing with a focus on transparency, affordability, and exceptional customer service. The trio dives deep into the significance of managing online reviews and optimizing internal systems to not only attract, but also retain, new patients.
As marketing strategies become ever more critical, Ali shares invaluable insights for dental practices on the brink of 2025, advising a pivot from complex branding to simplicity and patient-focused content. He emphasizes the critical nature of maintaining fresh, relevant online content, while ensuring the whole team is fully briefed on ongoing marketing campaigns. With a keen eye on the nitty-gritty of staff training, Ali underscores the balance between marketing and sales, detailing how tracking new patient sources can significantly enhance a practice's marketing efficacy.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How simplifying branding can enhance patient engagement.
- The role of updated website content in attracting new patients.
- Strategies for effective staff training and marketing harmonization.
- The importance of tracking new patient sources to measure success.
- Insights on balancing marketing and sales efforts.
- How to optimize internal systems to boost online reviews.
- Upcoming marketing trends to focus on for 2025.
- Details on DocSites' flexible service offerings and special deals.
Tune in to discover innovative strategies to boost your dental practice's growth today!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what DocSites can do for you: https://www.DocSites.com/landing-pages/ddb/(Don't miss out on their Black Friday Deal of -$750 off your website! Just mention Michael, Sandy, Dental Drill Bits, or Dental Gumbo!)
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Front Desk Pro
Implantology Meeting in Atlanta
Businesses/Brands:
Burbank Dental Lab
Nordstrom
Invisalign
Oreck
Electrolux
Nike
Amazon
Tools:
Google Review Cards
Places:
Aria - Los Vegas
Imagine transforming potential inquiries into loyal patient relationships with just a phone call. In this episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into mastering effective phone communication for dental practice front office staff, a critical yet often overlooked skill. Sandy begins by highlighting the significance of first impressions, presenting a powerful six-step guide designed to seamlessly manage new patient calls. From crafting a welcoming greeting to confidently promoting the practice, Sandy breaks down each step with clarity and precision, ensuring your front office team is well-equipped to handle any conversation with ease.
Throughout the conversation, Sandy sheds light on common pitfalls, such as overwhelming potential patients with excessive dental history probes or premature price discussions. By focusing on scheduling appointments and fostering an inviting atmosphere, front office staff can set the stage for meaningful face-to-face interactions. Sandy underscores the value of being a good listener and familiarizing oneself with financing solutions when cost concerns arise. This episode is a must-listen for anyone aiming to elevate their patient communication skills to drive practice growth and satisfaction.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How to create a positive first impression on phone calls.
- The six crucial steps to handle a new patient inquiry effectively.
- Strategies to avoid scaring off potential patients with complex details.
- Common communication mistakes and how to prevent them.
- Tips for confidently promoting the practice and services.
- Ways to emphasize consultation over phone-based decisions.
- Importance of listening and adapting to patient needs.
- Utilizing financing options to address cost concerns.
Listen in now to discover the secrets to exceptional phone communication in your dental practice!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - February 7, 2025 Houston, Texas (Use code "Secret Sauce" at checkout for $100 off!) People:
Cory Pinegar (Reach)
Businesses/Brands:
Walmart
Amazon Prime
Netflix
Goodwood Hardware
Does the truth always prevail when rumors run rampant in the dental community? In this eye-opening episode, Michael and Sandy confront the damaging effects of rumors and misinformation that pervade the dental industry. They tackle the common pitfalls of comparing oneself or one's practice to others, emphasizing how this can erode confidence and productivity. Delving into specific scenarios such as production numbers and appointment cancellations, Sandy and Michael illustrate how external benchmarks often mislead rather than motivate, highlighting the perilous journey of false comparisons.
With social platforms like Facebook and Dentaltown serving as breeding grounds for misinformation, Sandy sheds light on how these spaces can exacerbate fears and quash morale. Her key message? Look inward. Dentists should optimize their internal systems and focus on teamwork to drive success, instead of seeking solace in unreliable sources. The duo offers practical advice to reclaim control, foster positivity, and nurture a practice culture built on verified insights and self-assured growth.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The risks of comparing your dental practice to others.
- How rumors and misinformation impact morale and decision-making.
- Effective strategies for improving internal systems and team dynamics.
- The role of social media in spreading falsehoods within the dental community.
- Ways to build confidence by focusing on internal measures and outcomes.
Tune in to discover how to shield your practice from the clutches of damaging rumors and boost your team's morale!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what DocSites can do for you: https://www.DocSites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Dentaltown
People:
Dr. Bob Westerman
Is gossip silently drilling holes in your dental practice, eroding trust and harmony?
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy embark on a candid exploration of gossip within dental offices. Sandy dives deep, demystifying the corrosive nature of workplace chatter, sharing eye-opening stories, and offering firsthand insights. With the lively discussion, they expose how gossip not only deteriorates team morale but also impacts patient care subtly yet significantly. Sandy's storytelling captures the gravity of gossip as she narrates the poignant poem "Nobody's Friend," serving as a stark reminder of its potential damage.
Michael and Sandy arm you with actionable strategies to cultivate a gossip-free work environment. The episode underscores the power of clear communication, fostering team agreements, and how leaders can actively counter gossip's spread. This episode promises to enlighten dental teams on the path to nurturing a more cohesive, trusting workplace where everyone thrives.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The hidden costs of gossip on team morale and patient care.
- Practical strategies for fostering a gossip-free work environment.
- The importance of clear communication in preventing workplace gossip.
- How to implement team agreements to strengthen workplace harmony.
- The critical role leaders play in addressing and mitigating gossip.
Tune in now to eliminate gossip and build a healthier, more united practice!
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana (Use code: "Secret Sauce" at checkout!) Poems:
Nobodies Friend poem
Hotels:
The Ritz-Carlton
Saint Hotel
Hamton Inn
Courtyard - Marriott
People:
Julia Child
Ina Garten - Interview
Have you ever wondered why some practices struggle with last-minute cancellations while others maintain a steady flow of happy patients? In this part 2 of the Productivity Killers in Dentistry Unveiled series, Michael and Sandy pull back the curtain on one of the biggest challenges in the dental industry: broken appointments. Sandy dives deep into the tactics for addressing this issue head-on, offering invaluable advice on the "appointment wrap-up" process. From ensuring seamless handoffs between your technical and front office teams to mastering patient interactions, especially with newcomers, Sandy's strategies are a game-changer.
This episode isn't just about maintaining a schedule; it's about transforming how your practice approaches patient management. Michael and Sandy stress the critical role of verbal techniques in appointment confirmations and the necessity of understanding patient behavior. By tightening the reins on scheduling and honing communication skills, you will see a noticeable decrease in broken appointments. Whether you're a dentist, office manager, or anyone involved in patient management, these insights could revolutionize your daily operations, maintaining a professional environment that's both efficient and patient-friendly.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The "appointment wrap-up" process to prevent broken appointments.
- Techniques for effective handoffs between technical and front office teams.
- Strategies for minimizing cancellations by understanding patient behavior.
- Verbal techniques to improve appointment confirmation.
- The importance of rigorous training and communication in scheduling.
Tune in now to discover how to successfully minimize broken appointments in your dental practice!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana (Use code: "Secret Sauce" at checkout!) Organizations:
ADA
Places:
The Ritz-Carlton
People:
Taylor Swift
Businesses:
Amazon
Imagine transforming the daily chaos in your practice into a streamlined and efficient operation. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy tackle some of the most disruptive productivity killers facing dental practices today—late patients, broken appointments, no-shows, and cancellations. Sandy brings her expert perspective by emphasizing the necessity of a dedicated scheduler who can artfully manage appointments to minimize chaos and boost productivity. They delve into actionable strategies, such as enhancing patient education, solidifying financial arrangements, and enhancing verbal skills, all designed to ensure patients respect and honor their scheduled times.
As they unravel the complexities behind missed appointments, Sandy challenges common misconceptions, like the idea of penalizing patients, by shifting the focus towards proactive solutions and realistic production goals. Michael and Sandy create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, inviting you to reflect on your current practices and consider new approaches.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Effective strategies to minimize late arrivals and cancellations.
- The importance of having a dedicated appointment scheduler.
- Techniques for enhancing patient communication and financial arrangements.
- Insights into setting realistic production goals for dentists.
- Common misconceptions about penalizing patients for missed appointments.
Tune in now to discover the secrets to maintaining a productive dental practice!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what DocSites can do for you: https://www.DocSites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana (Use Code "Secret Sauce" at Checkout!)
Sauces:
RAO's
Establishments/Brands:
Costco
The-Ritz-Carlton
Uber
Should you have working interviews? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy unravel the complexities of hiring processes in dental practices that often fly under the radar. They take a closer look at the commonly used "working interviews" and reveal the legal pitfalls and inefficiencies often associated with them. But fear not, as they guide you through innovative strategies to better evaluate potential hires. With their expert advice, you'll learn how to navigate these challenges with ease and ensure your dentistry team is top-notch.
Get ready to transform your interview process into a sharp, strategic tool for hiring the best talent. Sandy introduces the game-changing idea of using detailed written tests to tap into candidates' problem-solving prowess, mathematical skills, and situational reactions. You'll discover the power of personalized interview questions and the subtle yet telling observations that body language provides. Plus, Sandy shares practical tactics on refining your interview techniques, crafting skill assessments, and ensuring every step aligns with legal standards.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The legal and functional drawbacks of typical "working interviews."
- Innovative strategies for effective candidate evaluation.
- The role of written tests in assessing key skills.
- How to interpret and leverage candidates' body language.
- Essential tactics for tailoring interview questions.
- Steps to ensure legal compliance throughout the hiring process.
Tune in now to revolutionize your practice’s hiring approach with proven strategies!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana Services: CEDR HR Solutions
Equipment:
CEREC
Tests:
Wonderlic Test
Puzzled by a sudden slowdown in your practice after a period of steady growth? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy tackle this very dilemma, driven by a listener's concern about a drop in activity despite continuous marketing efforts. Sandy shines a light on the inevitable ebbs and flows of the dental business, detailing how peaks and valleys are quite common. While it's tempting to look at external factors, she emphasizes that the real key lies with internal operations—how well your team navigates daily tasks, engages with patients, and adheres to promotional schedules can make or break your growth momentum.
With unshakeable opinion and experience, both Michael and Sandy underscore the importance of a rock-solid front office, the urgency of consistent follow-ups, and impeccable communication. They delve into actionable strategies and best practices for maintaining top-notch performance, regardless of external fluctuations. By the end, Sandy empowers practice owners to reclaim the reins of their success, conveying that much of what determines business growth is within their control.
What You'll Learn in This Episode: * Why your dental practice might experience sudden drops in activity despite ongoing marketing * The significance of internal factors—appointment handling, teamwork, and consistent promotional efforts * How urgent, organized front-office operations contribute to maintaining growth * Methods for effective communication within a dental team to tackle periods of low activity * Encouraging insights about controlling your practice's success through proactive management
Ready to turn unpredictable slowdowns into steady growth for your dental practice? Tune into today's conversation!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what DocSites can do for you: https://www.DocSites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Marketing:
Google Ads
People:
Taylor Swift
Imagine turning your practice into a thriving hub by simply tweaking your bonus structures for your office manager. This episode of Dental Drill Bits delves into the nuances of crafting successful bonus systems that align with your practice's financial goals. Michael and Sandy engage in an insightful discussion exploring profit-increasing bonuses versus flat raises, focusing on ensuring these incentives are both motivating and sustainable. Sandy advises on basing bonuses on collections instead of production for financial stability while offering strategies to set clear, transparent benchmarks to foster a win-win situation.
Listen in as Sandy introduces the concept of attendance-based bonuses designed to boost team morale and punctuality. She emphasizes that aiming for clarity before introducing any bonus structures is critical since such benefits can be challenging to retract once they're part of the system. Wrapping up on a practical note, Sandy underscores the importance of evaluating the financial impacts thoroughly.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How to choose between profit-increasing bonuses and flat raises.
- Why basing bonuses on collections rather than production benefits your practice.
- Strategies for setting transparent and achievable benchmarks.
- The potential advantages of attendance-based bonuses for team morale.
- Important considerations for financial implications before implementing bonus plans.
Ready to refine your practice's bonus structure and watch your team thrive? Don't miss this episode!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Dentaltown
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana
How can you master the art of insurance collections and minimize outstanding claims? In today's episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into the essentials of managing insurance collections with expert insights that can save your practice valuable time and resources. Sandy explains the critical importance of timely and consistent follow-up on insurance claims and recommends designating a specific day each week for this task to streamline operations.
Meticulous tracking of claims—whether using spreadsheets or software reports—and conducting follow-up every three weeks are essential strategies Sandy advocates for. Sandy warns about the pitfalls of outsourcing insurance management without proper oversight, emphasizing that understanding and smoothly handling these processes within your own practice can lead to tremendous benefits.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Why timely and consistent follow-up on insurance claims is crucial
- Best practices for designating specific days for managing collections tasks
- The benefits of tracking claims meticulously using spreadsheets or software
- The recommended frequency for following up on claims
- What you need to know before considering outsourcing insurance management
- The significance of electronic payments in streamlining your practice operations
Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your practice's efficiency—tune in now!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what DocSites can do for you: https://www.DocSites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Tools/Software:
Excel
Dentrix
Brands:
Five Guys
In this episode, Sandy dives deep into the myriad benefits of dental membership plans, revealing how they are game-changers for increasing patient loyalty and cutting the ties from heavy reliance on dental insurance. Through comprehensive discussion and real-life examples from various practices, Sandy illuminates the substantial impact these plans have on both patient retention and revenue growth, backing it all up with compelling statistics.
Learn how integrating dental membership plans and using tools like Plan Forward software can streamline your management process while enhancing patient satisfaction!
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How dental membership plans enhance patient loyalty.
- The role dental membership plans play in reducing reliance on insurance.
- Key statistics showing increased patient retention through membership plans.
- How to leverage Plan Forward software for hassle-free management.
- Real-world success stories from practices implementing membership plans.
- Strategies to exponentially grow your revenue with dental memberships.
- Methods to effectively market and manage your membership program.
Tune in now and see how membership plans could help your office!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana (Use Code "Secret Sauce" at Checkout!) Services/Tools: Amazon Prime Contact: sandy@classicpractice.com
Are your ready to tackle the fourth quarter crunch and boost productivity in your practice? Join Michael and Sandy on this high-impact episode of Dental Drill Bits as they break down transformative strategies to keep your practice thriving, even during the most challenging times.
Gain practical advice through Sandy's shared anecdotes on everything from managing missed appointments to tackling unscheduled treatments and sustaining team momentum throughout slow months. Track your key performance indicators, enforce consistent procedures, improve follow-up communication, and ensure proactive scheduling—all key takeaways to help you end the fiscal year with strong, positive numbers. Don't miss this chance to arm yourself with essential tips for a robust dental practice.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How consistently following specific actions can keep your dental practice always on the move.
- Effective methods to handle missed appointments and bridge the gap with unscheduled treatments.
- Why proactive communication and diligent follow-ups can save your schedule.
- Tips for delivering top productivity during off-peak times of the year.
- Which performance reports to pull and what insights they might reveal.
- Steps to enhance productivity and identifying actionable improvement areas.
Listen to ensure your dental practice is prepped to finish the year on a high!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana
Brands/Businesses:
Circle K
Places/Establishments:
Renaissance Hotel - Boston
Analytics/Reports:
Henry Schein One/Jarvis Analytics 2024 Report
What happens when you appoint someone an office manager without proper training? In today's rerun episode Michael and Sandy dive deep into this critical issue afflicting many dental practices. They explore the stark differences between an office manager and a front office employee, debunking common misconceptions that can lead to team conflicts and inefficiencies. Sandy illustrates that in practices with under ten employees, appointing team leaders for different departments is a more effective strategy than designating an office manager. Furthermore, the episode highlights the essential role of an office manager as a key liaison, running protocols, handling team trainings, and guiding workflows, while they should steer clear from patient-facing roles. This division ensures each person contributes their best to the team's success.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The true differences between an office manager and a front office employee
- Why mislabeling roles can create chaos within a dental practice
- Ideal staff filling roles when you have fewer than ten employees
- Core responsibilities that should define an office manager's tasks
- Areas an office manager should avoid to ensure focused management
- Importance of effective communication with and among dental office teams
- How to handle and improve issues with existing office managers
- The key qualities an aspiring office manager should possess
- Understanding the structural integrity needed for harmonious office dynamics
- Tips on restructuring practices to incite better efficiency and cohesion
Set your dental practice on the road to ultimate success—Listen to this episode now! (This episode originally aired on Nov 03, 2022)
Mentions and Links:
Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
How can YOUR practice stand out in the crowded online space? In this episode, Michael, Sandy, and Ali dive into proven strategies for enhancing your practice's online presence. Joined by Ali from DocSites, a leader in dental websites and marketing, the conversation reveals how to keep your website fresh and engaging. From showcasing compelling before-and-after photos to ensuring your team and service information is always current, Ali provides actionable tips that can attract new patients and keep your existing ones loyal.
But it doesn't stop at just updating your website. Ali discusses the significant impact online reviews can have on your practice's reputation and offers a glimpse into effective marketing tools like Google Ads and SEO. Even more, this episode introduces a fantastic free web assessment offered by DocSites that can help you pinpoint areas for improvement with your site!
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Why keeping your website content updated is essential for patient engagement.
- The importance of showcasing before-and-after photos on your website.
- How online reviews can significantly influence new patient acquisition.
- Effective tools and strategies for dental marketing, including Google Ads and SEO.
- The benefits of a free web assessment offered by DocSites to improve your website.
- How to create and maintain a system for regular updates.
Don’t miss this opportunity to supercharge your practice's online presence—tune in now!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what DocSites can do for you: https://www.DocSites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
You can also reach out to Ali here! ali@DocSites.com
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Tools/Software:
Google Ads
SEO
Cherry Payment Plans
Brands/Businesses:
Invisalign
iTero
SureSmile
Pep Boys
Practices:
Seaside Dentistry
Aspen Dental
Are you unsure about how consulting might help your dental practice? In this episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into the transformative power of consulting versus coaching in the dental world. They clarify that while coaching hones the personal development of your team, consulting zeros in on your business's heartbeat—its systems, organization, and overall operational efficiency. From reducing stress to improving overall practice productivity, they paint a vivid picture of how the right consultant can turn a chaotic office into a well-oiled machine.
Sandy shares invaluable tips on choosing the right consultant, stressing the importance of experience, and steering clear of advice from inexperienced sources or online hearsay. They candidly discuss common challenges and misconceptions team members have about consulting, and provide practical advice for seamlessly introducing a consultant to your team. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how consultants can provide ongoing support well beyond mere initial implementation, and why viewing them as temporary "training wheels" can eventually lead your practice to smooth, independent operation. Don't forget to check out Classic Practice Resources and join the conversation in the Dental Gumbo Facebook group!
What You'll Learn in This Episode: * The crucial differences between consulting and coaching for dental practices. * How consultants can help improve systems, organization, and reduce practitioner stress. * Why experience is key when selecting a consultant and red flags to watch for. * Common team challenges and misconceptions about working with consultants. * Tangible benefits of consulting, like increased productivity and better team training. * Practical tips for effectively introducing a consultant to your team. * Insights into Classic Practice Resources’ approach to consulting, including ongoing support.
Ready to transform your practice with an effective consultant? Tune in to get all the details!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Dentaltown
Events: Front Desk Pro - August 23, 2024 Boston, Massachusetts
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana
Tools/Software:
Zoom
People:
Howard Farran
Gordon Christensen
Brands:
Taco Bell
Burger King
Fortune 500
Wataburger
What pitfalls are most common in dental practices? In this episode, Michael and Sandy unpack the challenges and strategies that can make all the difference. From mastering efficient systems to ensuring your team remains accountable, Sandy's insights will steer you away from common pitfalls like the notorious slow periods in August and September. With a focus on tracking crucial metrics and recognizing trends, this conversation is packed with actionable advice for keeping your practice bustling year-round.
But that’s not all—Sandy emphasizes the irreplaceable value of proactive communication and patient follow-up. Discover effective techniques for team training, how to maintain a dependable system for patient retention, and the best ways to handle unscheduled treatment follow-ups. As the episode wraps up, Sandy shares her upcoming seminars dedicated to continuous learning and improvement, inviting you to further your practice management skills.
What You'll Learn in This Episode: * How to maintain efficient systems in a dental practice. * Strategies for retaining patients and ensuring team accountability. * The importance of tracking numbers and understanding trends. * How to prevent and manage slow periods, specifically in August and September. * Best practices for proactive communication and patient follow-up. * Effective methods for team training and development. * Systems for patient retention and handling unscheduled treatments.
Dive into this episode now to find out what common pitfalls your practice needs to avoid!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Dentaltown
Events:
Front Desk Pro - August 23, 2024 Boston, Massachusetts
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana
Places:
Disneyland
Software/Tools:
Yapi
Demandforce
Flex
Excel
thedentaldashboard.com
Stats:
2024 Dental Industry Annual Benchmark Study (Henry Schein One Report)
How can your practice ensure a seamless and enjoyable patient experience from start to finish? In this episode, Michael and Sandy delve into the critical role of effective communication and smooth handoffs in transforming dental visits into positive experiences. They unravel the nuances of ensuring clear, empathetic communication at every touchpoint during the patient's journey, especially during transitions between different stages of their appointments. The conversation is packed with actionable insights on implementing structured handoffs, involving patients in the process, and the importance of using plain language.
Empowering your dental team with tools like detailed scripts and role-playing exercises can dramatically improve patient interactions and build a patient-centered culture. By fostering an environment of empathy, understanding, and clear follow-up communication, practices can elevate their service and retain more patients.
What You'll Learn in This Episode: * The impact of clear and empathetic communication on patient experience * How to involve patients in their care transition process * Techniques for structuring handoffs within the dental team * Importance of avoiding technical jargon with patients * Strategies to validate patient experiences and build trust * How to ensure clear and effective follow-up on treatments and appointments * The role of role-playing in refining team communication skills * Tips for creating a patient-centered culture in the dental office
Don't miss this episode to transform your patient's dental experience from routine to remarkable!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana
Are you ready to discover the wake-up calls that can transform your leadership style and elevate your team’s performance? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy delve into crucial leadership lessons that every manager or leader, especially those in dental practices, should heed. Drawing inspiration from the 12 vital wake-up calls designed by Eric Partaker, they break down each point with practical examples and genuine insights, ensuring you leave with a toolkit of actionable steps to improve your leadership skills and your team's dynamic.
Throughout the episode, Michael and Sandy discuss how key themes like accountability, handling criticism, and resisting the urge to micromanage can dramatically improve the workplace. From avoiding favoritism to setting clear standards and leading by example, they provide relatable stories and strategies that you can apply immediately. To cap it off, Sandy underlines the significance of recognizing and praising good work while promoting open communication to build a positive and cohesive team culture, ensuring not just a successful practice, but a happier, more motivated team.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The 12 wake-up calls every leader should incorporate to enhance their effectiveness.
- Strategies for embracing accountability and handling criticism constructively.
- How to avoid common leadership pitfalls like favoritism and micromanaging.
- Ways to set clear standards and lead by example.
- The importance of recognizing and praising team achievements.
- Techniques for fostering open communication and a positive work environment.
Tune in now and start transforming your leadership skills today!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana Places:
The Ritz-Carlton
4 Seasons
Disneyland
Social Media:
Eric Partaker's Post
Businesses:
Raisin Cane’s Chicken
Are staff meetings in your practice driving productivity or just wasting time? In this episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into the art and science of effective staff meetings, unearthing the transformative power they hold when done right. They explore the contrasts between casual huddles and well-structured meetings, underlining their essential role in fostering communication, training, and team unity. Sandy shares her seasoned strategies for making meetings productive, from appointing a facilitator to engaging the team in planning and decision-making, while also steering clear of common hazards like gripe sessions.
Leadership sits at the heart of these discussions, with Michael and Sandy stressing the importance of meaningful interactions that tie directly into the practice’s success. They reveal the benefits of rotating the role of meeting facilitator, celebrating team achievements, and cleverly using tools like suggestion boxes and whiteboards to collect agenda items. Sandy concludes with advice on the meticulous planning and scheduling of these meetings to ensure they remain significant and effective, helping to build a cohesive, motivated team.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How do casual huddles differ from structured staff meetings?
- What are the key benefits of regular staff meetings in dental practices?
- Strategies for appointing a meeting facilitator and engaging the team.
- Common pitfalls to avoid during staff meetings.
- Why leadership is crucial in making meetings productive.
- The advantages of rotating the facilitator role.
- Tips for celebrating team achievements during meetings.
- How to use tools like suggestion boxes and whiteboards for agenda setting.
- Best practices for planning and scheduling effective staff meetings.
- How to maintain meeting importance and engagement over time.
Let's jump into today's episode on effective staff meetings!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - November 15, 2024 New Orleans, Louisiana
Ever wonder why patients often decline treatment and how you can address these objections effectively? In this episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into the top three most common excuses patients give: fear, lack of awareness, and financial concerns. Sandy sheds light on why recognizing these objections is crucial and offers actionable strategies for overcoming them. Through compelling examples, she underscores the importance of educating patients about the benefits of timely care and mastering verbal skills, including the art of voice inflection, to present treatment plans compellingly.
Sandy doesn’t stop there. She explains how role-playing and regular training can transform your dental team's approach, making patients feel more at ease and informed. By the end of this enlightening discussion, you'll understand how to create a comforting environment for your patients, empowering them to move forward with necessary treatments. Tune in to harness the power of effective communication and patient education in your practice.
What You'll Learn in This Episode: * How to identify and address patient fears regarding dental treatments. * Techniques to inform patients who are unaware of their dental needs. * Strategies for handling financial objections to dental care. * The role of verbal skills and voice inflection in presenting treatment plans. * The impact of role-playing and team training on patient interactions. * Ways to make patients feel comfortable and informed during decision-making. * Tips for educating patients about the benefits of timely dental treatments.
Transform the way you handle patient objections by listening to this episode today!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - Friday, August 23rd - Boston, MA - Use Promo Code: Secret Sauce
Brands:
Louis Vuitton
Places:
Disneyland
Disney World
Organizations:
American Dairy Association
Are you struggling to streamline your practice’s front office operations while juggling departments, patients, and metrics? In this episode, Michael and Sandy delve into the essentials of managing a successful practice, starting with the highlights of Sandy's recent webinar and her upcoming seminar in Boston.
The conversation quickly transitions into a focused discussion around a listener's question on maintaining consistent department meetings and tracking pivotal metrics. Sandy offers an actionable guide on conducting effective meetings, complete with tips on following up on assignments, gathering feedback, and defining clear objectives. Specific topics like tracking new patient conversions, handling broken appointments, and managing production and collections metrics take the forefront. By the end of this episode, you'll grasp the importance of accountability, clear communication, and performance metrics in leading your practice to success.
What You'll Learn in This Episode: * How to run effective and consistent department meetings. * Tips for following up on previous assignments and setting clear goals. * Key metrics to track for the smooth operation of a dental practice. * The importance of tracking new patient conversions and handling broken appointments. * Best practices for managing production and collection metrics. * Strategies for efficiently managing insurance claims and ensuring accountability. * Benefits of in-person training and special promotions for upcoming seminars.
Tune in today to learn about department meetings, metrics, and paying attention to what matters in your practice!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - Friday, August 23rd - Boston, MA - Use Promo Code: Secret Sauce
Books:
The No Complaining Rule
The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy
Services:
Practice by Numbers
How transformative can employee training be for your practice? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy delve into the critical role of structured training programs and their immense benefits on profitability, employee satisfaction, and patient care. Sandy illuminates the stark contrast between trained and untrained employees, revealing how targeted investments in specialized programs can significantly enhance your practice’s performance and efficiency.
The duo also shares a wealth of practical advice on implementing effective training within your office, covering everything from verbal skills and role-playing exercises to comprehensive onboarding protocols. Sandy makes a compelling case for the necessity of consistent training, emphasizing how it leads to predictable outcomes, boosts employee retention, and propels overall practice success. They remind practice owners that despite budget challenges, investing in training is pivotal and suggest starting with free resources like podcasts to begin the journey toward excellence.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How structured training programs boost profitability and employee satisfaction.
- The significant differences between trained and untrained employees.
- Practical steps for effective employee training within a dental office.
- The long-term benefits of consistent training and its impact on practice success.
- How to utilize free resources like podcasts for initial training investments.
Ready to elevate your dental practice through strategic training? Don’t miss out on this episode of Dental Drill Bits!
Sponsors:
Elevate Patient Care with Automation: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/ Mentions and Links: Events: Front Desk Pro - Friday, August 23rd - Boston, MA - Use Promo Code: Secret Sauce Community/Groups: Dental Gumbo Group Products: CEREC
Underperforming team members in your practice? In this episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into the intricacies of practice management, starting from upcoming seminars to managing underperforming team members without rocking the boat. Sandy shares her wealth of experience on the art of effective communication, setting realistic goals, seeking constructive feedback, and the crucial follow-up processes needed to help your team excel. Her emphasis on thorough training, meticulous documentation, and structured management will leave you equipped with practical tools to ensure your practice runs smoothly.
Moreover, this episode tackles one of the most daunting aspects of practice management: dealing with the potential need to fire staff. Sandy uncovers common concerns doctors face and provides thoughtful, methodical steps to navigate this challenging terrain.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How to communicate effectively with underperforming team members.
- Steps to setting realistic and achievable goals for your team.
- Techniques for seeking and using employee feedback to improve practice performance.
- The importance of training and documentation in maintaining a high-functioning team.
- Structured management strategies to optimize your practice.
- Approaches to handling the difficult decision of firing staff.
Tune in to harness these insights and elevate your dental practice management skills today!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro - Friday, August 23rd - Boston, MA - Use Promo Code: Secret Sauce
How can your front desk team transform every call into a positive patient experience? In this episode, Sandy draws from her recent speaking engagements at the Delivering WOW Summit to uncover key strategies for top-notch front office communication. She also previews her upcoming seminar, Front Desk Pro, set to take place in Boston on August 23rd, revealing the secrets to boosting front office performance. Michael and Sandy tackle real-world phone interactions, from handling insurance queries to managing cancellations, ensuring that your front desk makes a lasting impression.
But it’s not just about what you say; it's also about how you say it. This episode underscores the critical role of tone, verbal skills, and intuitive call handling. Sandy shares practical advice on avoiding the pitfalls of sounding robotic and burdening patients with unnecessary tasks. With actionable tips and relatable scenarios, this episode is a must-listen for any practice aiming to elevate their front desk etiquette and foster a welcoming, efficient environment for every caller.
What You'll Learn in This Episode: * How to handle common phone interactions effectively in your practice. * Techniques for making a positive first impression over the phone. * The do's and don'ts of discussing insurance with patients. * Strategies for dealing with appointment cancellations smoothly. * The importance of tone and verbal skills in patient communication. * How to implement a call-handling system to avoid common pitfalls. * Ways to promote your practice during phone calls.
Ready to transform your front desk team's phone skills and enhance your dental practice's first impressions? Tune in to today's episode!
Sponsors:
Elevate Patient Care with Automation: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/ Mentions and Links: Events: Front Desk Pro - Friday, August 23rd - Boston, MA - Use Promo Code: Secret Sauce Delivering WOW Summit Community/Groups: Dental Gumbo Group Insurance Companies: Cigna Brands: Baskin-Robbins
Dental membership plans are only for low-income patients, right? Join Michael and Sandy in this episode of Dental Drill Bits as they sit down with Megan Lohman to debunk common myths surrounding dental membership plans. Megan dives into the core advantages of Plan Forward, a tool designed to streamline the creation and management of dental membership plans. She reveals how these plans are not just exclusive to low-income regions but can be effectively tailored to a wide range of demographics, including affluent areas and retirees without dental insurance. Megan busts myths and shares eye-opening statistics about the significant portion of Americans lacking dental insurance, shedding light on how transparent pricing through membership plans can promote better dental care. Addressing concerns about potential revenue reduction, Megan explains how offering discounts can actually lead to increased patient visits and higher treatment acceptance rates, ultimately boosting overall revenue. She provides actionable strategies to add substantial value to your membership plans, such as including emergency visits and fluoride treatments, and emphasizes the role of Plan Forward in enhancing efficiency. By the end of the episode, you'll understand why simplifying and tracking membership plans is crucial for your practice's success. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Why dental membership plans are not just for low-income patients
- How to tailor membership plans for various demographics
- The significant number of Americans without dental insurance
- Strategies for making dental pricing transparent and manageable
- Debunking concerns about reduced revenue from membership plans
- How offering discounts can boost patient visits and treatment acceptance
- Value-added elements to include in membership plans
- Strategies for tracking performance and gaining team support
Don’t miss out on this game-changing conversation! Tune in now to uncover the full potential of dental membership plans for your practice.
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: Dental Gumbo Group
Can you really find the perfect fit for your practice through better interviewing techniques? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy uncover effective hiring strategies that can transform how you build your team. They explore the essentials of preparation, from the types of questions that reveal a candidate’s true nature to the value of incorporating personality and intelligence tests. You'll learn how to uncover what candidates expect in terms of salary and work environment, and why having a comprehensive policy manual and organized systems are non-negotiable for running a smooth operation. But it’s not just about the mechanics of interviewing. This episode also sheds light on the softer side of hiring—like creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that retains top talent and the benefit of involving your team in hiring decisions. With practical advice tailored for dental practices, Michael and Sandy offer a masterclass in aligning your hiring practices with your practice’s culture and long-term goals. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Key strategies for effective interview preparation.
- The types of interview questions that uncover a candidate's true nature.
- Importance of personality and intelligence tests in the hiring process.
- How to identify candidates' expectations about salary and work environment.
- The role of a policy manual and organized systems in hiring.
- Questions to ask (and avoid) to assess candidate fit.
- Creating a welcoming and inclusive work environment to retain staff.
- Integrating team opinions in the hiring process.
- Practical advice for improving your dental practice’s hiring process.
Don’t miss out on these game-changing insights—tune in to the full episode now!
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Communities/Groups:
Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Boston 2024 Front Desk Pro Seminar
Tools/Resources:
DentalPost
Indeed
ZipRecruiter
2024 Salary Survey
Hirewise
Cedar HR
Wonderlic Personality Test
How can cutting-edge technology streamline the entire patient journey in your practice? In this episode, Michael and Sandy sit down with Dr. Gina Dorfman, the visionary founder of Yapi, to explore how this comprehensive dental software solution is transforming the industry. Dr. Dorfman passionately discusses the latest Yapi updates, such as a sleek new interface, enhanced appointment reminders, and innovative tools like insurance verification, credit card processing by text, and two-way patient texting. Each feature is designed to streamline practice management, improve patient care, and boost the efficiency of your front office. But that's not all—Dr. Dorfman shares her broader contributions to the dental community, including her active involvement in the Dental Gumbo Facebook group and a special offer for our listeners. Whether you're a dental professional eager to modernize your practice or someone intrigued by the latest advancements in healthcare technology, this episode is a goldmine. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- What new features are included in the latest Yapi update and how they benefit dental practices
- How Yapi’s enhanced appointment reminders and internal communication tools work
- The advantages of Yapi’s insurance verification and text-based credit card processing
- How the two-way texting feature with patients can improve patient engagement
Ready to transform your dental practice with the latest technology? Listen in to discover how Yapi can elevate your practice to new heights!
Sponsors:
Elevate Patient Care with Automation: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/ Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: Dental Gumbo Group Dentaltown Terms: SAAS Insurance Companies: TDIC (The Dentists Insurance Company) Practice Management Software: Dentrix Open Dental Eaglesoft Products/Brands: Invisalign Starbucks Amazon
Are you tired of complex billing structures and challenging patient finances? In this episode, we connect with Dr. Abby Neville, who has transformed her dental practice by leveraging the remarkable Plan Forward membership plan. This innovative package simplifies processes, cuts costs, and uncoils the often tangled world of insurance and payments for both patients and practitioners alike. Dr. Abby takes us on a journey of transformation—a success story wherein she harnessed the Plan Forward initiative for enhanced savings and preventive care. We delve into the nitty-gritty of how the plan works, how easy it is to implement, and the impressive time and cost savings it offers. Hear from Dr. Abby as she underscores the paramount importance of patient well-being and why centering your practice on their best interests is the key to successful utilization of the membership plan. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- An in-depth understanding of Plan Forward membership plans
- The simplicity and cost-saving nature of Plan Forward
- The role of treating patients well and focusing on their well-being in successful plan implementation
- The benefits of preventive care under Plan Forward
- Steps to implement the Plan Forward in your practice
Tune in to learn how you could potentially revolutionize your practice with your own membership plan!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: Dental Gumbo Group Organizations: ADA
What is the KEY role front office staff play in a successful dental practice? In this episode, we dive into office management with Michael and Sandy. A conversation taking you behind the scenes of Sandy's recent Front Desk Pro and upcoming office management training seminar, this episode underscores the vital role live training and phone skills in your office. Sandy gives us an in-depth look into the weighty importance of answering calls professionally and demonstrating empathy. The strategic approach to scheduling appointments is another element under the spotlight in this discussion. The duo also delve into the significance of having front office staff who are well-versed in the services a dental practice offers, the proper use of verbal skills, and how online scheduling can take your practice to a new height. So get ready to broaden your horizon in office management and enhance your dental practice to its utmost potential. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The benefits of live front office training in the dental industry.
- Strategies for effective and professional call answering.
- The importance of empathy in patient communication.
- Tips for efficient appointment scheduling.
- The role of service knowledge in front office management.
- The impact of effective verbal skills on patient experience.
- The value of online scheduling for improved efficiency.
Don't forget to tune in and participate in this discussion, as you won’t want to miss these tips on improving your dental practice's front office operations! Sponsors:
Elevate Patient Care with Automation: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/ Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Front Desk Pro Seminar November 15th, 2024
Establishments:
French Quarter
Ritz Carlton
Brands/Products:
Ford Explorer
Zoom Whitening
Services:
CallRail
TV:
Saturday Night Live
Ever wonder how you can find the balance between longevity and vitality in the fast-paced dental world? This episode dives right into it with our guest Dr. Uche Odiatu, a wellness guru with a difference. A practicing dentist, certified personal trainer, yoga instructor, and undoubtedly charismatic speaker, Uche brings a holistic understanding of health and fitness. His unique approach helps us navigate towards optimal physical health and sharp mental clarity, with surprising insights into simple lifestyle adjustments and experiences with holistic remedies. Dish out nutritional myths and embrace the seminal role of whole foods to support overall health; that's Uche's mantra. He brings clarity to complex nutritional concepts showing us how a well-informed approach to diet and health can work wonders. Alongside, he busts popular mythology around diets, proteins, carbohydrates, and even eggs! As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so pop in and savor the learning curve with Dr. Uche Odiatu. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Insight into achieving optimal physical health and mental clarity.
- How simple lifestyle adjustments can offer crucial health benefits.
- Understanding the role of whole foods in maintaining health.
- Dealing with nutritional myths and understanding misunderstood food items in your diet.
- The impacts of popular diets and the importance of a well-informed approach.
Looking to redefine your health and wellness journey? Dive into this informative episode today, wrapped with inspiring insights and practical health advice that paves the way for a healthier tomorrow.
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
Bulletproof Summit
People:
Richard Branson
Jeff Bezos
Kate Moss
Elvis Presley
Pat Riley
John Madden
Jamie Oliver
Mick Jagger
Gordon Christensen
Tom Brady
Ricky Gervais
Hippocrates
Kevin Hart
Albert Einstein
Products/Brands:
PEMF Mat
SAD Light
Virgin
Whole Foods
Albertsons
Oura Ring
Fitbit
Formula 1
Terms/Concepts:
Ergothioneine
REM Sleep
Dunning-Kruger Effect
Stephen Covey - Competence Model
Organizations:
American College of Sports Medicine
NSCA
National Institute of Health
American Academy of Pediatric Dentists
Mushrooms:
Reishi
Crimini
White
Oyster
Shiitake
Books/Publications:
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
NY Times
TV/Shows:
Hells kitchen
Artists/Music:
The Rolling Stones
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Want to know how to turn your dental practice schedule from stress-inducing to productivity-boosting? In this episode, Sandy and Michael tackle this very challenge. Drawing upon Sandy's extensive experience in training dental teams nationwide, they delve into the integral role of scheduling in balancing efficiency and patient satisfaction. Common issues like late appointments and broken down technology are recognized as catalysts for stress that many practices fall victim to, leading to a discussion on the necessity of a tailor-made scheduling system for every dentist. As the discussion deepens, Michael highlights the importance of team involvement to ensure the success of a productivity-driven schedule. Defining clear-cut goals for each provider and striving for team alignment is emphasized, underscored by Sandy's belief in celebrating victories - no matter how small - and viewing setbacks as opportunities for reassessment and growth. Furthermore, they illuminate the need for tracking key stats like call numbers, appointment bookings, and time utilization, thereby cultivating an understanding of effective scheduling from an analytical perspective. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The significance of customizing your practice's schedule for improved efficiency and patient contentment.
- Identifying and rectifying common stress inducers within dental practice scheduling.
- The necessity of goal-setting for every provider and ensuring team alignment with these goals.
- How to use setbacks as a learning curve and the importance of celebrating victories.
- The effectiveness of monitoring key stats and how they contribute to achieving productivity goals.
- How approaching scheduling as you would a game increases motivation and makes goal achievement a collaborative effort.
Don't miss this episode and streamline your practice schedule for maximized productivity and minimized stress!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: * Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
- Front Desk Pro
People:
- Dr. Westerman
Brands:
- Energizer Bunny
What really makes or breaks a well-functioning team? Buzzing with insights and real-world advice, we lay bare an indispensable component of business success – Regular one-on-one meetings. Dive into this episode with Sandy and Michael as they unfold the multiple layers of importance these interactions hold. From honing effective communication, fostering deeper relationships, to inciting recognition and personal growth among employees, the effectiveness of these conversations shapes the dynamics of your business. We delve into the significance of timely issue resolution, personalized training initiatives, and making room for these indispensable meetings. Discover how the simple act of note-taking and regular, thoughtful interactions, pave the way for a more harmonic and productive work environment. You’ll want to take notes as we dissect the critical role one-on-one sessions play in cultivating a positive practice culture and perpetuating employee satisfaction. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Why one-on-one meetings are crucial and how they can build stronger relationships
- Importance of addressing issues promptly
- The impact of regular interactions on the productivity
- How personalized training can enhance employee satisfaction
- Ways to effectively schedule and conduct one-on-one meetings.
Be sure to tune into this eye-opening episode to equip yourself with the indispensable tool that a successful business runs on. Remember, one-on-one meetings could be the missing piece in your business' success story! Sponsors:
Elevate Patient Care with Automation: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/ Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: * Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
- Front Desk Pro Seminar April 19th, 2024
Brands/Products:
- Apple Watch
People:
- Dr. Westerman
Ever questioned how to ace the management of in-house membership plans? This episode delves deeper into this vast topic with Janelle and Bari from Plan Forward, who walk us through tackling challenges and implementing successful solutions. They recount the journey of Plan Forward, a concept born out of the desire to improve customer service and streamline management of membership plans. The conversation embodies an in-depth analysis of the importance of tailoring plans for various practices, ultimately aiding in patient retention and practice growth. Janelle and Bari underline the vitality of personalized communication with patients, translating into increased customer service satisfaction rates. They additionally stress the significance of understanding practice demographics, which is instrumental for devising effective plans. The discussions reflect their innovative solutions and substantial industry knowledge, ensuring practitioners can manage in-house membership plans effortlessly and efficiently. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The inception and objectives of Plan Forward
- The importance of tailored membership plans for different practices
- How personalized communication affects patient retention and practice growth
- The significance of analyzing practice demographics in effective plan implementation
- How to manage in-house membership plans effectively and efficiently
Plug in your headphones and join us on this informative journey through membership plan management!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/
Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: * Dental Gumbo Group
Are we becoming slaves to our screens even at the workplace? In this engaging episode, Michael and Sandy delve into the impact of screen time at the workplace, particularly assessing the effect of devices like Apple watches, Fitbits, and cell phones. Taking a hard look at the addictive demands of these technologies, they explore how their constant use can compromise individual productivity and professional etiquette. They zoom into the healthcare field, using dental practices as a case study. Here, Sandy exposes the reality of enforcing phone policies in an environment where personal rights, patient care, and legal considerations such as HIPAA compliance dance a precarious dance. As they shed light on instances of phone misuse, a critical need for clear and enforceable guidelines comes to light. The episode serves up insights on striking the right balance, creating an environment where technology empowers workers without becoming a distraction or liability. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Exploring the addictive nature of digital devices in the workplace
- How to set clear and enforceable device usage guidelines in a professional setting
- Analyzing the challenges and potential liability arising from device misuse in healthcare settings
- Understanding the fine line between enforcing rules and respecting personal property rights
- The importance of effective communication in setting device usage boundaries
Don't miss out on this insightful discussion! Hit the play button and learn how to control technology, not letting it control you or your team!
Sponsors:
Elevate Patient Care with Automation: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/
Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: * Dental Gumbo Group
Brands/Products:
- Garmin watch
- Apple watch
- Target
- Fitbit
- Samsung
Have you ever wondered how to properly compensate your team, especially during training sessions and lunch meetings? This enlightening episode explores just that. Michael and Sandy navigate the often-overlooked aspects of employee payment, emphasizing the importance of understanding labor regulations and treating staff equitably. Learn from the friendly banter as they share personal insights – both from an employer's perspective and from a viewpoint of ethical responsibility. Discover how setting clear terms during hiring can result in beneficial outcomes for both parties involved. The duo also brings to light situations where employers are obliged to cover training expenses and underlines the necessity for transparent communication surrounding matters of monetary compensation for additional training. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The importance of compliance with labor regulations
- Strategies for negotiating lower rates for different tasks
- Setting clear terms during the hiring process
- Obligation of employers to cover training expenses
- The importance of transparent communication regarding compensation
Don't miss this must-listen episode that unravels the nuances of staff compensation and inspires with valuable insights and real-world examples.
Sponsors:
Elevate Patient Care with Automation: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/ Mentions and Links: Community/Groups: * Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
- Front Desk Pro Seminar April 19th, 2024
Brands/Products:
- Oral-B
- Chick-fil-A
- CBS
- The Ritz-Carlton
Services:
- Cedr HR Solutions
Organizations:
- U.S. Department of Labor
Is your dental practice is not showing up in search results the way you want? This episode of Dental Drill Bits dives deep into the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and its impact on your practice's online visibility. In conversation with our expert guest, Ali from Docsites, we address the importance of local SEO and elucidate how optimizing your web presence can organically elevate your position on search engine results pages. Ali covers common misconceptions about SEO and illuminates the potency of a coherent content strategy, mobile optimization, and the effective use of keywords in reeling in prospective patients. We shed light on common pitfalls to look out for, as well as the importance of persevering in your SEO initiatives. Above all, we warn against the fixation on rankings - reminding listeners that it's the consistent quality of your SEO work, not quick fixes or hacks, that truly matters in the long run. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The role and relevance of SEO in improving your dental practice's online visibility
- Insights into local SEO and how to optimize your website to rank higher organically
- Unmasking common SEO misconceptions
- The importance of content strategy and mobile optimization in SEO
- Effective use of keywords to attract and captivate potential patients
- Tips to avoid common SEO mistakes
- The significance of perseverance in your SEO initiatives
- The need to prioritize consistent, quality SEO work over quick fixes or obsession over rankings
Ready to elevate your dental practice? Tune into this episode of Dental Drill Bits for a comprehensive dive into SEO that could transform your online presence. Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Mentions and Links: Community/Groups:
- Dental Gumbo Group
Brands/Products:
- Zoom Teeth Whitening
- Kör Teeth Whitening
- Invisalign
- iTero
- WordPress
- Squarespace
- Zocdoc
- Yelp
How can you take control over your schedule and make sure it's not running YOU? This episode peels back the layers to reveal the make-or-break role a scheduler plays in any thriving dental practice. Sandy passionately articulates how setting precise production goals and having a clear understanding of individual procedure timings can make all the difference. Michael and Sandy navigate the conversation to highlight the immense value of seamless team communication and overall organization in keeping a well-maintained, high-functioning schedule. Their shared experiences unfold in a treasure trove of tips and tricks to evade common scheduling pitfalls – inaccurate procedure timings or the blow of missed appointments. By the time this episode ends, you will find yourself contemplating your existing scheduling processes and getting excited about the prospect of changes that could revolutionize your dental practice.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The ins and outs of effective scheduling in a dental practice
- The role of setting production goals and understanding procedure timings
- Strategies to avoid common scheduling inefficiencies
- The importance of good communication and organization in maintaining a streamlined schedule
- Ways to empower your team to take on proactive measures like patient follow-ups and pre-scheduling
- The potential impact of having a designated schedulers in your practice
Don't let your practice run out of time! Tune in to this episode to learn how to take control of your schedule and rise to new levels of productivity and patient satisfaction.
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/ Mentions and Links:
Community/Groups:
- Dental Gumbo Group
Events:
- Front Desk Pro Seminar April 19th, 2024
Brands/Products:
- Starbucks
- Tony Chachere's Seasoning
Public Figures:
- Taylor Swift
Are you crumbling under constant patient cancellations and under-utilized hygienists? If so, this episode is a must-listen. Michael and Sandy go into deep dialogue discussing the art of managing the oh-so precious time of hygienists during those inevitable patient drop-offs. The duo shares their insights on the crucial role of effective communication within a dental practice, with an emphasis on the mighty bearings of the front office in ensuring a bustling schedule, despite the rollercoaster of patient availability. In this enlightening conversation, Sandy underscores the cardinal importance of forging clear-cut agreements with the hygienists about their pay during the slack periods. They dive into the labyrinth of scheduling and patient management, providing actionable steps towards mastering these often-overlooked aspects of running a dental practice. Most importantly, this episode serves as a poignant call to arms, urging dental practices to give employee well-being the attention and respect it deserves. They conclude by stressing the urgency of a proactive approach in dentistry, a surefire way to trim down on missed opportunities and turbocharge your practice's efficiency. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The importance of maintaining a hygienist's schedule during patient cancellations
- How proper communication in a dental practice plays a crucial role
- Effective methods to deal with broken appointment issues
- The significance of establishing clear-cut agreements with hygienists regarding their pay during downtime periods
- Ways to navigate the complexities of patient scheduling and management
- The importance of prioritizing employee well-being in a dental practice
- How proactive measures can reduce missed opportunities and drastically improve practice efficiency
Don’t miss out on this power-packed episode if you wish to skyrocket your practice's efficiency and maximize your hygienist's time! Mentions and Links:
Front Desk Pro Seminar April 19th, 2024
Dental Gumbo Group
The 3 R's for Practice Management Part 2: Recall
Are the new patient numbers in your dental practice declining? Dive into this episode, where Michael and Sandy tackle this pressing issue, shedding light on the alarming trend that many dental practitioners face of dwindling new patient numbers. Sandy brings her expertise to the table, sharing startling real-world experiences of dentists and team members who have faced and overcome the same issue. She implores dental practitioners to delve deep to unearth the root cause of the decline. Sandy also unveils the significance of front office operations in creating a first lasting impression on your patients. She explains how accommodating requests and building healthy relationships with patients not only retains them but also encourages them to refer others. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- What the declining trend in new patient numbers truly means
- The real reasons behind decreasing new patient numbers in dental practices
- The crucial role of front office operations in dental practices
- How to create a strong first impression in a professional setting
- The importance of accommodating your patients' requests
- Tactics to develop patient loyalty and drive fruitful referrals
Don’t miss this golden chance to get those patient numbers up, starting today! Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/ Mentions and Links:
SurveyMonkey
Crowdsignal
Front Desk Pro Seminar April 19th, 2024
Dental Gumbo Group
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency with no long-term contracts? Visit DocSites' website here and be sure to mention this podcast episode for a special deal! https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ (Docsites is offering $750 off their plans until the end of February, 2024, so be sure to jump on this amazing offer for our listeners!) How does an inviting and up-to-date website impact your dental practice? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, our website wizard, Ali, joins hosts Sandy and Michael to unravel the power of a well-managed website and how it can boost a dental practice's profile. Taking you through the elements of an effective website, they share nuggets of wisdom about the significance of timely updates, patient testimonials, and professional imagery, focusing on how these components create credibility and set your dental practice apart in today's competitive landscape. In their lively discussion, the trio point out how internal marketing, through a properly curated website, can revolutionize your practice, debunking the common misconceptions surrounding patient acquisition. They dig deep into how showcasing your team's expertise, using before-and-after images, and integrating positive patient feedback can truly enhance your online presence. Moreover, throughout the episode, they provide practical tips to optimize and breathe life into your practice's website, underlining the importance of regular checks and professional assessments. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The pivotal role that a diligently managed website plays in setting a dental practice apart.
- The necessity of regularly updating a website to mirror your dental practice's current status and improvements.
- The power and importance of testimonials and before-and-after photos in instilling trust and drawing in prospective patients.
- The potential of internal marketing through an effectively planned and executed website.
- How a professional website service can maximize your site's performance and influence.
Jumpstart your website and thereby, your dental practice by tuning into this insightful episode!
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/ Are you curious about how to elevate patient care and streamline processes in your dental practice? Wondering if appointing a treatment coordinator could make a remarkable difference? This episode provide insights and practical advice on the exact topic. In this engaging conversation, Sandy and Michael delve into the roles and benefits of having a dedicated treatment coordinator in a dental practice. Drawing from her personal experience with a treatment coordinator, Sandy emphasizes the critical role of patient education and effective communication in driving treatment acceptance. In our discussion, they explore the responsibilities of a treatment coordinator and how this role can significantly contribute to your overall success. They discuss the importance of having not only a clear understanding of treatment options and financial aspects but also effective appointment coordination skills and a flair for communication. Sandy talks about the essential qualities an efficient treatment coordinator should possess and provides advice for practice owners contemplating implementing this role. To wrap up the episode, we remind everyone to focus on patient education, maintaining open channels of communication, and providing exceptional care right from the get-go. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The importance of a treatment coordinator in your dental practice.
- How a treatment coordinator can improve patient care.
- The key responsibilities of a treatment coordinator.
- The necessary qualities a successful treatment coordinator must possess.
- Practical advice for implementing and supporting a treatment coordinator role in your practice.
So tune into this insightful episode and learn how to transform your practice through effective patient coordination!
Sponsors: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/ Still wondering what makes a great front desk team at your dental practice? We're back this week to delve into the multifaceted world of front desk duties, shedding light on tasks that keep your favorite dental practice buzzing with organized, professional energy. We highlight how this vital team scales their workload according to patient inflow, adapting to increased pressures, and strategically splitting tasks among themselves to ensure that no detail, however minute, is overlooked. In a world increasingly digitized, we're making a compelling argument about the unmatched importance of a human presence at the front desk, weaving in discussions about financial targets, appointment scheduling, and making the most out of open time slots. Amidst the varied roles a front desk team undertakes, we stress the paramount importance of organizational tools like procedure manuals, detailed inventories for each department, and individual statistics that help hold the team accountable and on track. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The importance of human presence at your front desk
- How front desk teams manage increasing workload as patient inflow grows
- The significance of office goals and financial targets in managing practice operations
- The necessity for organizational tools like procedure manuals and detailed inventories
- Why keeping track of individual statistics are vital for the team’s overall productivity
- The advantages of implementing an efficient recare system and confirming patient appointments
Ready to unlock the mystery of what happens behind the dental front desk? Listen in to learn the ins and outs of keeping your schedule full!
Sponsors: Are you looking for dental software that puts your patients first? From online scheduling to online forms, patient communication, and office coordination – Yapi simplifies every step of the patient experience. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://yapiapp.com/ Why is the front desk team so crucial to the life and health of a dental practice? How can you create a driven and dedicated team to keep the wheels of your practice rolling smoothly? Buckle up, because this episode lays out the vital behind-the-scenes work that every front office team should be performing. We unravel how a well-coordinated front desk team extends the life of a dental practice, offering invaluable patient services that soar far beyond the confines of the office. From appointment scheduling to recalling patients, Sandy provides insight into the practices of an efficient team and the common pitfalls to avoid. Discover why front desk-less offices fall short of expectations and how personalized communication wins every time. The importance of a well-organized schedule and its direct correlation with practice income is also covered. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The wide range of responsibilities of the front desk team in a dental office.
- The impact of personalized communication and customer service on patient satisfaction and referrals.
- The downfalls of a front desk-less office structure.
- Nailing down an effective schedule to maximize appointments and income.
- The importance of recall management and patient reactivation strategies.
Put your practice on the path to success. Don’t miss a beat of this enlightening part one! Are you ready to skyrocket your front office team? Register for the next Front Desk Pro with Sandy here! https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro/
Do you have patients who refuse to take X-rays? Navigating through this sensitive space requires both empathy and skill. Michael and Sandy meticulously break down the different scenarios that dentists commonly encounter - the cost-conscious deniers, the comfort-focused decliners, and the radiation worriers. They share practical verbal techniques and strategies to engage with each category, effectively conveying the vital role X-rays play in maintaining overall dental health. As they discuss how consistent refusal despite proper communication and patient education might sometimes lead to "firing a patient," they place a spotlight on the importance of detailed note-keeping and educated refusal forms for documentation. Throughout the episode, Michael and Sandy pave the path to nurturing patient relationships through clear communication and deeper understanding. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The importance of sympathetically addressing patient persistencies concerning X-ray refusals
- The value of role-playing within the dental team to hone their communication skills
- How to explain the importance of X-rays convincingly and clearly to patients
- Techniques to navigate and respond to varied patient objections: from cost, discomfort, to radiation
- The correct way to document the choice of patients adamant about not taking X-rays
Ready for a deep dive into patient communication? Hit play! What to connect with like-minded dentists and learn more? Join Dental Gumbo here! https://www.facebook.com/groups/dentaldrillbits/members/
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/ Wondering what truly underpins success as we start the new year? Join us as we delve into this topic, highlighting key aspects that contribute to not just financial growth, but personal fulfillment in dentistry. We challenge the notions of success, illuminating how it can vary individually. Some dentists might find satisfaction in smaller practices with lower overhead but meeting their financial goals — the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. As we gear up for a fresh year, we're underscoring the significance of goal setting and strategic planning in the dental industry. Exploring key practice statistics—overhead costs, fees, and profit margins—and knowing what they represent is indispensable. Understanding these parameters not only gives you a clear picture of your current standing but also unveils areas requiring improvement. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- That success in dentistry is not merely about financial numbers
- The importance of goal setting and strategic planning
- Value of knowing your practice statistics
- Role of quality dentistry and customer service in driving success
- The impact of insurance networks on profitability
- Considerations for in-house membership plans
- Significance of tracking broken appointments
Don't miss out on this enlightening episode — a path to understanding how to build a successful and satisfying dental practice this year!
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/ Ever wanted to hear straight from an office manager what the benefits of a membership plan might hold? Today, Heather, an office manager with 14 years of experience in the medical realm, unravels her story covering the immense benefits of dental practice membership plans. She elaborates on how regulations and protocols in dentistry may seem complex but with innovative systems like Plan Forward, keeping tabs on membership plans has never been easier. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Heather's journey into the dental industry and how she adapted to the intricacies of dental administration.
- The pivotal role of effective communication in explaining membership plans to patients.
- The importance of providing bespoke membership packages that align with a patient's needs and budget.
- The effectiveness of PlanForward's upgraded system in effortlessly tracking membership plans and their expiry dates.
- Real-life testimonies about the positive impact of membership plans on patient retention.
Are you ready to dig into the secrets of successful dental practice management with tips straight from an office manager? Tune into today!
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency with no long-term contracts? Visit DocSites' website here and be sure to mention this podcast episode for a special deal! https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Wondering how to ease the burden and stress off yourself as the doctor? In this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy are exploring the universe of responsibilities that come with the role of an office manager in a dynamic and demanding dental practice. They break down the essential duties that will keep your practice running smoothly without the added headache. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Understand the scope of day-to-day activities a dental office manager oversees.
- Discover the role an office manager plays in shaping employee and patient relations.
- Uncover how essential marketing, compliance, and staff training duties fall under the office manager's purview.
- Realize the importance of clear and consistent communication between the office manager and the doctor.
- Appreciate effective strategies for cultivating excellent customer service and patient relations skills.
- Gain insights on the significance of consistency and communication in propelling the practice forward.
- Learn useful tips for avoiding burnout and strategies to find the right fit for your office manager role.
Tune in to this episode of Dental Drill Bits and boost your dental practice's effectiveness, efficiency, and overall success with an office manager!
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency with no long-term contracts? Visit DocSites' website here and be sure to mention this podcast episode for a special deal! https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ In this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Michael delve headfirst into the crucial role of an office manager in your dental practice. Listen as they unlock the job description of a successful manager and explore how imperative it is for dentists to identify potential talent hidden within their teams while filling this impactful role. Sandy and Michael dissect the cardinal role of duplication skills in a manager's toolbox and how this skill can set apart a thriving practice from a struggling one.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Understanding the crucial role and job description of an office manager in a dental practice
- Identifying and fostering talent within your team for the office manager post
- What are duplication skills and why are they important in office management?
- Strategies and tips for successful office management
- Overcoming common challenges faced by office managers.
Tune in to today's discussion and transform your dental practice with a brilliant office manager!
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/
Join Sandy Pardue, Dr. James Burneson, and Michael Arias, in their conversation about the positive impact of membership plans on dental practices! Revealing the multifaceted benefits of adopting a membership plan like Plan Forward, Sandy and James dive deep into why this strategy not only attracts new patient numbers but also assures existing ones by enabling them to take control of their healthcare decisions and achieve cost-effective dental care. From the importance of presenting the plan effectively on the website, to the flexible customization potential of membership plans that cater to patient's individual needs, gain key insights from this innovative approach.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How membership plans instill a sense of security in patients.
- The role of a dental practice's website in promoting its membership plan.
- Customization possibilities in membership plans.
- The affordability factor of dental care with a membership plan.
- The impact of membership plans on patient loyalty and retention.
- Connection between famous consumer brands and dental membership plans.
- The benefits of leveraging software solutions to improve office productivity.
Tune into this episode to unlock a whole new level of patient satisfaction and practice productivity!
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency with no long-term contracts? Visit DocSites' website here and be sure to mention this podcast episode for a special deal! https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Tune in to this value-packed episode of Dental Drill Bits as we dive into a topic that's on every employer's mind: the Christmas bonus. How necessary is it, really? And what if you've been doing it for years, but your current funds don't support it? Sandy has not only built a unique approach to the Christmas bonus dilemma but also knows how to leverage this typically seasonal reward to build a stronger, more motivated team year-round.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Why a Christmas bonus might not always be the best way to reward your team.
- How to manage expectations around Christmas bonuses, especially if you can't afford it this year.
- A special system that Sandy has developed, making the "bonus" work in favor of both you and your practice.
- The effective script and formula for consistently and fairly rewarding your team.
Implementing these strategic changes could change everything about how you approach employee rewards. So go ahead, hit play and let's redefine bonuses! (This episode originally aired Dec 07, 2022)
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/ Get ready for a deep dive into the world of dental recruitment this week on Dental Drill Bits! Today we are tackling the common but tricky issue of sourcing exceptional employees for your practice. From leveraging social media and content creation to utilizing the power of internal referrals - no stone is left unturned. We're also shedding light on the secrets of crafting a compelling job post guaranteed to attract quality candidates who are as committed to outstanding oral care as you are. What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The effective use of social media and engaging content for recruitment.
- Tactics to bolster employee endorsements for your practice.
- Pros of hiring new staff through job fairs and internal recruitment.
- The delicate art of pinpointing exactly what to feature in a job post; from salary and benefits to workplace perks.
- Active vs. passive job seekers and who you should be searching for.
Tune in to get the low-down on finding and hiring top-tier dental talents, right here on Dental Drill Bits! Join our free Facebook group, Dental Gumbo, to get in on the conversation! https://www.facebook.com/groups/dentaldrillbits/
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/
In this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, we're diving deeply into a dilemma most dental practices grapple with - "Should my hygienist clock out when they have free time?" An empty dental chair is definitely the stuff of nightmares for a dental practice. With a keen focus on this issue, we aim to provide a fresh perspective on handling unpredictable schedule gaps due to cancellations and no-shows. We also delve into the potential pitfalls of moving patient appointments and the unseen consequences it can have on your practice's reputation.
If you're looking to find out how to most efficiently use hygiene time in your practice, let's jump into today's episode!
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Approaches to manage your hygienist's empty appointment slots caused by last-minute cancellations.
- The perilous after-effects of moving patients' appointments without their consent.
- Practical tips for filling cancelled appointments as swiftly as possible from your existing patient pool.
- The impact of scheduling chaos on the overall atmosphere and productivity of a dental practice.
- How proper scheduling can uplift the satisfaction rate among patients and staff alike.
Stay tuned for the next registration period for Front Desk Pro! https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro/
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Mention this podcast episode for Docsites' special Black Friday offer during the month of November, 2023! https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Welcome back to Dental Drill Bits! This week, we're thrilled to have Ali from our sponsors, Docsites, back on the show. Ali dives deep into the three essential steps for successful online marketing campaigns tailored specifically for your dental practice. We tackle the challenges of getting discovered by potential patients, exploring strategies to increase visibility and attract more eyeballs to your practice. Discover how to build authority and brand recognition, ensuring that potential patients not only find you but are eager to choose your services. Ali shares insights on preventing potential patients from getting lost in the mix and maximizing the impact of your marketing dollars through an effective follow-up process. Plus, uncover the power of a professional website that showcases social proof, your dental philosophy, and the welcoming atmosphere of your office. Hit play on this episode for a healthy dose of digital marketing wisdom from Ali this week! You Can Also Reach Out to Ali Here: Phone: 818-416-0007
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Welcome to this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits! In the dental world, striking the right chord with your team's appreciation can be a delicate dance. This episode dives into the eternal office debate: should you throw an epic office party or dish out those coveted cash bonuses? We've got the insights on celebrating birthdays with professionalism, navigating the holiday season to ensure genuine team joy, and the lowdown on the nuanced differences between Year End and Christmas bonuses. We'll also explore some thoughtful gift and celebration ideas that'll leave your team smiling regardless of your office budget! Tune in this week to discover the perfect balance between celebrations and cash for team appreciation.
Sponsors: For modern dental practices, membership plans are the way forward — but not just any plan will do. Look ahead with the platform that puts you in control, effortlessly. Mention Dental Drill Bits for 60 days FREE! https://www.planforward.io/ Welcome to this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, where we're diving into the ins and outs of starting a membership plan for your dental practice with the brilliant Megan Lohman, founder and co-CEO of our sponsor, Plan Forward. We'll uncover the essential role of robust membership plan software in streamlining your front office operations and eliminating administrative headaches. Discover how to approach the membership conversation with patients, whether they have insurance or not, and see how your plan can actually save your patients money – the numbers don't lie! Plus, we'll explore the challenging landscape of insurance reimbursement rates and rising operating costs for practices, and discuss the perfect timing and messaging to present your membership plan option to patients. You won't want to miss this episode filled with invaluable insights to propel your practice forward! Reach Out to Megan Here:
Email: mlohman@planforward.io
Phone: 833-752-7526
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Get ready for this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, the third installment of our "The 3 R's for Practice Management" series! This week, we're finishing out strong with the critical "reactivation" aspect of your practice. We'll explore the delicate balance between automation and the personal touch of sending physical cards to your patients. You'll learn how to kickstart a reactivation project and when the best time is to begin. We'll also share tips on securing the most up-to-date patient contact information and, most importantly, how to boost your retention rates to an impressive 70% and beyond! Don't miss out on these essential insights to supercharge your retention rates! Register for Front Desk Pro, in Dallas, TX, on December 1st, 2023: https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro-registration/ Instructions on How to Access Reactivation Project: Step 1: WEBSITE
- Go to www.classicpractice.com
Step 2: CLICK
- Scroll down to “Training Events,” select “Lecture Attendee Documents”
- Enter Information and click “Sign Up.”
- Select “Reactivation Project”
- Enter the passcode “reactivatepatients”
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Welcome back to Dental Drill Bits! In this week's episode, the second installment of our "The 3 R's for Practice Management" series, we're diving deep into the crucial "recall process" in your dental practice. Without a solid recall process, there's a good chance your patients won't return on their own. We'll explore the fact that only 39.85% of people make it to the dentist every year, putting the responsibility on us to bring them back for those essential appointments. We reveal how a simple report reaching back 18 months could unveil a surprising number of patients in need of re-care – ranging from hundreds to even 2,000+ who haven't been rescheduled. But don't worry; we've got exciting tips and tricks up our sleeves to engage your patients beyond the mundane email reminders. Tune in as we uncover how to leverage the power of phone, text, and email for maximum recall effectiveness! Register for Front Desk Pro, in Dallas, TX, on December 1st, 2023! https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro-registration/
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ In this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, we're kicking off our exciting three-part series on "The 3 R's for Practice Management," with the spotlight on "retention" in your dental practice. We cover the crucial aspects of patient retention, including the art of gathering REAL numbers on your patient retention rates, uncovering why 68% of people leave service-based businesses, and how to pinpoint your unique motivators to keep patients coming back for more. We also explore the powerful concepts of internal versus external marketing and how to effectively harness the potential of both. Plus, we'll share insights on the extra patient information that's invaluable for a thriving practice and the initial steps to foster a motivated and productive team culture. Listen in to transform your dental practice into a unique business that patients can call home! Register for Front Desk Pro, in Dallas, TX, on December 1st, 2023! https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro-registration/
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Get ready for this week's Dental Drill Bits episode as we delve deep into the world of crafting a trustworthy dental website that actually converts! Our special guest, Ali, an expert from our sponsor: Docsites, joins us to explore the most common mistakes and strategies for website success. Discover the top elements to feature on your website to attract both patients and exceptional team members. Learn the art of creating a personal walk-through video on a budget (Hint: you can even turn iPhone footage into a personal and professional shoot.) Uncover the secrets of leveraging your existing original content and crafting a high-converting home page. Plus, gain insights on optimizing landing pages for ad campaigns. Tune in this week to transform your dental website into a conversion powerhouse! You Can Reach Out to Ali Here:
Phone: 818-416-0007
Email: ali@docsites.com
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ In this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, we're delving deep into the critical topic of hiring an office manager for your dental practice. We'll break down the specific job duties of an office manager, helping you determine whether you truly need one or if team leaders are the next step for your practice. Tune in to discover essential tips on clearing up communication with your team members to ensure a seamless transition when bringing in an office manager. We'll also explore the qualities that make a person an ideal fit for this role, and why it's often best for them to learn from each department before implementing any significant changes. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or just starting out, this episode is packed with valuable insights to help you make the right choice for your practice's growth and success. Hit that play button to learn the ins and outs of office managers, and why it's so beneficial to define this role!
Join the Dental Gumbo group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/dentaldrillbits
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Welcome to this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits! In this episode, we're diving deep into the fall season and the critical task of sending out "use it or lose it" letters to your patients with unscheduled treatment. We'll discuss the nuances between patients with unused insurance benefits and those without insurance, offering tailored strategies for both. Can you believe that some practices are sitting on 1.2 million dollars JUST in unscheduled treatment? We'll go over some of our strategies to make sure you aren't missing out on this massive value in your practice. We'll discover innovative communication approaches and effective follow-up procedures that will entice your patients to book those appointments. Plus, we'll help you identify precisely who to focus on when sending out these crucial reminders. Don't miss this episode; it could transform your practice's end-of-year success!
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Have you or your team ever felt frantic or too busy to properly lead patients from back to front office? This week we're covering just that! We're running through how you can perfect the patient hand-off and increase treatment acceptance significantly in your practice. Discover the secrets to boosting your communication skills, raising profits for your practice, and putting a smile on a patient's face all at once! Learn why using patient-friendly language is crucial – forget jargon like "third party financing" and connect with your patients on a personal level. We'll also share tips on having backup employees ready for a seamless check-out experience and the importance of educating patients upfront. Plus, find out how sending patients home with photos and a beautifully laid-out treatment plan can make all the difference. Dive into this episode to learn how to turn your patient hand-offs from unorganized and frantic, to seamless and smooth! Register for the Front Desk Pro Seminar September 29th, 2023! https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro-registration/
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Are you struggling to retain team members due to performance issues? Today we're discovering how providing clear direction and setting priorities for their roles can make all the difference. We'll discuss the importance of recognizing every team member's core purpose and putting it above all else, along with the power of open communication with your team. Plus, we'll explore the valuable insight of looking at actions rather than words and the importance of ongoing training and improvement. The "bare-minimum" team member may not be the person you thought it was, so we'll show you how to find your bottleneck though proper assessment tactics!
Don't settle for mediocrity in your practice – join us for actionable tips on achieving excellence in every aspect of your team's performance!
Register for the Front Desk Pro Seminar September 29th, 2023! https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro-registration/
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Get ready for this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, where we dive deep into the process and psychology of "Patient No-Shows and Cancellations"! Maintaining a seamless schedule in your business is priority number 1 when it comes to a thriving practice. So today we're share strategies on how to gently communicate to patients the importance of confirming their appointments, ensuring their reservations are honored. Learn how to illuminate the online scheduling experience, proactively welcoming patients to your practice. Discover the fine balance of when to implement deposits and address patient fears to guarantee a comfortable visit. Plus, we'll break down the automation puzzle, guiding you on what aspects can be effectively automated, and what needs more of a personal touch. If your schedule has some holes and you're sure how to best patch them, lets learn together in this episode! Register for the Front Desk Pro Seminar September 29th, 2023! https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro-registration/
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Welcome to this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits! This week, we're answering the question: "what does it take to be a Dental Practice Promoter?" Join us as we explore the concept of "mood poison" and learn how to banish it, along with crafting engaging conversation starters that go beyond the monotinous "hey, how are you?" Discover the secret sauce to making your patients radiate confidence and positivity, and get your team involved with a simple yet effective penny-based exercise designed to elevate patient relationships. Remember, you have the power to be either the fountain or the drain of an upbeat attitude, and we're here to guide you every step of the way.
If you and your team want to learn how to be the biggest Dental Practice Promoters, let's jump into the episode today!
Register for the Front Desk Pro Seminar September 29th, 2023! https://classicpractice.com/front-desk-pro-registration/
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
In this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, we are joined by a special guest, Ali, from our sponsor, Docsites! Today the spotlight is on efficiently tracking leads you may find filling out forms, emails, or calling in, and how to transform them into loyal patients.
Our focus this week delves into the indispensable role of sales training for your phone team to ensure seamless caller conversion. With better sales training, you will be able to help more of the patients you are looking to serve! We explore the insightful practice of keeping tabs on your competitors and their offerings, and how to set your team up for success with training. While marketing acts as the catalyst for generating leads, we navigate the crucial journey of tracing the trajectory of these leads, so you know where they actually ended up. With a comprehensive outlook, we also check in on overall website traffic, encompassing Ads, Google Maps, and Organic sources.
Tune in today to learn more on effective tracking and management for a bright dental future!
Sign up for the Scheduling Academy here! https://classicpractice.com/academy-for-scheduling-excellence-registration/
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Welcome to another episode of Dental Drill Bits! Today, we have something truly special for you: how to write a phone etiquette guide that will bring those patients in the door!
Trust us, once you have this phone etiquette guide in place, phone calls with prospective patients will be a breeze. Together, we'll talk through recorded calls and share powerful phone skills to empower not just ourselves, but our entire team. Have you ever wondered how to handle those tricky questions patients ask? Or thought about who should be the phone guru in your office? We'll dive into all these questions today. Developing great phone skills and tracking can unlock a treasure trove of weekly prospects you never knew existed!
So, grab your earphones, get comfy, and join us on this personal journey of communication mastery!
Sign up for the Scheduling Academy here! https://classicpractice.com/academy-for-scheduling-excellence-registration/
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
On this week's Dental Drill Bits episode, we're mapping out the details of "Building a System for Hiring and Firing" in the dental industry.
We're diving into the crucial aspects of creating effective job descriptions, conducting insightful interviews, and identifying desirable traits in dental assistants, front desk staff, and hygienists. We emphasize the significance of actively engaging with potential hires, not just to present your practice, but to listen and learn from them. We'll also be sharing a comprehensive list of some of our favorite thought-provoking questions designed to encourage candidates to open up and reveal their true potential. Whether you're a dental practice owner or a hiring manager, this episode will equip you with the tools and strategies to build a strong team that positively impacts your dental practice's success.
Listen to this episode to level up your hiring and firing system!
Sign up for the Scheduling Academy here! https://classicpractice.com/academy-for-scheduling-excellence-registration/
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
On this week's Dental Drill Bits episode we're uncovering the crucial topic of turning your accounts receivable into actual cash.
Join us while we discover the key strategies to boost your practice's cash flow, such as aiming to collect 40% to 45% of payments over the counter when patients are in your practice. Learn the important distinction between financial arrangements and treatment plans, and how a knowledgeable team that is comfortable discussing finances can make a significant difference. We discuss why it's so important to regularly pull reports for your practice's financials and accounts receivable, and explore the benefits of implementing a clear financial policy to eliminate decision fatigue among your team members.
Tune in now to maximize your practice's financial success!
Sign up for the Scheduling Academy here! https://classicpractice.com/academy-for-scheduling-excellence-registration/
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
In this episode, we're exploring "how efficient is your practice?" There are crucial factors that determine the success and efficiency of your dental office, and we're here to help you find them! Join us as we explore the relationship between collections and full-time equivalents, revealing why a minimum of $200,000 per FTE is key for optimal performance. Discover how the right team members in the right roles can significantly enhance efficiency, ultimately impacting your income. See the pivotal role played by the front office team in shaping your financial success, and the indispensable nature of maintaining a fully booked schedule to ensure a seamless and streamlined dental practice.
Tune in this week to unlock the secrets behind a high-performing and efficient dental office!
Sign up for the Scheduling Academy here! https://classicpractice.com/academy-for-scheduling-excellence-registration/
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, we're jumping into the challenges we all face when a key team member leaves, and exploring effective strategies to combat the resulting disarray. We discuss the importance of having standardized operating procedures (SOPs) in place, establishing robust systems, and creating specific job descriptions to ensure a smooth transition. Nobody wants a valued player to leave their team, but we're here to help prepare you if they do!
Join us as we cover what it takes for a seamless and effective team, even IF an employee leaves!
Sign up for the Scheduling Academy here! https://classicpractice.com/academy-for-scheduling-excellence-registration/
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Do you ever get that text the night before from a team member that will be out the next day? We know how much of a strain this can put on the rest of the team, and in this episode we're exploring what it takes to craft an effective attendance policy for your office! From setting boundaries on communication methods, to empowering your team's responsibilities, we'll guide you through the maze of intricacies. We'll reveal how offering unwavering support can transform your team's commitment and discuss if hiring an HR consultant is right for your office. We also cover proper documentation techniques to make sure everything is in order for an efficient system!
Join us as we unravel the key points of building an attendance policy that strikes the perfect balance between accountability and empathy.
Sign up for the Scheduling Academy here! https://classicpractice.com/academy-for-scheduling-excellence-registration/
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Welcome to another episode of Dental Drill Bits! In this episode, we dive into the topic of "Vacation-proofing Your Team". Going on vacation as a dental professional can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can ensure that your team keeps things running smoothly while you're away. We discuss the importance of setting goals for each department, providing specific expectations, and sending a memo well in advance to inform everyone of your vacation plans. We also explore the benefits of having team members submit a list of self-made responsibilities they can attend to during your absence. Above all, we emphasize the significance of trust in your team. It is imperative for a healthy team dynamic to not "police" the clock, or act in ways that show distrust while you're enjoying your time off.
If you're struggling with how to handle time off, dive into this insightful episode on effective vacations!
Sign up for the Scheduling Academy here! https://classicpractice.com/academy-for-scheduling-excellence-registration/
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In this episode, we explore the question, "should I share practice numbers with my whole team?"
We say yes!
From the perspective of embracing transparency and utilizing numbers to establish concrete goals for employees in the dental office, we think sharing your numbers is a valuable asset. We address the common fear among doctors that sharing production numbers may lead to associates demanding higher compensation, and debunk this notion by highlighting the industry standard of 25% of collections going to employees(that's the largest expense in any dental parctice.) We emphasize the benefits of open communication, suggesting that employees can have fun reporting their key performance indicators (KPIs) for their respective departments during meetings. Ultimately, we conclude that since the team already discusses production numbers, there is no need to hide them, as they can serve as a valuable tool for fostering collaboration and driving success in the dental office.
Listen to our conversation on practice numbers, associates, and how to bring your team together this week!
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Welcome to this week's episode of Dental Drill Bits, where we dive into the world of "Prescheduling Myth Busters." In this episode, we debunk the common misconception that it's acceptable to preschedule a patient six months out, despite multiple broken appointments. We break down the common practice owner mistake of "somebody said we should always preschedule, so that's what we do!" We also explore the vital role of good communication with patients before, during, and after their visit, to help steer clear of broken appointments. If your retention rate falls below 85%, it may be a sign that your prescheduling system needs improvement!
Don't miss out on this episode, as we bust common myths around prescheduling, and springboard you towards a healthy retention system!
Sponsors: Do you need a new website or marketing agency, check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/ Welcome to this week's podcast, where we delve into the crucial question of "When is it time to switch my marketing company?" Join us as we uncover key insights to help you make informed decisions about your marketing strategies, and spot red flags with your current company. In this episode, we explore essential factors such as maintaining a consistent marketing message across all platforms, emphasizing the importance of regular check-ins with your marketing company, and ensuring you retain ownership over your domains. We also provide valuable tips on leveraging existing outstanding performance when selecting promotional campaigns. Beware of marketing companies attempting to entice you with fancy reports displaying generic data, as it might be the same points they send every potential client! Lastly, we share a few tips on enhancing your SEO ranking to optimize your digital presence. Tune in and empower yourself to make informed decisions for your business's marketing success!
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In the US, approximately 1.6 million people are changing dentists every month, making patient retention and loyalty critical to any dental practice's success. When the value per patient is so heavily weighted on retention and loyalty, we wanted to dive into some points on improving customer service, increasing retention rates, and how to show appreciation to your amazing patients! By raising retention rates from 50% to 80%, your practice can double its value per patient and stimulate the growth you're looking for, so don't let this opportunity pass. Listen to this week's episode so you don't miss out on ways to promote loyalty, retain patients, and give them a reason to tell their friends!
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In this episode, we explore the question "How do you measure dental practice success?" For one, there's more to it than just looking at production numbers or collections. You may have sky high new patient numbers, or massive amounts of production, and still not be financially successful! When it comes down to it, retention and collections are the real key to a sustainable future. We go over having a steady flow of new patients, a system for contacting patients for overdue payments, a dedicated financial coordinator, and overhead that stays under 60%. Additionally, retaining existing patients is just as crucial as bringing in new ones, so make sure to keep up-to-date contact information! Dive into this week's episode to learn more about measuring success in the dental industry!
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In this week's episode, TEAM is the focus. Without a strong team, your practice isn't producing at it's full potential. We know hiring and firing isn't your favorite activity of the year, but making sure the right members are in the right positions is essential. Have you ever wondered how to inspire your employees and give them purpose in the workplace? Well, we've gathered some of our favorite steps to bring your team to life! Listen in this week to create a step by step process that will motivate and inspire your whole team!
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This week's episode is all about common issues that practices have. Some of these issues, you may not even know you have! Covering the topics of productivity, scheduling, and communication, we will dive deep into what it takes to move your practice in the right direction. We discuss having unscheduled chair time, why you may have low patient retention, and where your overhead may be slowing your growth. To pick up on these tips and the other essentials, give the week's episode a listen!
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In this week's episode, we are breaking down effective patient communication and addressing objections properly. It all starts with truly listening to patient concerns, whether it's based in fear, financial worries, or another common issue. Highlighting that the procedure is routine and performed every day can help provide much needed comfort and reassurance for patients and urge them to take action. Third-party payment options and financing are a must-have to make dental care more accessible to patients, and if your case acceptance isn't above 85%, you may be losing thousands in revenue! Tune in to learn practical tips for improving patient communication and increasing treatment acceptance to benefit both patients and the practice's bottom line.
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In this episode, we explore the idea that complaints are a gift rather than a curse! We discuss how listening to complaints can provide valuable insights and opportunities for improvement in your dental practice. We emphasize the importance of actively listening to trends in complaints, identifying common issues, and taking proactive steps to address them. We also highlight how making patients feel important by knowing them by name and acknowledging their feedback can significantly impact patient satisfaction and loyalty.
Listen in for more actionable tips on receiving feedback in your practice and how to shine a positive light on this valuable information!
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In this episode, Sandy and Michael discuss the age-old question: "What comes first, the patient in front of you or the one on the phone?" They share insights on how to handle both effectively, with a focus on friendly and upbeat patient communication.
Gone are the days when callers took precedence simply because they couldn't see what was happening in the practice. In today's world, whoever grabs your attention first should be prioritized. Sandy and Michael share strategies for managing phone calls while checking out a patient, using specific verbiage that shows respect for both their time and emphasizes clear communication.
Don't miss this insightful episode on managing in-person and phone interactions in your dental practice!
Did you know that up to 93% of communication is done non-verbally?
Well, it’s true, and it might be the key to handling tough patients in your practice…
Successful Patient Interactions will make or break your practice when trying to stand out from the crowd. To have these interactions, we need an upbeat, positive, and attentive team. If your team is really listening to the questions and concerns of patients, they will feel right at home.
It’s easy to write off an angry patient as rude, bad, or not worth your time, but you may find listening to what they have to say surprisingly beneficial! There is no excuse for treating your team poorly, but these “angry” patients have a legitimate reason to be angry more often than not.
Dive into this week’s conversation on successful patient interactions and how to create them!
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It was "dental assistant" appreciation week not that long ago...did you feel like you HAD to do something instead of wanting to do something for your dental assistant?
You never really know what goes on in the private life of team members. Sometimes a little acknowledgement goes a long way.
Sandy shows us how to properly do this and gives us a system to make sure our team members feel appreciated weekly!
We also share what team members expect from their leaders/ managers/ practice owners.
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Does your front office understand your marketing? If they don’t then they are probably decreasing the amount of new patients you could and should be seeing!
Did you also know that your website and marketing campaigns, such as Google Ads, can decrease your case acceptance percentage?
In this episode we dive deep with Sandy and Ali from Docsites discuss how to increase case acceptance, new patient numbers and what could be hindering your marketing and how to fix it, and how to strengthen your front office through marketing.
Think about it, if you put an ad out and get 10 applicants… 8 out of the 10 sent in a resume that seems good… will you take a whole day to interview those 8 applicants? There’s a better way, a much better way!
Group interviews! Sandy gives us the tools and system to establish and conduct an extremely successful group interview. Once you hear this episode, I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to ONLY do group interviews!
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Do you feel like you can’t find any great employees? Are you tired of recommending procedures, systems, or even tips to your front office but for some reason they don’t stick with the recommendations? Do you feel like you are always having to micromanage your team or a team member? Do you even know if some team members are really contributing to the practice growth, or are they just doing the bare minimum?
In this episode we dive deeper into this as Sandy gives us 4 pillars that we need to have in order to build a productive front office team.
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Get the money! Sandy’s a real world consultant and having a ZERO A/R is not real world!
You’ve got people that come and get the dental work and ins pays, or your going to bill them, if you get a 30% open rate in emails you’re in the top tier.
Sandy came across a practice that had 100k in A/R, and stopped sending sending out statements. That’s when Sandy noticed something MAJOR! Something that affected their A/R. It’s so simple but we guarantee if you were to do a report on this… you will see what she saw and immediately make changes … which WILL drastically lower your A/R!
Sandy provides a system to implement so that you do NOT have to continue to go through this and you can start lowering your A/R today!
This episode is specifically for the person greeting patients and answering the phones, the front office. Some new team members need to know and master some of the basics, so if you have new team members, this episode is basically a “mandatory listen” as part of their training. We discuss these four essential tips:
- Practice Information. Know the practice info. How long has the doctor been practicing? Know the website & office address.
- Greeting and Checking in patients. Have the front office understand to know it’s their responsibility to know who's on the schedule.
- Do updates! Make sure you update patient information always.
- Patients are guests in your office. If you have company, say goodbye.
Sandy dives deeper into each tip and how to implement it successfully.
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It’s a piece of paper. But what’s on this piece of paper that’s not in your software?
This slip is going to keep your new patient calls on task and in order. It will have all the necessary information you need and it will ensure the conversation flows well and the front office makes the appointment! You want to have really good relations with people who call for the first time. Being thorough is how you’re going to get the consistency of making sure everyone who calls for the first time is scheduled.
Listen in as Sandy breaks down this process and builds a system for your front office!
This is a serious talk we have to have. Have you ever said to yourself: “my employee isn’t smart, my team isn’t doing the best, I buy new equipment and no one uses it… I’m not buying them anything anymore!”etc.
Or maybe people aren’t delivering and producing on your team, or you can’t keep people on your team...
Whose fault is it… the leader. Sometimes your own lack of trust and organization may be holding your business back.
Sandy gives us the system and steps we need to take to fix this and make sure you are no longer the problem in your practice.
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You need to have protocols in place and systems in order to find someone GREAT for your team and it starts with your reputation. That’s step one in the system, what are your employees and ex-employees saying about you? Your reputation is where it starts for easing the workflow of hiring.
The second step in your system is to make sure that the people on your team know this one rule: anytime that someone calls asking about a position available, get their name, number, email, and resume immediately.
Sandy expands much more on these first two and gives you more precise steps in this system to ensure you will always find and have great people as you grow your practice.
Did you know January is one of the best months to reactivate patients?
Think about the retention rate and see what’s the percentage of patients you're retaining. The problem is practices are always looking for new patients because the back door is always open. Some of us have two back doors open!
You need to stay in touch with people and mix up the types of communication with your patients, it keeps the interest there. That’s what Sandy discusses in this episode and gives you a system on how to reactivate your patients, retain your existing patients, and she shares the best methods, formulas, and times on when to do this.
You get a text message from a staff member that says they can’t come to work today, now what do you do?
In this episode Sandy talks to us about the proper steps we need to take with handling staff members who seem to be absent or miss a lot of work days for whatever reason. We discuss how we can remedy this and how you can ensure it doesn’t spread to other employees. She also gives us a step by step process on how to start this system today!
You may have heard this or possibly, some of you listening, may even think this way: “we don’t have a production goal because we are patient focused”.
Knowing your income and taking care of patients are two different things. In this episode Sandy gives us the exact formula you need to boost your production. She also lets us know how patient care is woven into this. There is a way to reach production goals without the patient feeling like you are upselling or pushing treatment on them and Sandy let us know how to do this.
A great way to look at it is: “Production goals” are the food.. The type of food is patient care.
In this episode we dive into our Facebook group: Dental Gumbo and answer questions you have asked Sandy in the recent weeks.
Sandy answers and discusses these 3 main questions:
- How early to confirm appointments?
- How do you deal with assistants or hygienists not showing up for work (slightest cold)?
- How to present 3rd party financing as an option and favorite company?
Lately in the last week or two people are thinking ahead and what they’ll do differently in 2023. And we love it!
In this episode Sandy gives us 10 key principles we MUST upgrade or improve within our practice!
They are:
- Low retention rate.
- Too many broken appointments.
- Bonus systems that don’t work.
- Poor Recare systems.
- High accounts receivable balance.
- Low treatment acceptance.
- No marketing or poor marketing.
- Phones!!
- Too many people are falling into the “practice management of the month club”.
- Doctors not setting performance expectations for their team.
Listen to the episode to discover more details and strategies on how to improve each key element.
A lot of your employees are planning their whole Christmas around their Christmas bonus. However, is a Christmas bonus really necessary? How can you make this “bonus” work for you and how can you stop it if you don’t have the funds but feel the “need” to do it because you’ve done it in the past?!
Sandy gives us the instructions, script, and formula on what we need to do to be consistent with rewarding our team. She let’s us know how she doesn’t always agree with the Christmas bonus but has created a system on how this type of bonus can work for you and the practice.
Most dentists and especially practice owners, watch their money, and the decisions they make to KEEP money is causing missed opportunities and keeping the income down. Now, saving money is not a bad thing, that’s not what we are discussing here. We are talking about how often we step over dollars to pick up pennies.
In this episode Sandy gives us about 7 main reasons on where we stumble and mess up. These 7 reasons/ mistakes are causing an illusion that we are saving money, when in reality we are missing too many opportunities and hurting our potential and profits.
Should you add 3-4% on the dental bill if people are going to use credit cards? The quick answer is “NO”! This can easily make your patient lose trust in you. Remember people don’t carry cash or checks as much anymore. More and more people are using credit cards. When you add the 3-4% on the patients bill, this is working against your internal marketing!
In this episode Sandy breaks down for us what we should do if our terminal/ credit card charges come with a fee and how we should present it to the patient. We also discuss other great alternatives that you should adopt now to easily get the money from the patient without hassle.
Should you add 3-4% on the dental bill if people are going to use credit cards? The quick answer is “NO”! This can easily make your patient lose trust in you. Remember people don’t carry cash or checks as much anymore. More and more people are using credit cards. When you add the 3-4% on the patients bill, this is working against your internal marketing!
In this episode Sandy breaks down for us what we should do if our terminal/ credit card charges come with a fee and how we should present it to the patient. We also discuss other great alternatives that you should adopt now to easily get the money from the patient without hassle.
Did you know if your team is less than 10 employees, you more than likely should NOT have an office manager! Some practice owners put someone who has some dental experience in the front and name them an office manager. That is not the right thing to do.
In this episode Sandy breaks down the real responsibilities of an Office Manager and when is it time to bring one on. We also discuss how promoting or having someone considered an “office manager” can actually cause more harm than good. We also discuss how to demote an office manager and discuss the proper script and terminology on how to do this.
Did you know if your team is less than 10 employees, you more than likely should NOT have an office manager! Some practice owners put someone who has some dental experience in the front and name them an office manager. That is not the right thing to do.
In this episode Sandy breaks down the real responsibilities of an Office Manager and when is it time to bring one on. We also discuss how promoting or having someone considered an “office manager” can actually cause more harm than good. We also discuss how to demote an office manager and discuss the proper script and terminology on how to do this.
There’s a shocking statistic that Sandy mentions in this episode which is: 1.6 million people are changing dentists and 25%-50% patients are lost over a 5 year period. This means we MUST work on our attrition, retaining these patients!
In this episode Sandy tells us the 3 main reasons why we lose patients and how we can stop making these major mistakes. She also gives us a system on what our team should do to make sure our attrition rate is good. We also discuss and talk about scripts on what we should ask our patients to make sure their experience is always above and beyond!
There’s a shocking statistic that Sandy mentions in this episode which is: 1.6 million people are changing dentists and 25%-50% patients are lost over a 5 year period. This means we MUST work on our attrition, retaining these patients!
In this episode Sandy tells us the 3 main reasons why we lose patients and how we can stop making these major mistakes. She also gives us a system on what our team should do to make sure our attrition rate is good. We also discuss and talk about scripts on what we should ask our patients to make sure their experience is always above and beyond!
You know what? You shouldn’t even call them “performance reviews” anymore! In this episode Sandy lets us know exactly what we should do with the “one on one” meetings we have with our team members. Meeting one on one with team members is always a good thing.
Sandy tells us how we should call them a “one on one” and bring the employee’s:
- Attendance record
- Statistics
- Ask them “how do you think it’s going”?
- Involve the whole team
She breaks each one of these things down and dives into specifics on how we should handle every point. Another good thing to keep in mind is we should never tie “one on ones” or performance reviews with raises! Listen to this episode to understand why!
You know what? You shouldn’t even call them “performance reviews” anymore! In this episode Sandy lets us know exactly what we should do with the “one on one” meetings we have with our team members. Meeting one on one with team members is always a good thing.
Sandy tells us how we should call them a “one on one” and bring the employee’s:
- Attendance record
- Statistics
- Ask them “how do you think it’s going”?
- Involve the whole team
She breaks each one of these things down and dives into specifics on how we should handle every point. Another good thing to keep in mind is we should never tie “one on ones” or performance reviews with raises! Listen to this episode to understand why!
If you haven’t heard “How to Handle “Inter-Office wars” which was the episode before this one, please go do so! It got so much feedback! Because of all the questions we received, Sandy decided to answer those questions and do a part two!
The 2 most popular things that people contacted Sandy after the previous episode was:
- What to do if you are new to the office and you witness “inter-office wars”/ what do you do if you are a team member watching on the sidelines “inter-office war” happening? What should you do?
- Team members complaining to the doctor or gossiping to the doctor. Trying to get to the doctor on their side.
In this episode Sandy dives deeper on these two scenarios and also shows you how to handle them from an employee perspective and a practice owner's perspective.
If you haven’t heard “How to Handle “Inter-Office wars” which was the episode before this one, please go do so! It got so much feedback! Because of all the questions we received, Sandy decided to answer those questions and do a part two!
The 2 most popular things that people contacted Sandy after the previous episode was:
- What to do if you are new to the office and you witness “inter-office wars”/ what do you do if you are a team member watching on the sidelines “inter-office war” happening? What should you do?
- Team members complaining to the doctor or gossiping to the doctor. Trying to get to the doctor on their side.
In this episode Sandy dives deeper on these two scenarios and also shows you how to handle them from an employee perspective and a practice owner's perspective.
Are you experiencing gossip, negativity, conflicts between your team, dishonesty, and employees always shifting the blame to other employees? This episode will help!
20% of all workers are unhappy with their jobs! This means that 80% are trying to get along with their workers and the other 20% are sabotaging that relationship! A lot of this dissatisfaction doesn’t have to do with the job itself, but it’s with the worker’s attitudes.
One thing Sandy has observed over the decades of handling employee conflicts and “inter-office wars” is that the more organized a practice is, the more the agreements that are in place, the less “inter-office wars” happen! In this episode Sandy gives us the definition of what “inter-office wars” means, how this is occurring in many offices today (either the front office doesn't get along with the back office, or someone on the team keeps gossiping about another team member, etc.) and she tells us exactly how to handle it!
Are you experiencing gossip, negativity, conflicts between your team, dishonesty, and employees always shifting the blame to other employees? This episode will help!
20% of all workers are unhappy with their jobs! This means that 80% are trying to get along with their workers and the other 20% are sabotaging that relationship! A lot of this dissatisfaction doesn’t have to do with the job itself, but it’s with the worker’s attitudes.
One thing Sandy has observed over the decades of handling employee conflicts and “inter-office wars” is that the more organized a practice is, the more the agreements that are in place, the less “inter-office wars” happen! In this episode Sandy gives us the definition of what “inter-office wars” means, how this is occurring in many offices today (either the front office doesn't get along with the back office, or someone on the team keeps gossiping about another team member, etc.) and she tells us exactly how to handle it!
Nowadays there are lots of consultants out there. Specific consultants and consultants who try to cover everything under the sun. However, what is the ultimate goal of a consultant? In this episode Sandy gives us insight on this and what we MUST look out for, when it comes to bringing on a consultant.
Sandy tells us what questions we should ask before hiring the consultant, what their goal should be, how much productions should be going up, how the team should feel, what road-bumps the consultant may face, how can you tell you are getting a “cookie cutter” consultant, and what data they should have.
A consultant's goal is not to be hired and work for the practice forever, it's to work with the practice until the owner (and team) is completely satisfied with the results. Listen into this episode if you have EVER thought about hiring a practice management consultant.
“Quiet quitting” is nothing new, it just has a name now. According to a recent study: “Quiet Quitters” make up 50% of the US workforce! 32% are disengaged employees and 18% are the type of employees that go on social media and trash talk or display how they hate their employer. Why does “quiet quitting'' happen?
In this episode Sandy lets us know how we can identify these "quiet quitters" and what you should look for before it’s too late. These types of employees will kill your productivity and also drag down your team culture and ultimately hinder your growth.
As you’re listening to this episode you may start to identify that you MAY have a “quiet quitter”. So listen to this episode to see how you can handle any “quiet quitting” situation.
Confirming appointments is one of the most important things that a scheduler does every single day. Confirming, when done the right way, assures the schedule will stay intact.
In this episode Sandy breaks down the mistakes we tend to make when we “think” we have confirmed an appointment but in reality, we have not. A lot of the time we tend to send a text or reminder, but the reality is this is doing nothing most of the time.
Listen in as we discuss the proper systems and protocols to truly confirm an appointment for a better schedule and a productive day.
Sandy was doing a mystery call for a practice and noticed a major issue… the practice didn’t answer her phone call… that’s how this episode came up!
There’s two main things we need to do if we want more new patients in our office.
- Make sure there are absolutely NO barriers blocking the new patient from reaching you over the phone.
- Make sure you take away every single barrier that’s stopping the new patient from walking through your door!
In this episode Sandy tells us ways we can improve and elevate our phone skills to ensure that these new patients are not only scheduling, but walking through your door and accepting treatment.
You know that one person who's always missing days, calling in, or maybe they save up time off and leave for a long time. Welp, there’s procedures and systems to prevent that and actually improve all of your employees' attendance!
In this episode Sandy gives us 5 major steps that will improve attendance and help motivate employees to not miss a day!
- Sit down with your team and talk about your core values.
- Create an attendance policy.
- Track when people miss work.
- Address these no-shows or last minute cancellations immediately!
- Reward good behavior.
Listen in as we dive deeper into each of these steps and provide a game plan!
You know that one person who's always missing days, calling in, or maybe they save up time off and leave for a long time. Welp, there’s procedures and systems to prevent that and actually improve all of your employees' attendance!
In this episode Sandy gives us 5 major steps that will improve attendance and help motivate employees to not miss a day!
- Sit down with your team and talk about your core values.
- Create an attendance policy.
- Track when people miss work.
- Address these no-shows or last minute cancellations immediately!
- Reward good behavior.
Listen in as we dive deeper into each of these steps and provide a game plan!
Treatment planning starts much earlier than you expect. If you want your treatment acceptance percentage to increase you first have to know what to look for and then implement these specific actions to see results.
Sandy gives us the 10 bulletproof actions steps that will increase your treatment acceptance. One of the first steps is making sure you’re on top of your “Public Relations”. This is something that won’t get you instant results at the beginning but it is something that every practice owner should be thinking about because… your treatment acceptance starts with your reputation!
Listen in to hear the rest of the action steps so that you can increase your treatment acceptance this month!
There's nothing worse than seeing the schedule full the day before, or even the week before, then… once the productive day arrives… the schedule starts falling apart. Why is this happening?! Could it have been prevented?! What is killing this productive day!? A lot of us are unaware of how much productivity is being killed in the practice. Some of us are so used to these killers that we see it as a “norm” when it occurs. Anything that kills your productivity is NOT normal!
In this episode Sandy reveals the 5 most common productivity killers that happen in your practice every week. We discuss them and show you the difference between each one and how some play off of each other if you let it slide or handle it the wrong way. Then Sandy lets us know how we can prevent each of these 5 killers and what systems need to be in place today… to ensure that we are keeping the productivity in our office high.
When you're listening to this episode we want you to think about your accounts receivable balance. We want you to think about how many patients have accepted treatment, have received treatment, maybe only paid a portion of the whole treatment cost or not even a penny... and never came back.
This means the patient has committed premeditated fraud. How did this happen? Why does this continue to happen? How could we prevent this?
Sandy gives us a formula so you can have predictability with each of your patients & a formula on how to ensure your employee who handles your money will be trustworthy.
September has been widely known in dentistry as “Sucktember”. Everything seems to slow down, no shows are high, production is low, and the schedule seems to fall apart insanely fast. In fact, some of you even decide to take September off! DON’T!
In this episode Sandy breaks down the reason why we had a horrible September and how we can prevent “Sucktember '' from happening by doing these 5 steps today! The sooner you do it the better, and not only will this prevent your production from slowing down but it will also provide you with a “Rocktober” (Rocking October).
Key takeaways from this episode:
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What do patients that "no-show" have in common.
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Every practice needs an "appointment wrap up" process.
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What to ask a patient in regards to following up with them.
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What's the best script for confirmation calls.
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What to do when presenting treatment plans to ensure a second visit.
We know how convenient it is to have your employee order supplies for you, deal with credit checks, and even order things on Amazon for you and handle any returns… but you need to be more aware of it. Why?
Well, Sandy received a call about a situation the other day. And this isn’t the first instance an office has called her to see how they should handle it. This is common. The Office Manager had been using the practice’s Amazon account to make purchases for her own birthday party, Christmas, etc.
Sandy gives us 3 systems that most employees use to steal or establish fraud and she gives us the systems to prevent this. In our practice and in life, we want certainty, we want predictability, so it’s crucial you know what is going on in your practice and not depend solely on your employees' words.
When it comes down to it, there's basically two reasons why patients don’t pay: the first is dishonest patients, and Sandy gives us a breakdown on how to stop these type of patients to save us any headaches.
The second, and probably most important reason is: patients can get mad or upset with a situation. Your team can make patients mad or the patients can misunderstand and perceive something wrong. Patients who are mad or upset won’t pay. And when you initiate the collection procedure against the angry patient it gets them even more upset! So what can you do? Well, Sandy lets us know that when you deal with people it’s important to have really good people skills. Something we need to keep in mind is to communicate and acknowledge the patient and what they are saying.
Sandy goes much further into detail on how we can handle upset patients who don’t want to pay and she gives us a script on what to say to find a patient's problem that will get them to pay!
Overall, when it comes to excelling at customer service, we need to build more and better relationships with our patients. Remember that our patients have a choice, they can either choose to continue to come to you, or move on at any moment. They can get their teeth cleaned and get turned off so fast or be highly impressed to the point they want to bring everyone they know to you. That’s the difference between average and exceptional customer service.
In this episode Sandy tells us 10 strategies we need to be thinking about weekly, if not daily, to make sure we are providing exceptional customer service. There's 1.6 million people changing dentists…every month! Make sure you are one of the dentists that patients love and feel acknowledged and valued at. That is something you will notice fast about the first two strategies, how acknowledging your patient is crucial.
Listen to this episode and make sure you write down the 10 strategies somewhere visible, where your team can see it so they can use it as a checklist or reminder to apply these strategies daily.
If you’ve followed a recipe before, then you’ve followed a system. In this episode Sandy gives you the recipes to make sure you have a successful practice BEFORE you open your doors to the public. There are about 42 systems every single practice needs to have in place and Sandy discusses and dives deeper into each of them.
Now just having these systems is not enough, Sandy discusses how being consistent with them is crucial for success. Consistent action gives you predictability. These are the systems that her 2 million dollar solo practice’s implement and practice consistently. She discusses the systems we tend to leave out and the systems we make major mistakes on as well.
When does a day need to be saved?
When you’re not meeting your daily goals (which you should set daily goals). You can determine if you’re reaching your goal or not by mid-day. If you notice around the middle of the day, that you are behind or REAL far behind with your daily goals, then this episode will help you to apply strategies to reach those goals!
Sandy lets us know how there are so many missed opportunities because we are not looking or listening. Therefore she gives us 5 specific opportunities we need to look for (which you WILL find during the day) that will push you and your team through the finish line! From this point on, there shouldn’t be a reason for your team to not reach their daily goals.
In this episode we take on questions that you (our listeners) have for us!
We answer these specific questions:
"Is anyone doing (or done in the past) patient surveys? We would love to see what we are doing right that our patients enjoy and what recommendations they have or concerns, if any. Any suggestions or sample questions would be greatly appreciated!" "I have a couple questions about 'The 4 Departments Every Front Office Needs.' When you say 1-18 people one person can run the front and then 19 you would have 2 people and then 32 you would have 3, does this include the office manager or would that be in addition to the OM? We have 4 days a week with 1 doctor and 2 full time hygienists and we have 1 day with 2 doctors and 2 full time hygienists. I have another question. I know you talk about checklists to hold people accountable. Do you recommend every person on the team have their own checklist?"
"What is the best way to prevent hygiene no shows?"
Is your A/R out of order?! Have you ever overcharged a patient for treatment, perhaps their insurance company covered for more than what was initially stated, so now your patient has credit? What do you do with that credit? Some practices let that credit accumulate. Some may even feel like they can keep it. You can’t and Sandy let’s us know why.
This is a hidden topic that not many practice owners talk about, but exists and can really set you back if you are not careful. Therefore it must be addressed! This is especially helpful if you are looking to buy or acquire a practice. Make sure you check the A/R reports and see if there are any patient credits.
In this episode Sandy gives us a system on how to minimize patient refunds. She also lets us know how to slowly start chipping away at it (if we have accumulated a large sum of patient credit). We discuss the script you must tell the patient, how to handle these situations, and who to let know in the practice and who should NOT be aware in your team.
Confirming patients for their appointment is one of the most important things your front office can do. It’s not an afterthought and it’s definitely not something you just call and wing. You need a recipe for this. Systems are a recipe.
When it comes to patient confirmations, it’s all about having good control.You need to decide how protocols should be approached and then analyze and see that your protocol/ system is producing the best results. So this leads to the ultimate question: is your confirmation process producing the best results?
In this episode Sandy breaks down this process and creates a system for us that has 7 main points, so this is going to be an episode where you really want to take notes! She also lets us know some bonus points and verbage we need to have when writing confirmations, texting confirmations, and calling for confirmations.
The hardest part of practice ownership is the relationships, the people in our practice. In this episode Sandy helps us to understand and know how we can master these relationships.
There’s a few basic steps that most practice owners and people in general tend to overlook. One of the first steps is to hire the right people, acknowledge our employees when they do something good, recognize when things are not going well, and then learn to quickly handle the situation by confronting the person. This is just part of one step!
This means that systems and protocols must be in place, in order to handle and create better relationships with people in your practice. We dive into more of this in this episode and reveal more steps with detail and instructions on how to implement them.
Sometimes new practice owners want to outsource insurance verification, billing, phones, and more… but is it really necessary?
In this episode Sandy Pardue lets us know the exact math and patients you must have in order to officially outsource or become more efficient in your practice. First, every single practice owner needs to know their overhead and understand that your “team” overhead is your largest percentage. Most practices get in trouble when they overpay their people/ team. This could happen due to outsourcing inappropriately.
We discuss the only absolute times you MUST outsource, what would be ridiculous to outsource, and what needs to always stay in-house and how to make it all happen.
What if you are extremely fed up with an employee and you’re thinking “that’s it! I’m going to fire this person”. How should you do it? When is the best time and day to do this? Who should be there? What should you say?
In this episode Sandy breaks down the important steps you need to take before, during, and after firing an individual in your team who just isn’t performing the way you need them to. Something you MUST understand is that the individual you are intending to fire should NEVER be shocked or surprised that they are being let go. Sandy dives deeper on this and explains how “write-ups” prime you to fire someone which becomes easier to do in the long run.
We discuss specific examples and talk about tools you can utilize to help you with all of this.
If you’re not feeling the effects of inflation now, you will be in a couple of months! Save this episode because it will teach you how to “inflation proof” your practice!
Sandy Pardue lets us know about 10 specific steps we need to take in order to get lean and mean and control our practice through anything. The first step is: KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. You need to be hungry for your overhead percentage numbers at the beginning of the month, don’t just leave them to your accountant/ bookkeeper. Knowing your numbers are statistics in your practice, and statistics are meant for you to know where to make adjustments.
Listen in to hear the next steps and how to immediately implement them into your practice.
The reason most treatment plans fail is because we ignore objections
In this episode Sandy breaks down for us the 7 most common objections patients will give you and your team for not accepting treatment or going with treatment right away.
We figure out the psychology and thinking behind these objections and she lets us know the proper steps to take and what to say to overcome every single one of these objections.
If you have had bad experiences with bonuses, that's probably because you or whoever implemented it, has put in the wrong type of bonuses for your team.
In this episode Sandy lets us know the best kind of bonus you can implement for your team and your hygienist. She breaks down where you are going to find the money for appropriate bonuses, the percentages, the one to implement first, how to divide it amongst your team, and to keep your team motivated.
We also discuss what you can do to "penalize" that one team member who probably would abuse a team bonus.
Does this sound familiar:
“We’ve had a lot of cancellations and I don’t want to pay my hygienist during down time”
Some of you may lean towards doing this. In fact, the hygienist may HATE this so your hygienist has to look or act busy so you won't deduct their pay.
Do NOT do this anymore! Your hygienist AND you (the practice owner) deserve a full schedule always.
In this episode Sandy Pardue tells us exactly how to do this. Remember, hygienists want to see patients and they want a full schedule! It’s the practice that doesn’t put enough pressure, enough urgency, on the front office to fill that schedule.
Are you wasting your marketing dollars? Let’s face it, you are if you are either missing phone calls or letting new patient opportunities go through the phone.
In this episode Sandy lets you know exactly what barriers are coming up when it comes to answering the phone when a new patient calls and how we can break these barriers. She gives us 6 steps on how every single phone call should go. We also discuss what to say if someone asks “do you take my insurance” and what we should NOT be saying.
Sandy also gives us a bonus step towards the end!
Cross training can be beneficial… but only for a short, and we mean a very short period of time. There are about 6 major cons that cross training will produce in your practice. However, if you MUST cross train an employee than there are about 4 pros to cross training.
Sandy breaks down each individual pros and cons and the consequences that this can lead up to. We also clarify how some of this information HIGHLY depends on the stage of your practice (are you JUST starting out, open for many years, etc).
We also discuss what to do if an employee is sick and someone needs to fill in for her position but just for a couple of days.
When we have no specific departments and roles than we have less accountability (almost none) and that creates a ton of inefficiencies. You don’t just want to throw up anyone at the front and hope your other front office shares their duties. You want to specifically give them departments.
In this episode Sandy shares with us exactly which person should be in which department based on their personality. She also lets us know which departments should work closer together than others, when is it time to add another team member on your team, and how you should monitor each team member.
We also discuss what to do if you only have 1 person in the front doing everything and how these departments will fit in.
When we have no specific departments and roles than we have less accountability (almost none) and that creates a ton of inefficiencies. You don’t just want to throw up anyone at the front and hope your other front office shares their duties. You want to specifically give them departments.
In this episode Sandy shares with us exactly which person should be in which department based on their personality. She also lets us know which departments should work closer together than others, when is it time to add another team member on your team, and how you should monitor each team member.
We also discuss what to do if you only have 1 person in the front doing everything and how these departments will fit in.
When we have no specific departments and roles than we have less accountability (almost none) and that creates a ton of inefficiencies. You don’t just want to throw up anyone at the front and hope your other front office shares their duties. You want to specifically give them departments.
In this episode Sandy shares with us exactly which person should be in which department based on their personality. She also lets us know which departments should work closer together than others, when is it time to add another team member on your team, and how you should monitor each team member.
We also discuss what to do if you only have 1 person in the front doing everything and how these departments will fit in.
When we have no specific departments and roles than we have less accountability (almost none) and that creates a ton of inefficiencies. You don’t just want to throw up anyone at the front and hope your other front office shares their duties. You want to specifically give them departments.
In this episode Sandy shares with us exactly which person should be in which department based on their personality. She also lets us know which departments should work closer together than others, when is it time to add another team member on your team, and how you should monitor each team member.
We also discuss what to do if you only have 1 person in the front doing everything and how these departments will fit in.
If you're not even aware of your treatment closing percentages... then that's the first thing you need to know TODAY!
Sandy Pardue breaks down the whole process on how we can get more "YES" from our patients. She gives us real life examples, steps, scripts, who is responsible for this on our team, and even deep quotes!
We also discuss what to do if someone says "NO".
Why does embezzlement happen and how does it begin? Most importantly, how can we catch it early or even prevent it from ever happening?!
In this episode Sandy breaks down the steps and systems we need to implement so that we can prevent any employee stealing from the practice.
We also discuss real life stories where Sandy discovered embezzlement and how they decided to handle it. We discuss the most common form/ type of embezzlement, the different forms, what to do if you catch an employee stealing, and more.
Do you feel like your best efforts are being undermined? Do yu have someone in your team who is always going to you and complaining about others, pushing back on changes, procrastinating or coming up with excuses of why things are not done... but they are super nice about it all in front of you?
Sandy Pardue gives us 5 signs that show you have a "Sweet Saboteur" in your practice, someone who is almost toxic to your team, and she lets us know how to either change their behavior or get them out ASAP!
We also discuss how to clean up a toxic work environment and how often should we evaluate our team to make sure everyone is content and happy.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Revenue - Expenses = PROFITS!
Do you ever feel like you worked so hard and then you look at your income or your profits and feel like you are barely making it?! Like you're bringing in less money than you should be bringing home?
In this episode we are covering just that! We are diving into your revenue and expenses and figuring out where profits are slipping through the cracks.
Sandy breaks it down for us and lets us know the 3 most important things you need to look out for in order to make sure you are maximizing your time, productions & collections, and your team's efforts in order to increase profits.
Staff meetings should be an orderly, productive, and uplifting meeting. One of the ultimate goals with every meeting is to have unity.
Sandy Pardue breaks down exactly how our staff meetings should go in order for them to not only be productive, but to get us closer to our goals (better unity in your team, more collections, more profit).
We discuss how long team meetings should be, the difference between morning huddles and these meetings, how often you should hold them, and what exactly needs to be covered and said.
No one loves being a micromanager.
In this episode Sandy Pardue breaks down exactly why someone starts micromanaging, 4 action steps you must take today to stop the micromanaging process, and how to improve you trust in the work your employees are doing.
We also talk to the team members who want to let their boss know that they feel micromanaged. Sandy lets the team members know exactly how to bring this up to your boss and communicate to them so that it can stop.
If you are asking yourself if "morning huddles" are worth it, then you're probably doing them all wrong.
Sandy Pardue breaks down exactly how a "morning huddle" should run.
We discuss how long it should be, who needs to start it, what the doctor needs to do, who should be involved, what exactly needs to be discussed, what to do if someone is late to the huddle, and more!
Remember, morning huddles are necessary to keep you in control and on track with your goals.
There is a benefit to being transparent with your team. When you share with your team then they feel more engaged and they also feel more trusted, but how far should you go with transparency of the business?
Sandy Pardue fills us in on what we should share with our teams, what should specific team members know and focus on, and what we should ALWAYS keep private.
We also discuss how to set good supply numbers, production/ collection numbers, payroll percentages, and what each position/ team member should be tracking.
Have you ever wondered what your team really thinks of you as a leader? If not, you should.
Sandy Pardue talks to us exactly how we can become a better leader for our employees.
She also lets us know how we can become friends with our team members but still keep that high level of respect that you need.
We also discuss what should we do if you are short staffed and you decide to delegate even MORE responsibilities to a team member, how you should delegate this and what you can do for the team member so that they don't burn out.
Not every single re-care appointment will show up exactly when they are supposed to. This sucks because it also leads you to try and market more for new patients. So step back a bit and build a system to improve your reactivation process.
In this episode Sandy Pardue gives us a proven system that will drastically improve your reactivation process.
Two things you want to do:
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Look right now at your analytics/ software and see how many existing patients in your practice need a cleaning... today!
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Listen to the podcast to hear what number 2 is (;
This is a proven system that will bring back 9-19% of existing patients who need a cleaning or more!
It’s a perfect time to reset your practice management style. Remember that nothing stays the same, so you shouldn't either.
Here are the 12 Best Practices Sandy discusses with detail:
- Look back at 2021 and review it. What worked well and what didn’t work.
- Keep score.
- Sharpen your skills. Take CE. Implement it.
- Zest up your office. Redo your office, but take a look at your office with a fresh view point.
- Become a better leader. Earn respect from their team and make sure your being honest and ethical. Appear strong even on bad days. Don’t gossip. Never tell a lie. Systems allow you to delegate. Delegate means organization.
- Manage time better. 168 hours each week. Keep a log during the day and see where the problems are.
- Improving patient retention.
- Manage your team daily. They should always be learning. Define duties.
- Have morning huddles.
- Improving communication within the team. People are more likely to tell the truth when you put things in writing
- Put some marketing actions in place.
- Scheduling more efficiently. Put someone in charge of the schedule.
HR issues are probably the thing Sandy Pardue hears the most about when consulting with practices. Therefore in this episode she breaks down the top 10 HR mistakes she has seen, heard, and witnessed. She also gives us the solution for each mistake.
Listen closely, more than likely you have either experienced one of these mistakes, will be making one of these mistakes (not anymore after you hear this episode), or know someone who is making the mistake.
Sandy Pardue gives us a list of 5 things we need to review ASAP to make sure we are getting the absolute most out of our hygiene department.
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Learn what procedures are not being performed.
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Set goals JUST for your hygienist
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Learn how to pay your hygienist
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Do a "Hygiene Bonus"
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Have Impactful Communication
Listen in as Sandy explains each one with great detail and instructions on how to implement them.
In this episode Sandy Pardue let's us know how there is so much more that happens besides just "asking" for a review... and sometimes we don't even ask! So in this episodes we break down the steps. A couple things you want to do is:
Boost the confidence of your team.
Make sure your employees are complimenting other team members IN FRONT of the patient.
Ask the patient in a leading way, for a review as they are already complimenting the doctor/ hygienist/ assistant or whoever worked on them.
We also discuss how to handle and reply to a negative review.
This is a question Sandy Pardue gets quite often in her events, so we decided to cover it here!
Here are a couple things you want to do:
You need a time clock software. (Sandy recommends a software)
Don’t give everyone access to change their time clock.
Create a policy, and be super specific in this policy. (Sandy gives us great examples).
What to say if someone still violates the policy? (Sandy provides us with what to do, a script, and how many times should we allow it).
How to present the overtime policy at a team meeting.
In this episode Sandy Pardue gives us the 5 action steps every single practice owner should be taking to get an incredible amount of momentum happening in the beginning of 2022.
The last thing you want to do in 2022 is play catch up or start off slow. And you especially don't want your team knowing or feeling it is slow!
We discuss:
1.Invest 139 dollars in a book called: National Dental Advisory Service.
2.Keep educating patients. Most practices have another practice within their practice, 1 million or 80k in unscheduled treatment. Now is the time to contact them.
3.Find out who has unused insurance benefits.
4.Keeping the chairs filled and asking them if they have anyone in the family that needs an appointment.
5.Promote more elective procedures. Verify that you are doing specific procedures.
This has happened to all of us! We call a patient to confirm their appointment but they don't answer. You call them again... and still no answer. Do you just consider them as a cancellation, a no-show, do you double book that time slot just in case, are you just going to hope they show up and leave them on the schedule?!
Sandy Pardue gives us the exact steps and instructions we must take to handle patients who do NOT confirm.
She gives us specific scripts, how many attempts we should make on a confirmation, what needs to be said, and where to discern and make moves in this situation.
In this episode Sandy shares with us the 4 key actions that you must create. This is 4 specific lists that you must create in your practice, and then it forms into a system!
This system will prevent empty slots in your schedule, contribute to more collections, meet the needs of your patients who NEED to be seen soon, and minimizing unscheduled treatment .
This system is something that's missing in so many practices, so we encourage you to start NOW with the "4 Lists System" if you haven't yet.
In this episode Sandy Pardue gives us her "3 Day Report" that will increase collections and decrease broken appointments.
This will also answer the main question "should we schedule the patient first and then collect payment OR collect payment and then schedule the patient"? Sandy teaches us step by step how to do this.
We also discuss scripts on what to say to patients who are past due on their payments, how to do health credit ratings on patients, and how to create a "scheduler" in your practice who is responsible for the WHOLE schedule.
This was a VERY hot topic so Sandy and I decided to dive further into it and even provide you with scripts and cancellation policies to format and say.
We need to understand that broken appointments WILL happen but it should not be the norm.
We need to also understand that charging patients for this is a band-aid to the problem, not the solution.
So what are the proper steps and procedures to take when this occurs? And how can we minimize broken appointments?
In this episode Sandy lets us know exactly what we need to do.
In this episode we discuss a situation where an employee was sexually harassed by an existing patient.
This really happened! This could also happen in your practice.
So what are the proper steps and procedures to take when this occurs? Do you let it slide once? Do you address the patient in that moment? Do you call the authorities?!
In this episode Sandy let's us know exactly what we need to do in this situation.
Practice owner (and longterm user of Sandy's systems) Dawn Kulongowski is an open book today; sharing everything she's enjoyed about Sandy's systems after using them for nigh a decade. With her trademark infectious laugh, Dawn shares amazing and absurd stories with Sandy and Richard.
Accounts receivable looks awful. Insurance is just out of control. Does that describe your office? If so, don't be surprised. This is common! Sandy sees this on the regular. She and Richard teach us the proper workload split with front office staff, getting accurate insurance date before they deny something, so that--above of all--we can turn things around by asking patients and insurance for our money...healthily!
Sandy@ClassicPractice.com
1-800-928-9289
www.ClassicPractice.com
Whether you have to re-allocate existing staff, or hire new, Sandy shows us super specific ways to forge our own front office dream team. Today's subject: your receptionist. What kind of person do you need to work the phones? What does a new patient letter look like? When should they be written? 😯 Grab a notepad and listen in as Sandy shares all this and more.
Sandy@ClassicPractice.com
1-800-928-9289
www.ClassicPractice.com
Sandy continues her from-the-ground-up scheduling philosophy. Richard asks about scheduling to a goal, keeping goals consistent, and the checklists and metrics your scheduler MUST know.
Sandy@ClassicPractice.com 1-800-928-9289
When Richard asks Sandy about her scheduling philosophy, she shares her from-the-ground-up dream schedule. Oftentimes, practice owners inherit scheduling systems from sellers. But startup or acquisition, you can start working these systems into your practice now.
www.ClassicPractice.com
Who's picking up the phone when your practice is closed? Is your front desk demonstrably disappointed and surprised when patients call in to cancel? Sandy digs into these situations and more. Plus, she shares a super-simple secret to learn about broken appointments well before they happen.
Being bad on the phones is the best way to drive away good patients. Sandy and Richard jump right into the best practices in phone etiquette. Grab a pen and take notes as Sandy gives us actionable gems about how many times you should let it ring, empathetic tone of voice, and why being assigned to the phone is not a bad thing--at all!
Richard and Sandy discover where dentists fail to take charge; keeping a "scoreboard", developing a lifestyle of learning, and how not to be afraid of your team. Listen now.
Sandy@ClassicPractice.com
As Sandy continues showing the process of working with her and her team, she talks keeping a 'scoreboard', firing the wrong people the right way, and how she trains your team to build out (and sustain) new, effective systems!
Sandy@ClassicPractice.com
Some of us have reached the point where we don't want more money; we want less stress! Sandy teaches us when it's right to hire a consultant (and when it's wrong). Having helped countless practices uproot deep-set problems, she also shares what it took to help one practice shake free of the stress caused by hurtful employees unwilling to change. Plus, what it's like to work with Sandy and her Classic Practices team.
Last week Richard and Sandy discussed urgency with regard to team members. We now uncover the steps to take to maintain that same sense of urgency when communicating treatment plans to our patients. Sandy gives warnings about consistently mentioning a timeline, proper handoffs to team members, educating patients on the dangers of waiting, and more...
Richard and Sandy jump into a conversation about urgency. With only a little urgency, we can fill dropped appointments faster, collect more overdue accounts, and reduce the amount of diagnosed treatment that goes unscheduled--plus, the simplest thing in the world your team could be doing now to get started.
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Take an online sample Wonderlic test now.
Dr. Richard Low joins the legendary Sandy Pardue in a brand new season of Dental Drill Bits! Today, after asking Sandy to sound off on the subject of morning huddles, we get a constant stream of actionable info. Who should attend, team members' actual responsibilities, and the antidote to the perceived need to micromanage are all covered in detail.
Dr. Richard Low joins the legendary Sandy Pardue in a brand new season of Dental Drill Bits! Today, Richard strikes gold. When he mentions his friend's chaotic team meetings, Sandy opens up a treasure chest of information for the rest of us! When to schedule team meetings, how to make effective agenda outlines, KPI ownership (and a lot more)--all inside.
We're huge fans and it's no secret. Make it easy for patients to create a relationship with you and build your retention utilizing this system!
Dr. Taher Dhoon and Dr. Chris Green met up with Sandy Pardue at the Voices of Dentistry conference. Listen up as they talk about the efforts and strategies that have made their practices successful.
Dr. Grace Yum with Mommy Dentists in Business podcasts with Sandy Pardue and Lori Webre at the Voices of Dentistry booth.
Missy Fryer joins Sandy Pardue and Lori Webre at the Voices of Dentistry podcasting booth to learn more about the Dental Office Survival Guide of 2019. Thanks for the opportunity to interview you to learn more, Buckeye!
It's easy to interview someone whose service you can stand behind! Sandy Pardue and Lori Webre met with Laura Maly and Michael Anderson of Wonderist Agency.
We sit down with Therese, a Classic Practice consultant, to discuss common concerns in the Hygiene Department in offices throughout the United States.
What is your leadership style? Consider that you lead your team and you determine the culture and vibe that sets your practice apart from others. Your team feels it, your patients feel it. Your office's culture plays a significant part in your brand.
The Dental Marketer himself, Michael Arias, talks with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury from the Delivering Wow seminar in Jamaica. Listen up for great practice tips, inspiration, and get to know Michael!
For more information on how Michael can help you, check out thedentalmarketer.site to see how you can get GROUNDED!
Costly mistakes can happen in the first 10 seconds of a phone call to your practice. All front office staff need to be aware of forbidden phrases when communicating with patients.
Your entire team needs to know that the Internal Marketing Goals for the practice are to have more patients referring, higher treatment acceptance, more trust, and higher retention.
Check out this podcast to learn more on this topic.
Dr. Gina Dorfman joins Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury discuss Yapi software and how it can be utilized to increase efficiency within the practice.
Amber Young shares the story of how she received her diagnoses of Clear Cell Odontogenic Carcinoma thanks to a routine hygiene visit.
Oral cancer screenings at routine hygiene visits only occur 1/5 of the time nationwide each year! This is our reason for sharing Amber's story of diagnosis and strength.
Paul Edwards guest stars on Dental Drill Bits to discuss typical HR mistakes you want to avoid.
This episode was recorded live at the Townie Meeting in Las Vegas.
To learn more about CEDR Solutions, check out www.cedrsolutions.com
Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury interview Rohit Garg with Practice By Numbers to talk about the software and how Classic Practice Resources uses the data with clients.
Recorded live at the Townie / Dentaltown Meeting in Las Vegas, NV. Sandy Pardue and guest host Dana Salisbury interview Howie Horrocks & Julie Mitchell of New Patients Inc. to discuss Dental Web Content for your dental practice.
Sandy Pardue hosts Dr. Bob Westerman and Dana Salisbury to discuss building your dream practice. This will be a multi-part feature and we look forward to discussing this more in future episodes.
Part 1 of 2: Sandy Pardue discusses tips on finding the missed opportunities in the administrative areas of the dental practice and gaining control over the practice schedule.
Part 2 of 2: Sandy Pardue discusses tips on finding the missed opportunities in the administrative areas of the dental practice and gaining control over the practice schedule.