The Best Practices Show With Kirk Behrendt podcast

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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Unlocking Your Hidden Genius: How to Harness Your Innate Talents with Betsy Wills & Alex Ellison | Ep. 289 32:08

5 weeks ago32:08

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Did you know there’s an actual science to uncovering your hidden genius? It’s not about filling out a “dream job” worksheet—it’s about understanding how your brain is wired, identifying your natural aptitudes, and using them to thrive. This isn’t just a self-discovery exercise. It’s a game-changer for your career, your relationships, and how you show up in the world. Betsy Wills and Alex Ellison are redefining how we approach career discovery, proving that finding the right path isn’t just about landing a job—it’s about creating a life that aligns with who you actually are. ✅ Betsy Wills – Cofounder of YouScience, a groundbreaking psychometric assessment platform reshaping how we understand our talents. She’s also the Director of Marketing & Branding at Diversified Trust and a frequent lecturer at Vanderbilt University and NYU’s Stern School of Business. ✅ Alex Ellison – Founder of Throughline Guidance, a global college and career counseling practice. She’s a sought-after writer, speaker, and expert in college readiness and career development. ✅ Together, they co-authored Your Hidden Genius: The Science-Backed Strategy to Uncovering and Harnessing Your Innate Talents. Discovering your hidden genius isn’t just about career success—it’s about tapping into what makes you, you . Connect with Betsy & Alex: Website (Free Downloads): www.yourhiddengenius.com Book: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/your-hidden-genius-elizabeth-m-willsalexandra-ellison Related Podcast Episodes: How To Be You, But Better with Olga Khazan | 288 Finding Purpose Through Human Design with Emma Dunwoody | 228 195 / Finding (And Using) Your Voice with Amy Green Smith Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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Welcome to The Best Practices Show, hosted by Kirk Behrendt, founder of ACT Dental (https://www.actdental.com/) and a leader in dental practice coaching. This podcast is your gateway to discovering the hidden gems and tactics used by the most successful dental practices worldwide. At ACT Dental, we have meticulously curated strategies that have consistently proven effective in elevating dental practices. Our podcast, The Best Practices Show, extends our commitment to sharing this wealth of knowledge. Each episode features interviews with renowned dental professionals and industry leaders who have made significant strides in their practices. They share their experiences, insights, and the challenges they've overcome, offering a unique perspective that you won't find anywhere else. Why should you listen to The Best Practices Show? Whether you're a seasoned dentist, a new practice owner, or somewhere in between, this podcast is tailored to inspire and educate. Our goal is not just to provide you with information but to transform the way you think about and run your dental practice. We delve into topics ranging from advanced clinical techniques and practice management to leadership skills and personal growth. Kirk Behrendt, a respected figure in the dental community, brings his vast experience and infectious enthusiasm to each episode, making complex topics both understandable and engaging. As the CEO of ACT Dental, Kirk has helped countless dental practices thrive by focusing on holistic development - professionally, personally, and within their community. Our commitment to authenticity and practical advice sets The Best Practices Show apart. We don't just talk about theories; we dive into real-life applications you can implement immediately in your practice. Our community-centric approach means we're always listening to our audience and constantly evolving our content to meet your needs. In addition to the invaluable insights from our guests, we also provide access to exclusive resources available through ACT Dental. These resources complement the podcast topics and give you a more comprehensive understanding and practical tools to apply in your practice. By subscribing to The Best Practices Show, you're not just gaining access to a podcast; you're joining a community of like-minded professionals committed to excellence in dentistry. So, are you ready to transform your practice and be the best version of yourself? Join us on this journey, and let's grow together. Hit subscribe and never miss an episode of The Best Practices Show – where we uncover the secrets to the success of the world's best dental practices, one episode at a time. Subscribe to The Best Practices Show on Apple Podcasts Join our community and start your journey towards a more innovative, more successful dental practice today!

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The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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874: Metric Mondays: True Profit: What You Actually Take Home – Dr. Barrett Straub 21:29

21 hours ago21:29

21:29

Gross profit and net profit both sound great. But there's one key difference you need to know! In this episode of Metric Mondays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, to break down true profit, the amount of dollars you get to take home to your family, to invest in your practice, and to plan for your future. To learn how to analyze and increase true profit, listen to Episode 874 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Straub: Send Dr. Straub an email: barrett@actdental.com Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub Send Gina an email: gina@actdental.com Learn More About ACT Dental: ACT’s webinars: https://www.actdental.com/136 ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3137520/admin/feed/posts/ ACT’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/actdental More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 25, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-25-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205497959849 Main Takeaways: Your financial story goes beyond just the P&L. Understand the difference between revenue and profit. True profit is the dollars you can put in your personal checking account. Analyze your cash flow statement expenses — things that are not on your P&L. Ensure you have enough for Tax Day. Identify how much to put aside each month. Quotes: “[True profit] is the amount of dollars that you can actually put in your personal checking account. So, let me start here with true profit. Let me describe a scenario that I experienced as a dentist. And I can almost guarantee every private practice dentist-owner listening has experienced this. You meet with your CPA after the first quarter of a year. He or she brings a P&L, you sit down, and you look at it. You look at revenue, and overhead, and all the different percentages of each category. At the very bottom of this financial statement called the profit and loss statement is called net profit. Often, that number is good. There's a lot of money there, and you're like, ‘Wow.' He or she says, ‘You're doing great. You are right in the average where you need to be for overhead. You have a nice salary here, and there's a lot of net profit left over.’ You're like, ‘Wow, that's awesome.’ But there's this little anxiety that's creeping up because you're thinking, ‘That says $100,000. I don't have that in the bank. What's happening? Am I being embezzled? Am I a bad businessperson? I don't know where that money is going. He's saying I should have $100,000 left over, and I don't have it. Actually, I'm struggling to make payroll.’ So, there is so much of the financial story beyond the profit and loss statement.” (1:53—3:25) -Dr. Straub “Find true profit. Meaning, what is left over after I paid the overhead, after I paid myself the W-2 payroll salary, after I paid tax obligations, after I paid loans, after all of the outflows? There's a dollar figure left over where you're like, ‘That's mine. After tax, I can take that, and I can put it into my bank account.’ Now, why is that important? This is the link between your practice success and your personal financial success. We see it all the time. We coach hundreds of dentists throughout the country every year. We see it all the time with what looks like — and is — a killer practice, and the dentist-owner does not have a personally successful financial model. There is a link between them. There's more detail than any of us know in between it, and unless we know how money flows from production, to collections, to overhead, to net profit, to gross profit, and into true profit, we can't successfully plan. True profit is what you pay your house mortgage with. It's what you pay the soccer fees for your kids with. It's what you pay the voice lessons for your daughter with. This is how you pay for your vacations. This is your money after tax. So, it's maybe the most important metric that we're going to talk about in this whole segment.” (3:32—5:03) -Dr. Straub “Early in my career, more than 15, 20 years ago, I got into what's called a tax snowball. I was pulling money out, and my accountant was like, ‘You're doing great.’ Well, I thought I'd just pay taxes later and save some money. I found that I got into the next year, and I owed a tax bill for last year. My accountant was like, ‘You’ve got to pay that now!’ So, I was taking money I was earning this year and paying last year's taxes. Now, the money I'm earning this year, I have to pay taxes on it. I'm using that money to pay last year's taxes that also has a percentage built on it. He looked at me, and he goes, ‘This is the most expensive money you'll ever spend, ever.’ And I realized I've got to get out of this. What's really important is you have to understand what's below your profit and loss statement. This is a lifetime study. You don't just get this in a podcast. You've got to work it, rework it, know what it means, and evaluate it.” (6:22—7:19) -Kirk “After your net profit on your profit and loss statement, there are what we call below-the-line expenses. So, last Monday, I challenged listeners that had any sort of loan through the business — meaning a practice loan, a technology loan, or any capital expense — and I challenged them to . . . go find it on your P&L. It's an expense. It's an outflow. It should be on your P&L as an expense. I also said you're not going to find it there. The reason is that the money you are paying for any loan through your company is being paid with profit. It is not reducing your taxable income at all. It is paid with profit. So, I talked about that scenario where this net profit number, I don't know where that is. It's because that number is now going and paying your practice loan, your CBCT loan, and oh, by the way, you take $10,000 in a distribution every month. That's pre-tax, so that goes against the distribution. So, this is all IRS stuff. Your CPA didn't make this up. We're not making it up. This is how complex the IRS is, and that's a whole other debate that it needs to be this complex.” (7:54—9:07) -Dr. Straub “You have deductible expenses which are on your P&L, and you have below-the-line or cash flow statement expenses that are outflows of money but they're with your profit. Those include any loans, they include quarterly tax distributions, and they include your distributions. Meaning, when you pay yourself through W-2 through payroll, that goes through payroll. It's taxes withheld, etc. But when you just go take $5,000 out of the bank account, that's called a distribution — which is well within your legal means to do it, and you should do it. But we have to plan for taxes on that because unless you're a C corporation, which you shouldn't be, everyone is going to be a pass-through entity. Meaning, the IRS says a pass-through entity means the income of your business is no different than your personal income. The income of your business is your personal income. The IRS, however you want to take that money, are going to apply personal income taxes to it. So, if you take money in the form of distributions, you haven't withheld any taxes and you owe that. So, this is where it gets complex, and your head is going to hurt.” (9:09—10:23) -Dr. Straub “If we leave this podcast with nothing more than like, ‘Ooh, I'm armed with some really good questions for my CPA next time. In fact, I'm going to call them today and have them explain this,’ great. Then, we've succeeded in this podcast. But if you look at that net profit and you're like, ‘I don't know where that money is,’ I guarantee you have some loans or other cash flow, whether it's personal distributions or other cash flow statement items, going out. You can determine that by printing — you've already printed your P&L. Now, I want you to print your cash flow statement. Part of that cash flow statement is going to say financing activities. That's where you're going to find all this stuff. You're going to see like, ‘Oh! That's where it all went,’ and you're going to see exactly why your bank account doesn't match the bottom of your profit and loss statement.” (10:24—11:10) -Dr. Straub “You mentioned something about distributions. That is a very dangerous process. I did what my accountant said. I processed my family payroll. I had my wife on the payroll. ‘We're paying taxes through this payroll thing.’ Then, I was grabbing money as I needed — $5,000, I needed $6,000. What I didn't realize is there were tax implications on this money. I had an accountant who was like, ‘Don't worry, we'll figure that out. You won't pay the regular rate at that.’ And you start to believe those things. You don't mess with the IRS. And what Barrett is saying is — I'm going to tell you right now. I've been here a long time. There's only one way to do this — the right way. You can't mess with it.” (11:31—12:14) -Kirk “Let's consider one month in your dental practice. You have revenue, you paid your overhead expenses, and you paid yourself your W-2 salary. So, at the bottom of your P&L for the month of March, it says net profit, $10,000. Meaning, there's $10,000 left over after all your expenses are paid and you paid yourself. You're like, ‘Great. I made an extra $10,000 above and beyond my salary.’ Okay, but the IRS looks at that $10,000 as income. So, you owe $4,000 on that $10,000 already. Ideally, once we get further into this, we're going to say you're going to take $4,000 and you're going to put it in a separate bank account so that you have that money to pay taxes. So, now, your tax allocation is 40%, roughly speaking. Everyone is going to have it slightly different. Ten grand left over, but you know that, ‘I'm going to roughly owe 40% of that to taxes.’ So, there goes $4,000. There's $6,000 left over. Okay, but you bought a CBCT two years ago, and every month you pay $5,000 on that CBCT. That's paid with profit. So, now, that goes away too. Now, $6,000 minus another loan of $5,000. You have $1,000 left over in true profit. But last week, you went in and you took $2,000 for a quick distribution because you owed a little bill and you didn't quite have it, so you just took it out. Now, you're negative $1,000 true profit. So, that's a very real world — that I went through — example of, if we don't understand that we have taxation on our net profit, if we don't understand that that $5,000 loan actually reduces our true profit, if we don't understand that that quick $2,000 that we went and took out as a “distribution” reduces our true profit, we can get into some trouble.” (14:03—15:42) -Dr. Straub “If you're listening to this, and you're driving to work, and you're dreaming of this beautiful building with a whole bunch of extra ops, and you haven't figured out the PPO thing, and you're going to get an associate to “scale”, I'm going to ask you to pause, and breathe, and figure this out. Here's why. We get dentists all the time that think, ‘I'm going to grow. I'm going to scale. I'm going to add other dentists,’ and they're writing off 40%. They add an associate that they have to pay on that, and a lab bill, and all these other things, and they are in shared agreements. So, they are now adding producers and subsidizing their own salaries to grow this big practice. Now, here's the downside. You can't unbuild these operatories. They're done. Once you build them, you've got to fill them. There's no turning back. I'm not opposed to having a great practice, a beautiful practice. But we want you to do this the smart way.” (16:19—17:18) -Kirk “Progress, not perfection. Just a little bit of progress every day.” (18:10—18:14) -Dr. Straub Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 1:46 True profit, explained. 5:03 Kirk’s experience with the tax snowball. 7:19 Below-the-line expenses, explained. 13:57 Last thoughts. Dr. Barrett Straub Bio: Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry. A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted. Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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873: Small Spaces, Big Challenges: The Keys to Esthetic & Functional Success with the Congenitally Missing Lateral Incisor – Dr. Dennis Hartlieb 1:46:50

4 days ago1:46:50

1:46:50

What is the best solution for missing teeth? It depends on several key factors! In this episode of Clinical Edge Fridays, Dr. Dennis Hartlieb, CEO and co-founder of Dental Online Training, simplifies this complicated topic using some of his greatest case examples. With the proper techniques and assessments, you can achieve life-changing outcomes for patients that are esthetically and functionally successful. To learn how to choose the best treatment option for each unique case, listen to Episode 873 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Hartlieb: Send Dr. Hartlieb an email: hartliebdds@dothandson.com Join Dr. Hartlieb on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DennisHartliebDDS Follow Dr. Hartlieb on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hartliebdds Learn more about Dental Online Training: https://www.dothandson.com/home Register for DOT’s Study Club: https://www.dothandson.com/mentorship Watch more on DOT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DentalOnlineTraining Listen to the DOT Sharecast: https://www.dothandson.com/dot-sharecast Register for DOT’s porcelain veneer workshop (May 15-16, 2025): https://www.dothandson.com/course/porc-prep-live More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 873: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Read Surgical Complications in Oral Implantology by Dr. Louie Al-Faraje: https://www.quintessence-publishing.com/usa/en/product/surgical-complications-in-oral-implantology Main Takeaways: Determine whether restorative replacement or canine substitution is appropriate. Understand the three treatment options for congenitally missing lateral incisors. Dental implants are great — but be aware of potential complications. Be aware of various challenges for both the clinician and patients. Missing lateral incisors is almost never a single-tooth issue. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 3:45 Dr. Hartlieb’s background. 8:51 Setting patients’ expectations. 17:50 More about Dr. Hartlieb and Dental Online Training. 23:05 Two options for congenitally missing lateral incisors. 25:25 Missing teeth, explained. 26:04 How common is hypodontia? 29:00 Fixed treatment options for congenitally missing lateral incisors. 29:25 Tooth autotransplantation, explained. 30:26 Case example: 13-year-old, autotransplantation. 38:42 Case example: 17-year-old, dental implants. 45:12 Case example: 19-year-old, dental implants. 47:46 Case example: Older patient. 50:11 Case example: Indirect resin-bonded bridges. 54:56 Q&A: The rule of no distal cantilever on a posterior. 56:53 Case example: Direct resin-bonded bridge (Ribbond bridge). 59:38 Case example: Canine substitution. 1:06:25 Challenges: Patient/parent expectations. 1:06:53 Challenges: Tooth size, shape, and positioning. 1:13:09 Important measurements to know. 1:16:02 Challenges: Altered passive eruption. 1:21:05 Short clinical crown versus altered passive eruption. 1:22:50 Things to consider for canine substitution. 1:24:46 Case example: Canine substitution, minimal treatment. 1:27:02 Case example: Canine substitution, collaborative treatment. 1:30:00 Case example: Canine substitution, 16-year-old. 1:35:08 About Dental Online Training. 1:36:40 Q&A: How to handle composite chipping. 1:41:03 Hands-on example. 1:59:28 Q&A: Dr. Hartlieb’s composite veneer fees. 2:02:17 Final thoughts. Dr. Dennis Hartlieb Bio: Dr. Dennis Hartlieb is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and maintains a full-time practice committed to cosmetic and restorative dentistry in the Chicago suburb of Glenview, Illinois. He is an instructor at the Center for Esthetic Excellence in Chicago and is formerly an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Marquette University School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Hartlieb is an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), a member of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (AAED), the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry (AARD), the American Dental Association, the American College of Dentists, and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. He is the founder of Dental Online Training (DOT), an online hands-on training program for dentists, dental auxiliaries, and dental students. Dr. Hartlieb is also an examiner for the AACD accreditation process.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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872: The 3 Biggest Lies Dentists Tell Themselves – Miranda Beeson 48:53

6 days ago48:53

48:53

You’ve added more patients, more providers, and more time in the office. So, why isn't there more money in the bank? In this episode of Practical Solutions Day, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to uncover three of the biggest lies holding you back from a better practice and better life. Start working smarter, not just harder! To learn how, listen to Episode 872 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Miranda: Send Miranda an email: miranda@actdental.com Follow Miranda on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental Send Gina an email: gina@actdental.com Learn More About ACT Dental: ACT’s webinars: https://www.actdental.com/136 ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3137520/admin/feed/posts/ ACT’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/actdental More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (April 11, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-april-11-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1012966789937 Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 25, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-25-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205497959849 Main Takeaways: Hard work alone won't fix your problems. Stop feeling that you need to have it all figured out. You are not the only one who truly cares about your practice. More patients, more providers, and more chairs doesn’t mean more profit. Focus your time and energy on doing the right things, not on trying to do everything . If you're spending the bulk of your time in your practice, you're not living your best life. Quotes: “For everyone that's listening, if you have ever felt like, ‘I should have all this figured out by now,’ no, you shouldn't. Again, these aren't the lies that we're going to talk about today either. But that's a self-limiting belief. You don't need to have it all figured out just yet. You're a high achiever — I get it. Dentists are high achievers. It can be frustrating to feel like you're spinning your wheels, especially when you see others doing something that maybe you wish you were doing already. But again, if you feel like you should have had this figured out by now, if you feel like the weight of the practice is completely on your shoulders — you care about your team, you care about your patients, but sometimes you feel like you're the only one invested in making things work — this podcast is going to speak to you.” (3:42—4:23) -Miranda “Lie number one is, ‘If I just work harder, everything will get better.’ I know, Kirk, you have a line for this. You often talk about bigger isn't always better. Work smarter, not harder. That really is the truth. Hard work alone does not solve business problems — it just makes you more exhausted.” (5:06—5:25) -Miranda “The self-limiting belief or lie we tell ourselves is, ‘If I just work harder, everything will get better.’ What this looks like in your practice is working longer hours, adding extra days, taking on more cases but still feeling financially strapped, doing everything yourself because you don't trust other people to get it right — that one is a big one with our coaching clients — and also feeling like you have to earn success through your sheer effort versus stopping and looking at, ‘Is there a smarter way to do this? Is there someone else that might be able to help?’” (5:54—6:27) -Miranda “You have to step back and analyze your time and your energy. So, we say all the time that time is the new rich. Time is a commodity. Your energy and effort is a commodity. So, instead of just doing more, taking more time that maybe is even being taken from your personal life — like you mentioned earlier in your family — and instead of taking more energy and effort that you don't have because you already feel depleted, instead, focus on doing the right things in your practice — not just doing everything, but doing the right things. And how do you know what the right things are? Really, you have to start with, what do you want your practice to become, and what do you want your life to become? Once you have a clear vision for what you want your practice to be and what you want your life to be, it's a lot easier for you to filter things through the lens of that vision and get a better idea of, is this the right thing for me to be doing? Once you know that, you can start to delegate and automate and systemize the things that are going to help you get to that vision and hit that goal. And now, you're focusing all of your time and energy on the right things.” (7:35—8:54) -Miranda “Lie number two that dentists tell themselves is, ‘I'm the only one who truly cares about this practice.’ I think there are times, sure, when there are team members here or there that aren't the right fit — right person, right seat. But I also think that your team may not care as much as you do because they don't own it. They don't have as much skin in the game. It's not their baby that they started from scratch. But that doesn't mean that they don't care at all. What I find in working with teams and having been on teams for my whole career is that team members do genuinely care. When they stop caring is when they don't understand their connection to the vision and the outcome. They really need clear expectations, strong leadership, accountability, and at the end of that being able to see, how does what I do showing up every day actually bring meaning and value to where the practice is going?” (13:36—14:43) -Miranda “The other thing you might feel in your practice is struggling to motivate your team to go above and beyond the basics. Like, you say, ‘We're in a team meeting and no one ever talks. No one speaks up. I'm talking the whole time. I don't even know why we're having team meetings.’ Or you show up to morning huddle, and three people show up late, and only two people have done their chart prep, and you're frustrated that they're showing up on a regular basis just checking the box but not really doing the work or going above and beyond. And what I would like to say is it's a self-limiting belief. It's a lie, in a way, because it could be different. In practices all over the country, probably all over the world, there are team members who care, and they show up, and they go above and beyond.” (16:19—17:00) -Miranda “The patient doesn't come first. Your team comes first. When your team comes first, and they know that, and everyone knows what we're here for and what we're doing . . . we know what our core values are, we know what we're trying to create as a patient experience, you don't have to worry about putting the patient first anymore because the patient is going to have a paralleled experience to the culture that you're creating.” (19:26—19:52) -Miranda “A lot of times, when a team member feels micromanaged it's really just a leader trying to motivate people to do something. And external motivation is never going to be as effective as internal motivation. We have to find out what internally motivates our team members. It might be a little different for each person. But in the end, what we do know is there has to be a connection to the work that we're doing, and them personally feeling like there's meaning behind it. That's going to be the only way to really get your team motivated.” (21:32—22:04) -Miranda “Stop and say, ‘If I didn't have these people, would I still have this practice?’ No. Very few dentists are out there working by themselves in their practice — no front office team members, no assistants, no hygienist. It's just you and your practice. Probably not going to be highly successful. It really does take a team to get there. So, you have to stop every now and then — we talk a lot when we're with our To The Top Study Club community about gratitude, because people could show up and go anywhere, but they choose to come to your practice. And when they're the right people in the right seats, and you're making those connections, and helping to develop them within your practice, you're going to have this culture where everyone wants to show up.” (23:09—23:55) -Miranda “When people understand why their work matters, then they're going to be more engaged.” (25:27—25:32) -Miranda “Core values are key to culture. Your culture is what's going to ultimately show the behaviors that show up within your team on a regular basis.” (25:37—25:46) -Miranda “You can get a lot of value out of your team members by making sure that you have really clear core values and that the people you bring on board also believe in those same things. Tied into that on the other side is the core purpose. What is our practice here to do? Why do we show up in this practice every day? What is the way that we want to make an impact on our community through this practice? When you can put that in front of your team over, and over, and over, your core values and your core purpose, your core values and your core purpose — be the chief reminding officer, really making sure that on a regular basis — weekly team meetings, morning huddles, monthly check-ins, quarterly planning visits, annual summits — every time you have an opportunity, connect with your team and repeat to them that this is who we are. This is how we behave. This is why we're doing this. You're going to make sure that everyone has that internal drive and motivation because they're going to believe in those same things.” (26:32—27:37) -Miranda “Lie number three, and we hear this one a lot, ‘I can't make more money unless I keep growing.’ Doctors and dentists tell themselves this all the time. You alluded to it at the top of the podcast. ‘I need a bigger practice. I need another associate. I need more chairs. We've got to produce more. We've got to produce more. There's not enough money in the bank at the end of the day.’ And that lie that we're telling ourselves, that story, that limiting belief of, 'I can't make more money unless I keep growing,’ just isn't true. The truth is that more patients, more providers, more chairs generally mean more stress and more people that you're having to manage, which is already hard enough when you're in the chair clinically, most of the time. It doesn't automatically mean more profit. In fact, real profitability comes from differentiating yourself, keeping more of what you produce, and not just increasing volume.” (28:59—29:54) -Miranda “Before you go down that path of doing more, adding more, managing more people and more space, stop and say, what's happening right now within our practice? Are we writing off too much? Are we not collecting everything that we could be? Are we spending more than we should be? Where can we start to squeeze on some of these gaps and shrink them down to where we might be able to put more money in the bank without adding more stress and more people and more chairs?” (37:56—38:22) -Miranda “Stop equating hard work with success. Now, I know that sounds a little oxymoronic because we have to work hard if we want to be successful. And from a hyper-achiever like me, trust me, it feels weird to say that out loud. But what I mean by that is, work smarter, not harder. Success is going to come from doing the right things and putting the right focus and effort and energy in the right places. So, when we focus on the highest impact areas of our practice, we're going to have a higher level of success and we don't have to work harder to get there, which was lie number one.” (40:21—40:56) -Miranda “Lead your team with clarity, not frustration. Like I mentioned, a lot of people feel very frustrated by their teams and what they perceive as a lack of engagement — or maybe there is a real lack of engagement there. They're not going to necessarily care to the level that you do, and it's probably not realistic to expect that because they don't have the same skin in the game that you do. But with the right culture, with clear expectations, with that consistent messaging of who we are, how we behave here, and what we're trying to create, they will start to attach to the meaning within what we're doing every day and be more invested in the success of the practice and in your success. They will be your champion, in the end.” (40:58—41:41) -Miranda “Profitability isn't just about seeing more patients. Differentiating yourself, taking control of your fees and your write-offs and how much you're collecting is going to get you there faster. Stop relying on volume to grow your bottom line and decide what your bottom line needs to be. What do I want to save and put in the bank or back into my practice every month? Work backwards and look at those gaps and say, what can I do with what I'm already doing and with the chairs I already have to get more out of this practice rather than increasing volume, space, time, or providers?” (41:43—42:19) -Miranda Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 0:58 Why this is an important topic. 5:01 Just working harder won't make everything better. 7:26 Focus on the right things. 13:33 You're not alone in caring about your practice. 17:00 Your team comes first, not your patients. 25:15 Clearly establish your expectations and core values. 28:56 You can make more money without growing. 32:39 Define what “more” means. 35:12 Listen to ACT’s Metric Mondays. 39:48 Final takeaways. 43:00 More about ACT’s BPA and resources. Miranda Beeson, MS, BSDH Bio: Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches. Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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871: Metric Mondays: Gross Profit Percentage: The Health Indicator of Your Practice – Dr. Barrett Straub 18:02

8 days ago18:02

18:02

You might think your profit margin is healthy. But is it, really? In this episode of Metric Mondays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, to break down gross profit percentage, the real health indicator of your practice. To learn what a good profit margin looks like and how to start improving yours, listen to Episode 871 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Straub: Send Dr. Straub an email: barrett@actdental.com Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub Send Gina an email: gina@actdental.com Learn More About ACT Dental: ACT’s webinars: https://www.actdental.com/136 ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3137520/admin/feed/posts/ ACT’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/actdental More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 871: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (April 11, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-april-11-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1012966789937 Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 25, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-25-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205497959849 Main Takeaways: Of 100% collected, 60% goes to overhead, 30% goes to the doctor, 10% goes to ROI. Higher gross profit means more revenue for you, your team, and your practice. Remember to factor in loans and taxes. They don't show up on your P&L. Gross profit percentage is the real health indicator of your practice. Your ideal gross profit margin is about 40%. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 0:55 Gross profit percentage, defined. 5:17 Why this is an important topic. 7:30 Know where every dollar of production goes. 10:01 Loans don't show up on a P&L. 12:09 Final thoughts. Dr. Barrett Straub Bio: Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry. A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted. Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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870: The Oral-Systemic Myth – Katrina Sanders 45:40

11 days ago45:40

45:40

You may have a healthy practice. But do you have healthy patients? In this episode of Clinical Edge Fridays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Katrina Sanders, The Dental WINEgenist, to expose some of the biggest myths of the oral-systemic link869. Doing the bare minimum is not enough! To help patients achieve better health and a better quality of life, listen to Episode 870 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Katrina: Send Katrina an email: info@katrinasanders.com Join Katrina on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDentalWINEgenist Follow Katrina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedentalwinegenist Learn more on Katrina’s website: https://katrinasanders.com Register for Katrina’s Oral-Systemic Myth course (August 1, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-oral-systemic-myth-august-1-2025-tickets-1267455015069 More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 870: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Main Takeaways: If you see something, say something. Don't wait for other doctors to address it. Believing that you're doing enough for your patients is the biggest myth. Go beyond the bare minimum when doing health history exams. Don't assume your patients know about the oral-systemic link. Make your dentistry transformational, not transactional. Define what 100% health looks like for your patients. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 1:55 Katrina’s background. 4:54 Why this is an important topic. 8:53 What does 100% health look like? 14:14 The perio-systemic link, explained. 23:37 Do your patients understand the oral-systemic link? 28:57 Go beyond a prophy during a prophy appointment. 34:04 Don't just fix teeth, change lives. 35:55 Final thoughts. 39:47 More about Katrina and how to get in touch. Katrina M. Sanders RDH, BSDH, M.Ed, RF Bio: In the ever-changing world of dental science where research, technology, and techniques for patient care are constantly evolving, dental professionals look to continuing education to provide insight, deliver actionable steps, empower, and create a dramatic impact within their clinical practice. With wit, charm, and a dash of humor, Katrina Sanders enchants dental professionals with her course deliverables, insightful content, and delightful inspiration. Her message of empowerment rings mighty throughout her lectures and stirs a deep sense of motivation amongst course participants. Katrina is the Clinical Liaison for AZPerio, the country's largest periodontal practice. She performs clinically, working alongside Diplomates to the American Board of Periodontology in the surgical operatory. Katrina perfected techniques during L.A.N.A.P. surgery, suture placement, IV therapy, and blood draws. She instructs on collaborative professionalism and standard-of-care protocols while delivering education through hygiene boot camps and study clubs.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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869: The Future of Private Practice: Debra’s Top Tips from the APDP Meeting – Debra Engelhardt-Nash 52:56

13 days ago52:56

52:56

We've all heard that private practice dentistry is dying. But now is the best time to own and grow your practice! In this episode of Practical Solutions Day, Kirk Behrendt brings back Debra Engelhardt-Nash, co-founder of The Nash Institute, to share highlights from the latest APDP meeting that will empower you and your team to create a better practice and a better life. To hear Debra’s top tips from the top dentists, listen to Episode 869 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Debra: Give Debra a call: (704) 904-3459 Send Debra an email: debraengelhardtnash@gmail.com Follow Debra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debraengnash Book Debra for speaking or consulting: https://debraengelhardtnash.com Register for Debra’s Dental Business School course: https://www.thenashinstitute.com/upcoming-events/dental-business-school Register for Debra’s Team Communication Skills course: https://www.thenashinstitute.com/upcoming-events/team-communication-skills Register for the Academy for Private Dental Practice event (February 26-28, 2026): https://apdp.regfox.com/apdp-2026 More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 869: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Main Takeaways: Focus on your team culture. See your team as an asset, not a liability. Identify and remove the “arsonists” on your team. Gratitude is intentional. Reflect on how you choose to express it. Allow your team to “coach up”. Be open to receiving their feedback. Overcommunicate with your team. Don't serve them just an “empty bowl”. Don't be a chair. Exceed expectations rather than doing only what's expected. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 0:59 Why this is an important topic. 7:48 About APDP and their partnership with the Nash Institute. 15:03 Highlights from the APDP: Walk the talk. 17:21 Highlights from the APDP: Overcommunicate. 18:53 Highlights from the APDP: Don't be a chair. 21:46 Highlights from the APDP: Fireproofing versus firefighting. 24:39 Highlights from the APDP: Do you have arsonists on your team? 26:52 Highlights from the APDP: Coaching up. 29:32 Highlights from the APDP: The strength of the wolf and the pack. 30:30 Highlights from the APDP: Gratitude is intentional. 33:31 Highlights from the APDP: Solutions to the hygienist shortage. 36:51 Highlights from the APDP: See your team as an asset. 38:36 Highlights from the APDP: Explaining the why is important. 40:37 Highlights from the APDP: Engagement versus retention. 41:38 Future APDP events. 44:36 Final thoughts. 46:00 More about Debra’s courses. Debra Engelhardt-Nash Bio: Debra is a trainer, author, presenter, and consultant. Having been in dentistry for over 30 years, she engages organizations and study groups nationally and internationally. She is a continual presenter for the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Debra is a founding member of The Nash Institute and past president of the National Academy of Dental Management Consultants. She is an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association, the American Academy of Dental Practice Administration, and the Speakers Consulting Network. She has been repeatedly recognized by Dentistry Today as a leader in continuing dental education and as a leader in dental consulting. She is also a member of the American Dental Association’s Dental Practice Management Advisory Board, and recently became the president of the Academy for Private Dental Practice. Debra is married to cosmetic dentist and dental educator, Dr. Ross Nash, of The Nash Institute for Dental Learning. She continues to work in his busy practice, doing exactly what she preaches.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

1
868: Metric Mondays: Understanding Overhead Percentage: The Silent Profit Killer – Dr. Barrett Straub 26:27

15 days ago26:27

26:27

Something is quietly killing your profit — and it’s not what you think! In this episode of Metric Mondays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, to break down one of the most misunderstood numbers in dentistry. They explain the myths of overhead percentage, what a healthy overhead percentage looks like, and ways for you to lower it if it’s too high. To better understand where your money is going, listen to Episode 868 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Straub: Send Dr. Straub an email: barrett@actdental.com Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub Send Gina an email: gina@actdental.com More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 868: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (April 11, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-april-11-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1012966789937 Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 25, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-25-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205497959849 Main Takeaways: Understand what it costs to run your business. Healthy practices have overhead between 55% and 65%. Your expenses should not grow at the rate of your revenue. When your overhead is too high, that means there is less money. Is your overhead too high due to overspending or a tight profit margin? If you're unhappy with your overhead, don't get emotional. Get educated. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 1:42 Overhead percentage, explained. 3:55 Why doctor compensation isn't included in overhead. 6:16 Why you need to worry about overhead. 8:11 Overhead expenses, simplified. 10:32 How to lower your overhead percentage: Spend less. 16:19 How to lower your overhead percentage: Increase your profit margin. 20:10 Last thoughts. Dr. Barrett Straub Bio: Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry. A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted. Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth. (Video) (Need to update timestamps) 867: From Artist to Technician: Unlocking the Power of Whole-Brain Dentistry – Dr. Charlie Ward & Joshua Polansky Are you a dentist who is an artist, scientist, or maybe even a therapist? In this episode of Clinical Edge Fridays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Charlie Ward, visiting faculty member from The Pankey Institute, and Joshua Polansky, owner of Niche Dental Studio, to share how success in dentistry requires both hemispheres of your brain. Dentistry isn't just fixing teeth! To learn why both sides matter and how to develop the different skill sets you need, listen to Episode 867 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Ward & Joshua: Send Dr. Ward an email: charlie@bmoredentalarts.com Follow Dr. Ward on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcwarddds Learn more about Dr. Ward’s practice: https://www.baltimoredentalarts.com Watch Dr. Ward’s webinars: https://restorativenation.com Follow Joshua on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichedentalstudio Learn more about Joshua’s dental lab: https://nichedentalstudio.com Register for Dr. Mazzola & Dr. Ward’s Mastering Treatment Planning course (October 2-4, 2025): https://pankey.org/registration/?courseId=17004&tuition=0&lodging=true Register for Dr. Ward’s Mastering Aesthetic Restorative Dentistry course (June 17-20, 2026): https://pankey.org/course-category/mard Register for Dr. Mazzola & Dr. Ward’s Mastering Dental Photography course (July 30, 2026 to August 1, 2026): https://pankey.org/registration/?courseId=17781&tuition=0&lodging=true Learn More About ACT Dental: ACT’s webinars: https://www.actdental.com/135 ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3137520/admin/feed/posts/ ACT’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/actdental More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Main Takeaways: Don't just tap into the analytical and technical side of your brain. Dentistry also requires a high level of artistry and creativity. Develop the emotional maturity to not strive for perfection. In working with patients, you need emotional intelligence. Look within to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Quotes: “My buddy Mike, years ago, told me — let's call it a midlife crisis that I was having at 39, or whatever it was. I was telling him, ‘I really want to do more aesthetic dentistry. This is where I enjoy my work the most.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, that makes sense. You're an artist and a teacher.’ I was like, ‘That doesn't sound like me. What?’ Then, I thought about it. I was like, ‘I do the aesthetic things so that I can photograph them so I can show other people how to do it. It's exactly what I am.’ I didn't realize that until then. So, am I more of one than the other? I think I was artistic before I was systematic.” (6:18—7:02) -Dr. Ward “I also used to strive for perfection. The only thing that it did for me was lead me to burnout, smoking, and drinking. Perfection is deadly. I would actually say striving for perfection is dangerous.” (13:11—13:31) -Joshua “I'm a very open-minded person. When I see good work, I don't shit on it. I say, ‘Oh my God, that's amazing.’ So, I keep taking in what I think is perfect, and then I keep trying to make subtle changes to try to make it better. But I'm not striving for what I used to deem as perfection because, in all honesty — this isn't like a cliché thing — it does not exist. It does not exist. It just doesn't exist, and you have to be mature enough to understand that it doesn't exist.” (13:50—14:23) -Joshua “I don't want to say this, but for a doctor, I think striving for perfection is a little easier because their prep gets covered by [the dental tech’s] work. Our work is out there for the world. Like, when we look at our work, it's hard. You're naked to the world. If you see something is off, it's off. That's why I see what Charlie sees in this case. I do. But I think it looks good. I just think it looks good. And I think once you start sacrificing “excellent” for “perfection”, that's when you make mistakes. He'll go to [“fix”] it. He'll make it worse. The patient will say, ‘Oh, I used to like how it was.’ Now, you go down a rabbit hole of you have to remake them. Now, I get angry. So, it gets crazy. I think we have to be mature and know where to draw the line. The problem, I think, for young dentists is they haven't understood where that line is yet. That's where that chaos evolves. So, when I say that perfection is dangerous, I would follow that by saying you should probably go through a period of — not torture, but you should feel pain until you understand where your bar is. You should set a bar for yourself.” (14:25—15:41) -Joshua “I always saw Josh as an artist that became a technician through, I'll say necessity, exactly as he described it. I like the way he put it. Like, we see things a certain way. We see things through a certain lens or a certain perspective. So, when I'm taking a photo of something, I think Josh sees things similar to the way I see them. I think just as I became more technical to make my systems better, he had to become more technical to deal with the type of cases that he was doing. It wasn't all single centrals anymore, that he was hand-layering 15 single centrals to get the right one. He was trying to figure out how to deal with a hybrid that was fracturing. We need to know technical information about thicknesses of materials and torques and screw sizes. Like, all of these things are not artistic anymore.” (15:55—16:51) -Dr. Ward “I think that we both have to be technical because we both own businesses. I think that running a business from a creative side only could become very detrimental because our artistics have a lot of feelings. We always feel a certain way. In running a company, I think that that would be a problem. I know a lot of technicians who run their businesses off their feelings. Unfortunately, they don't really work out. So, at some point, the analytical side has to kick over and take over. Charlie and I, as we worked together over the last however many years, we both went into business also at the same time together. Charlie has grown into a bigger practice with more associates. I've grown into a bigger lab with more employees. So, I think that that's another reason our left side kind of built out of necessity. That was a survival thing. Like, ‘Sink or swim. If I don't think like this, I will probably go out of business.’” (17:12—18:18) -Joshua “I think I'm more creative because I enjoy creativity. I don't enjoy analytical stuff. I don't enjoy Newton Centimeters. I know it all, but it doesn’t get my juices flowing, whereas creativity still gets me excited. Not just in the dental world, but I love art. I love creativity. I love seeing things differently. So, I think I'm more creative. However, I think I used to be way more creative. I think that the adult may have entered the room with me and kind of keeps me — there's a dialogue, and I think there's an adult that now keeps me on a leash, where he knows I used to be free. I know now that people depend on me. I have a team. I have a lot of people that look at me. They look — not up to me, but I mentor people. I have to take it more seriously. So, although I enjoy being more creative and saying what I want, doing what I want, and acting like I want, I think the left brain kicks in and tells me like, ‘Calm it down a little bit.’” (18:34—19:46) -Joshua “It's interesting why we would become more technical. I think as I'm hearing Josh say that, I'm sure I became more technical the longer I owned my business and the more I wanted that to grow and be successful. I think that from a chairside dentist's perspective, I wanted to be better. I think I realized two things. I wasn't going to do the things to the level that I wanted to do them unless I became more systematic — that I would have the most control if I could be more systematic. That also allowed me to be able to teach it to other people because I can then conceptualize what I was doing.” (19:49—20:46) -Dr. Ward “It's not just a creative and a technical. There's also, I think, a very big emotional component to this on how to actually have this inner dialogue and then extrapolate that to the public that's your patient, that's your team member.” (22:23—22:40) -Joshua “One of the reasons why we became so technical out of necessity is we are not artists by nature. It's what we want to be when we make teeth or when we’re a dentist. But by definition of our job, we are problem solvers. People only come to us with problems. Making teeth is a problem. That patient went to Charlie because it's a problem. And we have to solve these problems. So, when these problems arise, I feel like our right and left have this crazy fight inside, and it's like a nanosecond. But then, our emotional intelligence kicks in on how to explain this to somebody to — not only get what we want, because that sounds very manipulative, but we can explain it in a way to guide it towards what our decision was. Where I think if you're . . . an emotional person, you just yell something out, it might be what is reality, but now we're not on a path to solving the problem because now you scared the patient. Or you yelled at the technician, and now . . . So, you have to have an emotional component that I think is the glue between the right and the left to be able to move with the world in order to solve the problems that you're tasked with every day.” (23:03—24:15) -Joshua “Most of us in dentistry are very technical people. But that emotional component — that you have to work with people — is part of that. The fact that you're dealing with such an emotional part of the body, not just what it shows when you smile, but also that people are very vulnerable, and they have to allow us to work on them. So, if we're not using that right side of our brain that is creative and emotional and we're only using the left side of our brain, at some point, we're going to have issues that are difficult for us to deal with. So, we've got to tap into both.” (28:15—28:57) -Dr. Ward “Look inside of yourself. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I would say look to other people to help define what your strengths and weaknesses are, which is pretty hard because you have to be vulnerable and take some criticism. But you don't really see yourself. Like we were talking about our wives earlier, my wife has definitely pointed out things to me that I can work on. I think that once you hear them, you have to...…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

1
867: From Artist to Technician: Unlocking the Power of Whole-Brain Dentistry – Dr. Charlie Ward & Joshua Polansky 35:04

18 days ago35:04

35:04

Are you a dentist who is an artist, scientist, or maybe even a therapist? In this episode of Clinical Edge Fridays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Charlie Ward, visiting faculty member from The Pankey Institute, and Joshua Polansky, owner of Niche Dental Studio, to share how success in dentistry requires both hemispheres of your brain. Dentistry isn't just fixing teeth! To learn why both sides matter and how to develop the different skill sets you need, listen to Episode 867 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Ward & Joshua: Send Dr. Ward an email: charlie@bmoredentalarts.com Follow Dr. Ward on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcwarddds Learn more about Dr. Ward’s practice: https://www.baltimoredentalarts.com Watch Dr. Ward’s webinars: https://restorativenation.com Follow Joshua on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichedentalstudio Learn more about Joshua’s dental lab: https://nichedentalstudio.com Register for Dr. Mazzola & Dr. Ward’s Mastering Treatment Planning course (October 2-4, 2025): https://pankey.org/registration/?courseId=17004&tuition=0&lodging=true Register for Dr. Ward’s Mastering Aesthetic Restorative Dentistry course (June 17-20, 2026): https://pankey.org/course-category/mard Register for Dr. Mazzola & Dr. Ward’s Mastering Dental Photography course (July 30, 2026 to August 1, 2026): https://pankey.org/registration/?courseId=17781&tuition=0&lodging=true Learn More About ACT Dental: ACT’s webinars: https://www.actdental.com/135 ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3137520/admin/feed/posts/ ACT’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/actdental More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Main Takeaways: Don't just tap into the analytical and technical side of your brain. Dentistry also requires a high level of artistry and creativity. Develop the emotional maturity to not strive for perfection. In working with patients, you need emotional intelligence. Look within to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Quotes: “My buddy Mike, years ago, told me — let's call it a midlife crisis that I was having at 39, or whatever it was. I was telling him, ‘I really want to do more aesthetic dentistry. This is where I enjoy my work the most.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, that makes sense. You're an artist and a teacher.’ I was like, ‘That doesn't sound like me. What?’ Then, I thought about it. I was like, ‘I do the aesthetic things so that I can photograph them so I can show other people how to do it. It's exactly what I am.’ I didn't realize that until then. So, am I more of one than the other? I think I was artistic before I was systematic.” (6:18—7:02) -Dr. Ward “I also used to strive for perfection. The only thing that it did for me was lead me to burnout, smoking, and drinking. Perfection is deadly. I would actually say striving for perfection is dangerous.” (13:11—13:31) -Joshua “I'm a very open-minded person. When I see good work, I don't shit on it. I say, ‘Oh my God, that's amazing.’ So, I keep taking in what I think is perfect, and then I keep trying to make subtle changes to try to make it better. But I'm not striving for what I used to deem as perfection because, in all honesty — this isn't like a cliché thing — it does not exist. It does not exist. It just doesn't exist, and you have to be mature enough to understand that it doesn't exist.” (13:50—14:23) -Joshua “I don't want to say this, but for a doctor, I think striving for perfection is a little easier because their prep gets covered by [the dental tech’s] work. Our work is out there for the world. Like, when we look at our work, it's hard. You're naked to the world. If you see something is off, it's off. That's why I see what Charlie sees in this case. I do. But I think it looks good. I just think it looks good. And I think once you start sacrificing “excellent” for “perfection”, that's when you make mistakes. He'll go to [“fix”] it. He'll make it worse. The patient will say, ‘Oh, I used to like how it was.’ Now, you go down a rabbit hole of you have to remake them. Now, I get angry. So, it gets crazy. I think we have to be mature and know where to draw the line. The problem, I think, for young dentists is they haven't understood where that line is yet. That's where that chaos evolves. So, when I say that perfection is dangerous, I would follow that by saying you should probably go through a period of — not torture, but you should feel pain until you understand where your bar is. You should set a bar for yourself.” (14:25—15:41) -Joshua “I always saw Josh as an artist that became a technician through, I'll say necessity, exactly as he described it. I like the way he put it. Like, we see things a certain way. We see things through a certain lens or a certain perspective. So, when I'm taking a photo of something, I think Josh sees things similar to the way I see them. I think just as I became more technical to make my systems better, he had to become more technical to deal with the type of cases that he was doing. It wasn't all single centrals anymore, that he was hand-layering 15 single centrals to get the right one. He was trying to figure out how to deal with a hybrid that was fracturing. We need to know technical information about thicknesses of materials and torques and screw sizes. Like, all of these things are not artistic anymore.” (15:55—16:51) -Dr. Ward “I think that we both have to be technical because we both own businesses. I think that running a business from a creative side only could become very detrimental because our artistics have a lot of feelings. We always feel a certain way. In running a company, I think that that would be a problem. I know a lot of technicians who run their businesses off their feelings. Unfortunately, they don't really work out. So, at some point, the analytical side has to kick over and take over. Charlie and I, as we worked together over the last however many years, we both went into business also at the same time together. Charlie has grown into a bigger practice with more associates. I've grown into a bigger lab with more employees. So, I think that that's another reason our left side kind of built out of necessity. That was a survival thing. Like, ‘Sink or swim. If I don't think like this, I will probably go out of business.’” (17:12—18:18) -Joshua “I think I'm more creative because I enjoy creativity. I don't enjoy analytical stuff. I don't enjoy Newton Centimeters. I know it all, but it doesn’t get my juices flowing, whereas creativity still gets me excited. Not just in the dental world, but I love art. I love creativity. I love seeing things differently. So, I think I'm more creative. However, I think I used to be way more creative. I think that the adult may have entered the room with me and kind of keeps me — there's a dialogue, and I think there's an adult that now keeps me on a leash, where he knows I used to be free. I know now that people depend on me. I have a team. I have a lot of people that look at me. They look — not up to me, but I mentor people. I have to take it more seriously. So, although I enjoy being more creative and saying what I want, doing what I want, and acting like I want, I think the left brain kicks in and tells me like, ‘Calm it down a little bit.’” (18:34—19:46) -Joshua “It's interesting why we would become more technical. I think as I'm hearing Josh say that, I'm sure I became more technical the longer I owned my business and the more I wanted that to grow and be successful. I think that from a chairside dentist's perspective, I wanted to be better. I think I realized two things. I wasn't going to do the things to the level that I wanted to do them unless I became more systematic — that I would have the most control if I could be more systematic. That also allowed me to be able to teach it to other people because I can then conceptualize what I was doing.” (19:49—20:46) -Dr. Ward “It's not just a creative and a technical. There's also, I think, a very big emotional component to this on how to actually have this inner dialogue and then extrapolate that to the public that's your patient, that's your team member.” (22:23—22:40) -Joshua “One of the reasons why we became so technical out of necessity is we are not artists by nature. It's what we want to be when we make teeth or when we’re a dentist. But by definition of our job, we are problem solvers. People only come to us with problems. Making teeth is a problem. That patient went to Charlie because it's a problem. And we have to solve these problems. So, when these problems arise, I feel like our right and left have this crazy fight inside, and it's like a nanosecond. But then, our emotional intelligence kicks in on how to explain this to somebody to — not only get what we want, because that sounds very manipulative, but we can explain it in a way to guide it towards what our decision was. Where I think if you're . . . an emotional person, you just yell something out, it might be what is reality, but now we're not on a path to solving the problem because now you scared the patient. Or you yelled at the technician, and now . . . So, you have to have an emotional component that I think is the glue between the right and the left to be able to move with the world in order to solve the problems that you're tasked with every day.” (23:03—24:15) -Joshua “Most of us in dentistry are very technical people. But that emotional component — that you have to work with people — is part of that. The fact that you're dealing with such an emotional part of the body, not just what it shows when you smile, but also that people are very vulnerable, and they have to allow us to work on them. So, if we're not using that right side of our brain that is creative and emotional and we're only using the left side of our brain, at some point, we're going to have issues that are difficult for us to deal with. So, we've got to tap into both.” (28:15—28:57) -Dr. Ward “Look inside of yourself. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I would say look to other people to help define what your strengths and weaknesses are, which is pretty hard because you have to be vulnerable and take some criticism. But you don't really see yourself. Like we were talking about our wives earlier, my wife has definitely pointed out things to me that I can work on. I think that once you hear them, you have to look and say, ‘Okay, creativity is my strength, so I don't need to work on that. But I do have issues with frustrations when it comes to solving problems. So, look into working on that.’ That's how I think I changed, was recognizing where my weaknesses were and being open enough to work on my weaknesses.” (29:09—29:55) -Joshua Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 0:49 Are you a right or left-brained dentist? 5:53 Being a technician versus being an artist: Dr. Ward. 10:03 Why perfection is dangerous. 15:46 Being a technician versus being an artist: Joshua. 21:57 Incorporating the emotional component. 25:59 Final thoughts. 31:06 More about Joshua and Dr. Ward and how to get in touch. Dr. Charlie Ward Bio: After graduating from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2004, he went straight into the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. He earned his DDS degree in 2008, and since then he has completed the Essentials courses and many others at the esteemed Pankey Institute, where he now serves as visiting faculty. He is currently a member of the Maryland State Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. Joshua Polansky Bio: Joshua Polansky earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, Summa Cum Laude, from Rutgers University in 2004. While working part-time at a dental laboratory, he took advantage of an opportunity to apprentice with distinguished master technician, Olivier Tric, of Oral Design Chicago. His eyes were opened to a whole new world of possibilities, and he made the decision to become a master dental technician following the path that Tric had forged. Joshua continued to acquire technical skills by studying in Europe with other mentors and experts in the field, such as Klaus Mutertheis. He earned his master’s degree in dental ceramics at the UCLA Center for Esthetic Dentistry under Dr. Edward Mclaren, and continued his training under Jungo Endo and Hiroaki Okabe at UCLA’s Advanced Prosthodontics and Maxillofacial Program working on faculty and residents cases. Joshua currently resides in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where he is the owner and operator of Niche Dental Studio.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

1
866: Hourly vs. Salary: The Legal Do’s and Don’ts Every Dentist Must Know – Alan Twigg 53:08

20 days ago53:08

53:08

Should you pay your team hourly or salary? Before you decide, there are some important things to know and consider! In this episode of Practical Solutions Day, Kirk Behrendt brings in Alan Twigg, co-owner of Bent Ericksen & Associates, to demystify the key differences and explain the most surprising misconceptions of paying a salary. To find out which one is right for your practice, listen to Episode 866 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Alan: Give Alan a call: (800) 679-2760 Send Alan an email: alan@bentericksen.com Join Bent Ericksen on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BentEricksenAssociates Learn more about Bent Ericksen: https://bentericksen.com More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 866: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Study the Department of Labor’s exemption categories: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/17a-overtime Main Takeaways: Think about your intention with salary. Who will benefit? Don't assume that paying a salary will make your life easier. Paying a salary does not mean you can do whatever you want. Understand common salary misconceptions to stay out of trouble. Be aware of the administrative burdens that come with going salary. Know the difference between exempt and non-exempt classifications. Laws and requirements differ by state. Know which ones apply to you. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 2:29 Alan’s background. 3:40 The biggest misconceptions about salary. 13:20 Do you pay extra for CE, team meetings, and other special events? 15:03 Time off with pay, explained. 19:23 Does your team have to take vacations when you do? 23:22 Utilize a vacation request form. 25:43 Daily salary, explained. 28:03 Trends and best practices for new associates. 30:42 Working interviews, explained. 33:58 Skills assessments, explained. 37:03 Should everyone be hourly or salary? 40:07 Misconceptions about breaks, lunches, huddles, and staying over. 45:59 Final thoughts. 47:39 About Bent Ericksen and how to get in touch. Alan Twigg Bio: Alan Twigg is the co-owner of Bent Ericksen & Associates. For over 10 years, he has guided thousands of clients and consultants through the ever-changing world of HR and employment compliance. He is a speaker, consultant, and author who is passionate about bringing education and peace of mind to such a confusing topic. As a strong proponent of symbiotic employer-employee relations, Alan is passionate about teamwork and positive work cultures, with an emphasis on long-term personnel retention and employment compliance, where his solutions-oriented outlook excels.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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865: Metric Mondays: How Many Days Do You Work for Free? – Dr. Barrett Straub 16:07

22 days ago16:07

16:07

How many days do you work for free? You're probably thinking, “I don't!” But you may be shocked after doing the math. In this episode of Metric Mondays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, to break down a new important KPI: days worked for free. They explain why it happens, how to calculate this number, and what you can do after knowing the data. Stop working too many days for too little money! To learn how, listen to Episode 865 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Straub: Send Dr. Straub an email: barrett@actdental.com Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub Send Gina an email: gina@actdental.com More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 865: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (April 11, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-april-11-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1012966789937 Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 25, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-25-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205497959849 Main Takeaways: Time is the new rich. Control over time is more valuable than money. To start collecting revenue, you need to work fewer days for free. Learn how to calculate the number of days you worked for free. Figure out how many days you are willing to work for free. Work requires energy and effort. Don't do it for no pay! Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 1:59 How many days are you working for free? 2:45 Days worked for free, explained. 3:54 The simple math. 9:01 Last thoughts. 12:33 Why you need to join the BPA. Dr. Barrett Straub Bio: Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry. A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted. Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

1
864: Why Your Patients Are in Perio Purgatory – Rachel Wall 37:03

25 days ago37:03

37:03

Your patients aren't truly healthy, but they're also not losing teeth. This “gray area” is keeping them in perio purgatory! In this episode of Clinical Edge Fridays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Rachel Wall, CEO and founder of Inspired Hygiene, to explain what perio purgatory is, why it’s dangerous, and how to pull patients out of it to improve their health. To learn how to put an end to your perio blindness, listen to Episode 864 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Rachel: Follow Rachel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredhygiene Join Rachel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InspiredHygiene Book your discovery meeting with Inspired Hygiene: https://www.inspiredhygiene.com More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 864: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Read Beat the Heart Attack Gene by Dr. Bradley Bale and Dr. Amy Doneen: https://baledoneen.com/bdm-books Read Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain by Dr. Bradley Bale and Dr. Amy Doneen: https://baledoneen.com/bdm-books Watch Dr. Amy Doneen’s Women’s Heart Health Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKo-4sSo7wM Get Inspired Hygiene’s Standard of Care Worksheet: https://inspiredhygiene.com/standard-of-care-worksheet Main Takeaways: There is a connection between periodontal disease and other fatal health conditions. Recognize the red flags for diseases such as heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes. Collaborate with your team to develop a very clearly written standard of care. Your patients trust you. Always tell them if they have periodontal disease. Find ways to overcome the lack of capacity for your hygiene patients. Chronic inflammation is not healthy! Don't develop perio blindness. Practice your verbal skills and make perio matter to your patients. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 0:44 Rachel’s background. 2:56 Why this is an important topic. 6:14 The link between periodontal disease and fatal diseases. 9:06 Why patients fall into perio purgatory. 11:12 Migraines can be red flags. 14:23 Overcome lack of capacity in your hygiene schedule. 16:55 Get off the prophy hamster wheel. 19:20 Use a collaborative approach to diagnosis. 20:30 The importance of verbal skills. 24:21 Bleeding blindness, explained. 26:32 Everything revolves around your standard of care. 30:10 Final thoughts. 33:22 More about Inspired Hygiene. Rachel Wall, RDH, Bio: Rachel Wall, RDH, BS, coaches dental teams to build highly productive hygiene departments by implementing systems for high-quality periodontal care, enrolling restorative care through hygiene and letting go of negative mindsets and old beliefs while managing the logistics of a high-performance hygiene department. Drawing from her 20-plus years of experience as a hygienist and practice administrator, Rachel delivers to-the-point clinical speaking presentations around the country. Her interactive teaching style coupled with a workshop environment creates a learning space where dentists and team members are compelled to get to the heart of what’s held them back, and inspire them to reach for more for themselves and their practices.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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863: Want to Drop a Few PPOs? Here is What You Should Consider – Sandi Hudson 49:12

27 days ago49:12

49:12

Are you overwhelmed trying to navigate PPOs? Then keep listening! In this episode of Practical Solutions Day, Kirk Behrendt brings back Sandi Hudson, founder of Unlock the PPO, to decode some of the biggest challenges when dropping PPOs. You didn't go to dental school to deal with insurance. Let the experts do it for you! To learn more about Sandi’s company and the key things to consider before dropping PPOs, listen to Episode 863 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Sandi: Join Sandi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnlockThePPO Follow Sandi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlocktheppo Learn more about Unlock the PPO: https://unlocktheppo.com Learn More About ACT Dental: ACT’s webinars: https://www.actdental.com/135 ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3137520/admin/feed/posts/ ACT’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/actdental More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Main Takeaways: Fee-for-service dentistry is more alive than ever. Understand how shared network agreements work. It’s not just you — this topic is overwhelming for all practices. Think about the direction of your practice before dropping PPOs. Don't be passive when signing contracts. Know what you're agreeing to. Audit your EOBs at least once a month and know what should be coming in. Be patient when trying to negotiate with reps. It may take months for a response. Pay attention to letters from insurance, even when they don't seem relevant to you. Quotes: “Delta is the only major company left where it's a standalone contract. But pretty much everybody else has multiple shared network agreements with other companies. So, it's no longer just who do you sign a contract with, or who do you want to be in-network with? It's understanding for whatever I signed, what else comes along with that? What else am I agreeing to? And the way this all should be said is, there should have to be permission given for a dentist to be opted into these shared network agreements. Unfortunately, it's the reverse. You're automatically opted in, and the burden is on you to opt out. So, you can't really be passive about it and assume that, ‘Well, I didn't know about that. I never signed anything, so it must not affect me.’ It's the opposite. Nobody is asking your permission anymore. It's, here's this new agreement. You can probably opt out of it if you want to, but you're going to have to be the one that takes the initiative to opt out if it's not the right fit for your office.” (6:36—7:39) -Sandi “I say to a lot of offices it's kind of like Jenga. You're plugging in this game of, what does this all mean? What things affect me in a good way versus a bad way? How do I agree to the things that might actually be beneficial for me, and how do I get myself out of the things that are not? That part has all changed. Five years ago, we still saw a lot of shared network agreement changes coming. But ten years ago was completely different than what we're looking at now. So, for offices who are actually trying to see patients, they didn't go to dental school to deal with all of these intricacies of contracting. So, to have the time to map this all out where you're trying to take care of patients and actually deliver dentistry, this has become its own subset to such a degree that it's very difficult to manage alongside of patient care. It's a lot.” (7:41—8:41) -Sandi “The reality is it's overwhelming for everybody, these shared network agreements. Not just the dentist’s side, but the reps on the other side who work for the insurance companies are dealing with it all on their end of things. And honestly, we've had great relationships with a lot of insurance company reps for a long time. There really are some great people on the other side of the table. But one of the things that I think has come along with some of these changes is the individual reps who used to have a lot of discretion in their market no longer have that discretion the same way. So, they're having to go up the ladder. An extra one or two percent is going to require somebody else to approve it. It's going to have to go to management. There are more layers as opposed to just being able to go directly to a person and have some resolution in a couple of weeks. We've got multiple companies right now where it's three or four months that it's taking us to get negotiations wrapped up. So, this is not a thing where you call, and if they don't call you back, you throw up your hands. You've got to be persistent and know it's going to take a few months to even get a response sometimes, to get somebody who can do the negotiation piece. It really is an ongoing project now. So, there is some agreeableness out there. It's just staying at it and being very persistent until you hear back.” (10:03—11:29) -Sandi “A lot of it will depend on your market. Sometimes, I know it's frustrating. Somebody will say, ‘Hey, I know this company is non-negotiable, but I got a great deal,’ which is awesome, and we love to hear that. The reality is that — and I speak for us on this too — it's not necessarily that we're all amazing negotiators in that. Of course, we know what we're going after. We know the market and we know what the top codes are. We're going after very targeted negotiations. But the reality is also, how much do they need you in your market? If it happens to be a time where maybe a new employer group has jumped on board and they don't have enough providers in your area, that might open up some opportunity. So, there is a piece of it that really is specific to the demographic that you're in, and do they need you more than you need them, kind of a situation. But we are seeing it loosen a bit in some markets.” (11:31—12:25) -Sandi “What's the direction of your practice? There are a lot of ways to do dentistry successfully in terms of business models. So, there's not a one-size-fits-all approach by any means. But I do think it's important for each dentist to think about things like — some dentists don't like marketing at all. They don't want to market. They don't want to think about marketing. So, PPOs may fill a little bit more of a gap for those practices where they're thinking, ‘I'd rather have a flow of patients coming in continually, even if I'm taking a little bit less for it. It takes the burden off of me for marketing externally more.’ Other practices, dentists really like that, and they are going after a different business model. We're seeing more where not everything is hygiene driven — dentists who are marketing more to say, ‘I'm not going to rely on the new patient flow coming through hygiene to feed my schedule. I'm going to go after more specialty procedures as the end result.’ So, hygiene is maybe not quite the same piece of the practice the way it has been in a more traditional business model.” (12:54—14:02) -Sandi “You spend so many years trying to build a practice, do everything right, treat people great, give good customer service, hire great staff, all those things. And then, you get to a point where you might actually need to be thinking, ‘Maybe I need to shrink the practice a little bit. If I lose a few patients, but for the 90% who stay I collect X dollars more, does that really check the boxes of what I want to be doing right now anyway, with quality-of-life kind of stuff?’ But it's hard. It's hard to think about shrinking a little bit when your whole business model has been making everybody happy and growing for so many years. So, I think just learning, when is it time to look at the business model a little bit differently, and being okay with that, and making sure your staff is trained and on board with changes that you want to make. Nobody wants to be blindsided by, all of a sudden, we're making changes and they don't know what that entails. So, I think real good communication with staff is a big piece.” (14:56—16:03) -Sandi “I'm sure you've heard many offices saying, ‘I burned through two or three front office people for a few years while things were resettling after COVID-19.’ A lot of times, that means they've all lost track of, ‘I don't even know who signed what for insurance contracts. We don't even know who we're in-network with and who's paying on what.’ We get offices all the time who are, I think, kind of embarrassed because they feel like we've never heard that before. We'll ask for a list of, ‘Who do you have contracts with, and how are you participating?’ And they're like, ‘We have no idea. We know we're in-network, but we just don't know.’ So, regrouping on that really has to be first, because you can't strategically eliminate things in a good way if you don't even know what you're starting with. So, you really do have to get a good baseline.” (16:04—16:52) -Sandi “In terms of the dropping piece, there are some good initial things to do as far as getting a handle on what you've got now, and then really deciding when is it time to make some hard changes and go with a small company where you're not at risk. If you've got a company that you're doing $30,000 of production with a year, and you drop it, and it doesn't go as well as you intended, this is not a make-it-or-break-it kind of thing. So, stepping into that on a small scale and then working your way up, I think, is a great way to approach it for most offices.” (16:56—17:35) -Sandi “I will, a lot of times, ask, ‘How far are you booking out on the hygiene side and the operative side?’ So, let's say a dentist says, ‘I'm booking out four to six weeks on operative. We're super busy.’ Well, that does you no good. All you're doing is taking an entire four to six weeks of production — you can only see the eight hours a day that's on your calendar. So, continuing to book out further and further, it might mentally give you some assurances that we're always going to be busy. But busy, and now you're booking out seven weeks. Now, you're booking out eight weeks. That doesn't do you any good. All that means is that you could have gotten a higher paying patient in the chair, but you don't have room for them because you're accommodating all of the lower paying PPO patients.” (19:12—20:00) -Sandi “You said about the ops, the thought of, ‘Do I build more ops?’ Because once they're in place, then I have to feed that. Another similar thing in that same line is dentists who are thinking about adding an associate. They're too busy, and they're thinking about adding an associate. One of the things I always recommend is, if you are with PPOs now, before you add the associate, get your PPO house in order. Otherwise, if you have overflow that could feed an associate right now, but let's say if that overflow is coming because you're taking a whole bunch of PPOs and you're writing off half of your fee, as soon as you hire an associate dentist to see that overflow, you're still only getting 50% of your full fee, but now you're paying somebody else on top of it to see that pool of patients. So, another good thought with that is, if you are too busy and you take PPOs, go through and get the whole analysis side of your PPOs figured out first, and then get those reimbursement rates to where they're healthy. That way, if it means dropping a couple, you're doing that while you're still going solo. Then, you get that all in order, and if you're still too busy, then it makes sense to add an associate because the PPO fees then will support you being able to pay somebody to see those patients.” (21:12—22:32) -Sandi “For an office, even if they're just saying, ‘Hey, I'm going to try to tackle this on my own,’ I would definitely say look at the top 30 codes. Based on that, and also your volume, how much volume are you doing with each contract? This is actually where it gets harder for a lot of offices because one side of it is just numbers, what your cash fees are and all that. You can dig that up with your reports. But the amount of production you have tied to each fee schedule, that's where offices, a lot of times, are really like, ‘We've lost track,’ because a company like — pick any insurance company — probably have five or six shared network agreements with other companies. So, they know they're in-network, but they don't even know where to assign that production to. So, you don't know the impact of — you might have a low paying fee schedule, but you've only got $5,000 of production with them. So, it's like, ‘Eh, it's a low fee schedule. It's not really hurting us.’ But it turns out that low fee schedule has ten other companies that can attach to their fee schedule, and your impact is really $200,000 a year, not $5,000 a year. So, you really have to understand what insurance company is attaching to somebody else's fee schedule so that you really know the impact.” (27:33—28:52) -Sandi “[A shared network agreement is] when one insurance company has an agreement with another insurance company. There are lots and lots of those out there now. So, what you have to be aware of is, let's say that you're a completely fee-for-service office, you have no PPO contracts, and you get an offer from — I'm just pulling names out of a hat. They're all very similar. There's not necessarily bad guys, good guys in all of this. It's just, be aware. I'm not picking on anybody, just grabbing a name. But let's say you have an agreement that you decide to sign with Guardian. So, if you have a contract with Guardian and you don't have anybody else's contract, there are a lot of other companies that can be in-network through Guardian: Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Emeritus — lots of other companies. So, if you decide to sign up with Guardian, you need to be thinking, ‘Do I just want this contract to apply to Guardian itself?’ because that's who you're signing up with. So, your first thought is going to be, ‘Well, I'm just signing with Guardian,’ without necessarily being aware or understanding that a lot of other insurance companies can come along with that. Now, you can opt out of those other agreements, and you can say, ‘I just want this contract to apply only to Guardian.’ But again, the burden is on you. You have to say, ‘I only want this to apply to Guardian.’” (34:37—35:54) -Sandi “What we find, as you add more and more contracts, is that pretty much all of the insurance companies have agreements with other companies. So, the thought process has to be, what's best for you? Well, it's best for you if you take some high-end companies or contracts, and if a few other companies tack onto those, you might not mind that because if it's a fee schedule you're happy with, you might think, ‘Well, if we get a few more patients and it's a great fee schedule, I don't mind if more people jump on board.’ But where the insurance companies have not added these agreements to find ways to pay you more, what they have done with these is use them to network more dentists through these agreements. But then you also have to remember, if there are multiple agreements, most likely, we're going to assume they're going to choose the lower paying path to pay on. So, you want to be careful.” (35:55—36:48) -Sandi “You have to be really careful about how these shared network agreements impact you. It's not to say that they're always bad — it's just to say that they work both directions. So, you want to be really careful about allowing them in your practice if it works to your benefit. But if they don't, you need to understand how to wall those off. That's what we mean by an opt-out. An opt-out is not the same as a termination. A termination would be eliminating an entire contract. An opt-out is really telling one insurance company you don't want to participate with their agreement with another company. So, again, most of those are optional, and you can just do a letter or form. There's various paperwork to get yourself out of those. But you can't get yourself out of something that you're not even aware of. That's the biggest thing, is that there is no grid out there that you can just look at and say, ‘Okay, how does this all apply to my area?’ Because of all the shared network agreements, it's very messy. It's not clear. It's not a transparent system at all. So, you really do have to do some research.” (36:57—38:10) -Sandi “Once a month, grab a stack of EOBs and look to see, ‘Okay, if I thought that Guardian was paying on the Aetna fee schedule, is it paying on the Aetna fee schedule?’ I'm sure a lot of your listeners will remember, there was a letter that went out last summer that MetLife entered a couple of new shared network agreements. That was a big one because MetLife really had not allowed other insurance companies to use their fees in the past. So, that was a pretty big one. And unfortunately, sometimes there's this letter that goes out but either somebody doesn't...…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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862: Metric Mondays: What You Don't Know About Net Collections Percentage – Dr. Barrett Straub 16:53

29 days ago16:53

16:53

Collecting 95% sounds great. But there's a big problem: you're leaving 5% on the table! In this episode of Metric Mondays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, to break down net collections percentage. You'll learn why 95% isn't as great as it sounds, how it’s killing your practice, and what you can do to raise this KPI. To learn what you need to know about net collections, listen to Episode 862 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Straub: Send Dr. Straub an email: barrett@actdental.com Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub Send Gina an email: gina@actdental.com More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 862: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (April 11, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-april-11-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1012966789937 Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 25, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-25-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205497959849 Main Takeaways: Your goal is to collect 100% or more. If you're not collecting 100%, understand why. Make sure your team is aligned with your expectations. 97% is great on a chemistry exam. It’s not great for net collections. Pre-collect from patients. When you owe dentistry, you have less stress. Whoever collects money needs to be confident in the value of your dentistry. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 0:38 Net collections, explained. 2:07 Why net collections is so important. 2:33 The problem with 95%. 4:49 Pre-collect from patients. 6:16 What it means when you’re collecting less than 100%. 7:21 The mindset of the person collecting money. 8:42 The importance of right person, right seat. 10:45 Action items you can start today. 12:59 Last thoughts. Dr. Barrett Straub Bio: Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry. A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted. Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth.…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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861: Dental Lab Secrets Exposed: What You Really Should Know About the Best Dentist & Lab Tech Relationships – Dr. Christopher Mazzola, Dr. Charlie Ward, & Joshua Polansky 1:14:21

5 weeks ago1:14:21

1:14:21

Do you ever wonder what your dental techs really think about you? In this episode of Clinical Edge Fridays, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Christopher Mazzola and Dr. Charlie Ward to pick the brain of Joshua Polansky, owner of Niche Dental Studio, to answer your burning questions and to reveal the secret to a great relationship and partnership with your dental techs. To hear one dental tech’s advice for becoming a better dentist, listen to Episode 861 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Dr. Mazzola, Dr. Ward, & Joshua: Join Dr. Mazzola on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.d.mazzola Follow Dr. Mazzola on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopherdmazzoladds Send Dr. Ward an email: charlie@bmoredentalarts.com Follow Dr. Ward on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcwarddds Follow Joshua on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichedentalstudio Register for Dr. Mazzola & Dr. Ward’s Mastering Treatment Planning course (October 2-4, 2025): https://pankey.org/registration/?courseId=17004&tuition=0&lodging=true Register for Dr. Ward’s Mastering Aesthetic Restorative Dentistry course (June 17-20, 2026): https://pankey.org/course-category/mard Register for Dr. Mazzola & Dr. Ward’s Mastering Dental Photography course (July 30, 2026 to August 1, 2026): https://pankey.org/registration/?courseId=17781&tuition=0&lodging=true Learn More About ACT Dental: ACT’s webinars: https://www.actdental.com/134 ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3137520/admin/feed/posts/ ACT’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/actdental More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Main Takeaways: Don't be an asshole or an “ask hole”. Stop making the job harder for dental techs. Communication is key. Be open and receptive to feedback. Manage your expectations. A great lab doesn't mean perfection. Every dentist needs to go through the pain of developing their own style. Set realistic expectations for yourself, your dental techs, and your patients. For the best possible outcome, dentists and dental techs need to work together. Social media is a highlight reel. Don't compare yourself to something that isn't real. Quotes: “When we think about planning complex cases and interdisciplinary treatment planning, the ceramist gets left out of that. The technician gets left out of that. I don't do any complicated cases or treatment planning without talking to Josh. I have to know, in order to finalize the plan — we had this conversation yesterday. We had two conversations. We had the implant conversation on something, that the design was off, and then we had a conversation about a complex plan that I'm presenting on Monday that, ‘Hey, what's this going to look like? We have to open vertical. I need to do ortho. I need to do these things. What sequence would make sense for you guys to make sure I get the design back that I want to?’ So that, to me, is a piece that's missing. We teach it at Pankey in the aesthetics class, which Josh teaches with me, that you need to find a ceramist that can deliver the type of work that you want and that you can have a relationship with to have these conversations, because they're going to have to deliver that case at the end for you. So, just like you're going to talk to perio and you're going to talk to ortho in these complex cases, the ceramist is 100% a part of your specialty team.” (7:21—8:37) -Dr. Ward “People treatment plan in a silo. So, they're by themselves. One thing that we see quite a bit of is a lot of people have this knowledge. They can rattle off the facts to you. But when it comes to treatment planning and then setting up a plan and executing it, the confidence disappears. I think it's because, a lot of times, they don't know how good they are — and it's because they don't have working relationships with specialists like dental technicians. I know I've worked with Josh and I've spitballed some things. It's never like, ‘Hey, man. That's a terrible idea.’ It's like, ‘Okay, I see how that would work. I've also seen it fail this way, this way, and this way,’ because for every one case I do in my career, he's got 50 that have come across his desk — at the minimum. So, I think building that rapport with someone, whether it's another dentist, or your ceramist, or whomever, to be able to find that conversation is what's important. Josh knows we know what we're doing. But I know that he really appreciates it when we pick up the phone and he can put his input in to say like, ‘That's a great idea. But turn this way just a hair, and it's going to be so much smoother for me, you, and the patient.’” (8:53—10:22) -Dr. Mazzola “A dental technician wants nothing more than to have dentists that “know what they're doing”. But I think, as a technician, what I appreciate the most is that I know these guys know that I know what I'm talking about. Meaning, I think dental technicians have a really big fear to voice their opinion because, on the totem pole, we're down here. We're at the bottom. I've definitely, I guess through hard work, punched my way up to the top to get their respect. But once I've gotten here, I appreciate the fact that I have dentists — and man, if you had access to my email, you would really see, I don't want to say how insecure, but the questions I get are very basic. But at the same time, I think from a maturity standpoint, I can step back and look at them with no judgment, that maybe I am their only resource because they're embarrassed to ask their colleagues or they're embarrassed to ask specialists. So, you'd be surprised at what I'm asked on a daily basis from dentists. I don't judge them because, at the end, they should grow and evolve and get better. But I think that I've appreciated, as a technician, that I am reached out to a lot. Before, it used to be a lot of pride. Now, I think it's better for the patient and better for the outcome because, in the end, the treatment plans are usually a combination of something the doctor wanted to do and something I wanted to do kind of melded together.” (10:30—12:00) -Joshua “We work in an incredibly stressful environment. Technicians do behind the scenes, so you guys don't see our stress. So, you automatically think what we do is so easy — I just open a drawer, take teeth out, and close it. It's not that easy. But at the same time, I have to respect that you guys work in an incredibly intimate environment where it's very stressful. So, both of us have our own stresses. And I'm not going to work with somebody that — you know that whole thing of the abusive husband who comes home and kicks the dog? I'm not going to be the dog because I'm only here to help. If you make my job harder, you're an asshole, and I don't want to work with you. And here's the issue, and a whole other rant. That is the problem with dentistry, is because there are tons of labs that will work with the assholes, so they never change to become better, which in turn doesn't allow better dentistry to be done because that's just the way they do it.” (13:08—14:07) -Joshua “I can't work with people that really make our job harder because, at the end, it doesn't give a good result from us. When we pick up a case at the lab, we want to feel good. When I pick up a case for Chris or Charlie, I want me and my team — not to smile, because I don't want to get cliché. But I can tell you my team likes Charlie Ward. He comes to the lab, and he sends us cookies and stuff. They like him. Never going to name names on a podcast, but there is definitely a group that when they see their case pan on the bench for the day, they're like, ‘Pfft. I hate this guy.’ I think you don't want to be that. For the young dentist listening to this podcast, you don't want to be that to the laboratory that is, in turn, the person who wants to make you look good.” (14:07—15:00) -Joshua “My closing remarks on what an asshole is is that one of my old lab buddies owned a pretty successful lab in Georgia. Terry Fohey, he's a good guy. He's retired now, but I always went to him for business advice. He's from the South. He told me, ‘You want to work “foxhole dentistry”.’ He says when we're at war, and we're in the foxhole, and people are shooting at us, you want somebody that's going to look at you — and I don't want to say that, but there are situations in dentistry where the shit has hit the fan. You understand? Like, the hybrid cracked, and the patient is in the chair. It's not “war”. Let's not get crazy. But we're in the shit together. I need somebody that's going to look at me when the shit is going down and say, ‘Hey, man. Let's regroup. How do we get out of this?’ I don't need somebody yelling at me. Because if I was in the foxhole, and I was in that situation, and I had some guy yelling at me, I would take the gun, shoot him real quick, and then go back to war. That's hypothetically what I’d do with some of the doctors, is boom, boom, boom, and then we keep going.” (15:01—16:08) -Joshua “What Chris did, we take that for granted. It is very complex, what he just said, transferring all that data from Michigan to a bench in New Jersey, and then back, and have it all fit, and using digital. I'm amazed all this stuff even works, sometimes. It is extremely complex. So, when working in such a complex situation, we've got to be on the same team, to emphasize what I was just saying. We have to be friendly. We must, or else we're working against each other, not with each other.” (17:23—17:56) -Joshua “The expectation seems to be that if I work with a great lab, I'm going to get something back and never have to adjust it. It's impossible. It's a miracle any of this stuff fits to the degree that it fits. I don't even understand how it happens. But we get it back, and you can't take it from the digital world or the analog world on an articulator and then expect to put it in a mouth with soft tissue and muscle and bone and expect it to fit exactly how it did on the articulator or in the digital design. It's not going to happen. You have to do some work in the mouth.” . . . It's an unrealistic expectation that we have, as a profession, that things are going to come back, and they're going to drop into place.” (18:00—18:52) -Dr. Ward “What you guys do is extremely hard. Dentists have very high expectations. And again, that puts those expectations on us. But we have to really determine, what are realistic expectations? I think sometimes we forget that we're making human body parts that have to function. A lot of people refer to lab technicians and ceramists as artists. I am not an artist. What we do is very technical. There are real things involved. It has to work. Art has no rules. Like, this behind me is art. There are no rules to this. If you want to take a picture of a heavy metal guy with no shirt on — it's art. The teeth I make have to work. They must function. Especially working with the caliber of dentists, either Kois, Pankey, or Spear, these people are on a different caliber, and they're checking things a lot differently than like a Medicaid office. They're really checking our work, so it has to work.” (19:06—20:09) -Joshua “As an owner of a lab, I would say almost 100% of new clients, it's always the same. ‘I'm totally open. If you see anything wrong, call me. Please tell me if I could do anything better.’ It's always the same. I've become so numb to it because we do reach out, and a lot of them are saying, ‘No, it's fine. No, it's good.’ And you're going like, ‘What?’ So, that's not an asshole. That's what we would call an “ask hole”. They ask us questions. And then, when we answer them, they ignore everything. That's also difficult to work with.” (21:04—21:43) -Joshua “There's been a doctor that we work with, and we're doing a lot of single central matches. We explained, ‘This is how we can get you the best match. Please don't use the filters on your camera because the filters are more for like “after” glamorous pictures. It's not good for us to read color. And they say, ‘Everything is okay. No problem, no problem. Everything is all good.’ We get the central. What is the picture? It has the [filter]. That's where it gets a little frustrating because, long term, I don't see this working. We're not even giving you criticism. We're just giving you general like, ‘Hey, this is going to make it better.’ When that's ignored, that's no good. So, I think that a lot of clients say they're open. The advice I would give is, really be open. Just listen. And you have the right to disagree. That's fine. But you should be receptive to . . . Like, I'm not going to tell the tailor how to make my clothes. Could you imagine if when I was getting my car fixed, I was like, ‘I don't like those screws. You should use those screws.’” (21:44—22:48) -Joshua “Most lab owners have very thick skin because — I'm very fortunate. When we do a great job, they call me. When we do a poor job, they call me. They communicate all that. But I would say the majority of lab owners are only getting the problem calls. So, they develop thick skin over time. The issue is, it’s not that we don't care, but we hang up the phone and we move on to the next problem. But for you, as a dentist, that's still a problem. And you're beating yourself up. I see a lot of dentists wind up beating themselves up, and that's where the burnout comes from. That's where the depression comes from. It comes from them thinking it's their fault, they stink, they fail. And I think it's because they're not open. They're not receptive. That's my opinion. I don't know if I'm right or wrong, but that's what I see, from an outsider's perspective.” (24:36—25:21) -Joshua “There are expectations that we need to set with the patient, and there are expectations that we need to set with the lab. We were talking a little bit about shade matches and colors, especially for doing single anterior teeth. That's difficult. I mean, it's my job as a dentist to prepare the patient for the fact that, ‘Hey, we're going to try this in next time. There's no guarantee this is going in. This is one of the most difficult things that we do.’ So, if I don't do that properly and the patient is not prepared, then nobody is happy when we try it and have to send it back to the lab. Josh is expecting to get that back. It's so hard to do it on the first try that it's probably going to need to be adjusted if you want it to match the way that we're trying to do the dentistry. So, there's an expectation that he would set with me that, ‘Hey, we're going to try this in. We've done everything. You sent me everything that I need. I've set the patient up for that so that they know, ‘Hey, we're going to try this in. I want it to be as perfect as possible.’ So, there are expectations on both ends that need to be discussed and then followed through with. Then, afterwards, we figure out, ‘Hey, was there something different either one of us could have done to make this better?’ That's why Josh gets a call, whether it went great or whether it went poorly. ‘Hey, why did it go so great?’ Let's have that conversation.” (25:22—26:43) -Dr. Ward “[Social media] sets unreasonable expectations, in my opinion. They're unreasonable. And what I mean is this — I can tell you this firsthand. I work with a ton of dentists, and I work with very talented dentists who have young associates. Those young associates are in very good places. They can learn so much there. They get the right patients, fee-for-service, all that. Those guys and girls follow my Instagram and see the stuff we're doing because I'm pretty active being out there, lecturing and whatnot. And for some reason, I think it always comes to the grass is always greener, where they pull me aside and they're like, ‘Hey, man. We don't do that here. It kind of stinks here. What are you doing? Why are you doing that?’ And I just want to kind of [slap some sense into them]. Like, ‘You're doing that here. You just have to focus on here. You're looking outside too much. Everything I'm showing is what I do, actually, with your bosses. It's here. You're just not looking here.’ So, I think it affects...…

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

1
860: Proven Retention Strategies for Dental Teams – Miranda Beeson 1:08:18

5 weeks ago1:08:18

1:08:18

You want great people in your practice. But it’s a challenge to find them, and an even bigger challenge to keep them! In this episode of Practical Solutions Day, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to share their proven strategies to keep great team members engaged and wanting to stay. To learn how to build and retain a strong and dedicated team, listen to Episode 860 of The Best Practices Show! Learn More About Miranda: Send Miranda an email: miranda@actdental.com Follow Miranda on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental Send Gina an email for your Golden Ticket: gina@actdental.com More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360 Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218 Episode Resources: Watch the video version of Episode 860: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos Read The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman: https://5lovelanguages.com/store/the-5-love-languages Read The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Dr. Gary Chapman: https://5lovelanguages.com/store/the-5-languages-of-appreciation-in-the-workplace Main Takeaways: Engaged employees stay. Build your team around your core values. Establish a consistent rhythm of communication. Provide feedback consistently using the Right People Scorecard. Understand different appreciation styles and consistently demonstrate it. Empower and elevate your team by understanding what drives and excites them. Your small but consistent efforts is what will lead to big, lasting impact in your practice. Retention isn't about keeping people — it’s about knowing how to keep the right people. You don't need to implement all five retention strategies at once. Lean into one at a time. Snippets: 0:00 Introduction. 1:33 ACT’s TTT, BPA/BPA app, and Pro Coaching. 6:25 Why this is an important topic. 13:57 Strategy 1) Build a team around core values. 19:57 Strategy 2) Establish a consistent rhythm of communication. 27:48 Strategy 3) Provide feedback consistently. 32:06 Hire people who GWC (Get it, Want it, and have the Capacity for it). 41:46 Strategy 4) Demonstrate workplace appreciation. 54:40 Strategy 5) Empower and elevate your team. 1:00:31 Final takeaways. Miranda Beeson, MS, BSDH Bio: Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches. Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.…

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