The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

You can’t change your genes, but you can influence the environment your body’s microbes live in. So, what does your microbiome have to do with digestion, immunity, energy, mental clarity, and even the conversations you have with patients?

In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Uche Odiatu, dentist, health educator, and speaker, to explain why the microbiome matters and how everyday choices like fiber intake, fermented foods, movement, sleep, and antibiotic use can affect it. You’ll also learn how dental professionals can expand the conversation beyond teeth and smiles to help patients understand the co...

What happens when you give someone the title of office manager without giving them the education, authority, and support to truly lead? It can create bottlenecks, misalignment, and costly problems throughout the practice. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Lorie Streeter, a dental industry veteran with 37 years of experience, former vice president of AADOM, and current team member at MaxAssist, about the $100,000 mistake dentists make when they fail to invest in developing their office managers. You will learn how regular alignment meetings, continuing education, clearer decision-making authority, and stronger dentist-manager relationships can improve leadership and practice performance.

Hygiene production problems don’t start this week — they were built months ago through leading indicators you can track and influence. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with ACT Dental coach Ariel Siegel to explain why hygiene production is a lagging indicator and how to improve it by focusing on reappointment rate, perio diagnosis, and perio acceptance. You’ll learn what hygiene breakdown looks like in real time, what predictable stability looks like when systems are working, and the simplest numbers to start tracking today so you can engineer future results instead of reacting to past ones.

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Team meetings can become repetitive, unfocused, and unproductive when there is no structure, accountability, or protected time to move the practice forward. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Christina Byrne, ACT Dental coach and leader of the coaching team, about why team meetings often fail and what high-performing dental practices do differently. You’ll learn how to structure weekly meetings, choose the right timing, track meaningful KPIs, create accountability, encourage healthy conflict, and build greater alignment across your team.

If you want your meetings to lead to action instead of becoming another conversation about unresolved problems, li...

Write-offs may look like a normal part of doing business, but do you know how much they are actually costing your dental practice? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with ACT Dental coach Robyn Theisen about understanding the gap between gross and net production, identifying where write-offs are coming from, and making strategic changes that improve collectible production without adding more days, procedures, or team members.

Learn how to categorize your adjustments, evaluate PPO participation, review membership plans, and reduce unnecessary write-offs over time. Listen to Episode 1115 of The Best Practices Show!

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Why can your practice feel busier than ever, show higher production, and still not see more money in the bank? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT Dental’s Director of Education, to explain why gross production is often a misleading proxy for profitability and what to measure instead.

You’ll learn the difference between gross and net production, how write-offs and overhead quietly erase gains, and the first steps to protect margins so profit can follow production. Listen to Episode 1057 of The Best Practices Show!

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Technology and AI are making information faster and easier to access, but speed alone will not make you a better dentist. As patients gain more information online while spending less time reading deeply, dentists have an opportunity to stand out through curiosity, knowledge, trust, and genuine human connection. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Dr. Uche Odiatu, dentist and speaker, about why there has never been a better time to get ahead in dentistry.

You will learn why depth of knowledge still matters, how high-touch care complements high-tech dentistry, why slowing down can become a competitive...

AI is changing how patients search for and choose dental practices, but traditional marketing reports may not show where those patients actually came from. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Eric Hubbard of Pain-Free Dental Marketing about how AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are changing dental patient flow, making traditional attribution more difficult, and increasing the importance of understanding what patients actually searched for.

You will learn how to improve referral tracking, why multi-channel attribution matters, where marketing dollars may be better spent, and how original content and clear trust signals can help your practice...

Insurance aging tells you how much money insurance companies owe your practice and how long those dollars have been outstanding. But when claims start sitting beyond 30, 60, or even 90 days, cash flow can quickly suffer. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt is joined by coach Carlie Einarson to explain how to read your insurance aging report, recognize when claims are becoming a problem, and create a consistent system for getting outstanding balances resolved. Learn what healthy insurance AR should look like, why clear ownership matters, and what your team can start doing today to improve collections.

Listen to Episode 1111...

In dentistry, many problems aren’t caused by the procedure itself—they come from what wasn’t discussed before treatment started. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Dennis Hartlieb, a general dentist and educator, to share four communication tips that help you set expectations, reduce misunderstandings, and protect the practice before you ever pick up a handpiece.

You’ll learn how to give patients clearer choices, document risk the right way, talk through outcomes without creating fear, and spot red flags before they become bigger problems—listen to Episode 1110 of The Best Practices Show!

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AI can make your dental practice more efficient, but what happens when efficiency starts replacing the human connections that make dentistry work? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt is joined by ACT Dental coach Heather Crockett to share four ways to protect the human side of dentistry in an increasingly AI-driven world. You’ll learn how to use AI to create more capacity, why some conversations should never be outsourced, how to preserve the patient and team experience, and why a human must remain accountable for AI-generated work.

To learn how to use technology without losing the relationships th...

Many dental practices feel surprised by their numbers at the end of the month, even when they review reports regularly. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with Miranda Beeson, leadership coach at ACT Dental, to explain the difference between leading and lagging indicators and why relying too heavily on historical data creates stress, reactivity, and missed opportunities. They break down how leading indicators connect daily behaviors to long-term results, how to spot problems earlier, and how to use data to lead calmly instead of reactively.

If you want to understand which numbers actually help you influence...

Dentistry is changing, and with more pressure, comparison, and noise in the profession, it can be easy for dentists to lose sight of what they actually want from their careers. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Dr. Mitch Hopkins, a Kansas City dentist and mentor, about building a practice around your own definition of success. They discuss finding fulfillment in everyday dentistry, creating a schedule that supports your life, building the right team and culture, connecting with the right patients, and developing the skills and confidence needed for a long career.

If you want to create...

Great onboarding does more than teach a new team member how to do a job. It creates clarity, connection, and a path toward long-term success in the practice. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Jenni Poulos, ACT Dental coach, about why retention begins before a team member’s first day and how a structured onboarding process can help new hires become confident, independent contributors. You’ll learn the essential elements of effective onboarding, how to create a support system for new hires, and how to use the 333 framework to guide development through the first three days, three weeks, and...

Are you collecting everything your practice produces, and do you know how much dentistry you are writing off before those dollars ever become collectible? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Carlie Einarson, an ACT Dental coach, about the difference between gross collection rate and net collection rate and what each metric reveals about your practice. You’ll learn how to calculate both rates, identify gaps in your collection systems and business model, accurately track write-offs and adjustments, and use your production and collection reports to establish a clear financial baseline.

To understand which collection metrics matter an...

As a dentist, you can present the best treatment plan—and still lose case acceptance if your team “translates” it differently after you leave the room. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with Debra Engelhardt-Nash, educator and founder of the Nash Institute for Dental Learning, to unpack what’s really being said in the operatory when you’re not there.

You’ll learn how belief systems and “wallet biopsies” derail care, how to position assistants as clinical endorsers (not counterpoints), and how to train communication so patients hear one consistent message. Listen to Episode 1028 of The Best Practices S...

Dentists have more access to health information, supplements, technology, and wellness strategies than ever, but knowing what to do does not guarantee that those habits will become sustainable. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Dr. Uche Odiatu, a dentist with more than 30 years of experience, about why mindset matters more than chasing the latest health hack. You will learn how to build sustainable health habits, rethink recovery and performance, protect cognitive function, create a healthier relationship with exercise and nutrition, and approach the second half of life with a different perspective.

For practical ways to turn...

Many dentists know what their practice produces each month, but fewer understand how much value their existing patient base generates each year. Annual patient value, or APV, can reveal how efficiently a practice operates, how dependent it is on patient volume, and where opportunities exist to improve profitability without simply adding more patients.

In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Christina Byrne, Director of Coaching at ACT Dental, about how to calculate APV, what the number reveals about your business model, and how comprehensive care, service mix, insurance participation, and patient retention can influence it. Learn how...

How can dentists stay clinically sharp, adapt to digital dentistry, and maintain profitable workflows throughout their careers? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Dr. John Cranham, educator, mentor, and longtime student and faculty member of the Dawson philosophy, about the four pillars dentists need to continually develop: foundational principles, efficient and profitable workflows, ongoing education, and mentorship. They also discuss the different challenges facing emerging digital dentists and experienced clinicians transitioning into digital workflows, why technology must remain grounded in sound clinical principles, and how mentorship accelerates growth.

To learn how to combine clinical fundamentals, technology...

AI is changing how prospective patients search for dentists, and traditional SEO tactics alone may no longer be enough to earn visibility or trust. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Eric Hubbard of Pain-Free Dental Marketing about answer engine optimization, or AEO, and what dental practices need to understand as AI platforms become part of the patient search process.

Eric explains why reviews, consistent practice information, useful content, and a clear digital presence matter when AI systems assemble recommendations. You will learn where to focus your marketing efforts, which outdated tactics to reconsider, and how to...

Are your marketing dollars bringing in more new patients, or the right new patients? Without tracking referral sources, treatment presented, and treatment accepted, it is difficult to know which marketing efforts are actually producing value for your practice. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Ariel Siegel, an ACT Dental coach, about how to evaluate new patient source value and connect marketing activity to treatment opportunities and acceptance.

You will learn which metrics to track, how to identify your strongest referral sources, and how a better new patient experience and consistent follow-through can improve the return on...

How are you supporting the hygienists who are committed to doing their best work, and does your practice give them the equipment, communication, and environment they need to succeed? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Katrina Sanders, a practicing periodontal hygienist, speaker, and consultant, about the other side of the dental hygiene shortage and why high-performing hygienists sometimes leave practices where they do not feel supported.

You will learn how to create better clinical alignment, establish productive feedback systems, invest in the tools your hygiene team needs, and build an environment where licensed professionals can contribute...

Many dentists enter the profession expecting strong financial security, only to find that student loans, practice debt, insurance write-offs, and rising overhead can quickly reduce actual take-home income. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Dr. Jim McKee, dentist and educator, about why production numbers can be misleading and how dentists can create a more profitable, sustainable practice model.

You’ll learn why actual collections matter more than stated production, how personal overhead affects financial pressure, what it takes to differentiate a practice beyond insurance participation, and why clinical expertise, communication, team training, and community positioning are cr...

Are you presenting enough treatment to support your production goals, or are gaps in diagnosis and communication limiting what patients understand about their care? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with ACT Dental coach Ariel Siegel about treatment-presented metrics and how they can reveal whether your practice is having enough comprehensive clinical conversations.

You’ll learn how to evaluate total and average treatment presented, avoid prejudging patients’ willingness to move forward, involve patients through co-discovery, and reverse engineer treatment-presented goals from your production targets. For a practical way to use this metric to improve accountability and comprehensive care...

Do your team meetings keep circling around the same problems without producing clear decisions or lasting change? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and co-host Miranda Beeson, a dental practice coach, explain the IDS problem-solving framework and how dental teams can use it to identify root issues, discuss them efficiently, assign clear action items, and create accountability.

You’ll learn how to structure an issues list, distinguish symptoms from underlying problems, keep discussions from getting derailed, and use weekly meetings to move problems toward resolution. For a practical framework to stop recycling the same issues in your practice, li...

PPO participation can quietly erode profitability when fees, network relationships, and write-offs are not regularly reviewed. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Clinton Johnson, founder of Profitable PPOs, about the hidden PPO mistakes that can cost dental practices seven figures over time. Clinton explains how PPO network structures work, why reimbursement has failed to keep pace with rising practice costs, how to evaluate the true financial impact of each plan, and why dentists should build a PPO strategy around their practice goals rather than making emotional decisions.

Learn how to audit PPO participation, identify low-profit plans...

A full schedule does not always mean a productive schedule. Without a clear average daily production goal, teams can stay busy, miss production targets, and spend their days reacting instead of intentionally building the schedule. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Robyn Theisen, ACT Dental coach, about using average daily production goals and ideal day scheduling to create a more predictable and productive practice.

You will learn how to set daily targets, structure high-production procedures, monitor the schedule in advance, and help your team consistently work toward the same goal. To learn how to build your...

What should dentists understand about practice ownership, selling to a DSO, planning for retirement, and building a career that stays aligned with their values? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Dr. John Cranham, restorative dentist, educator, and former clinical director of the Dawson Academy, about the decisions and transitions that shaped his career as he prepares to step away from clinical practice.

You will learn what dentists should consider before selling a practice, why giving up control can be difficult, how practice models affect the way dentists deliver care, why retirement requires something meaningful to transition...

What should you do when a longtime team member can no longer meet the demands of their role? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Alan Twigg, president of Bent Eriksen & Associates and an HR professional with more than 20 years of experience, about how dental practice owners can address declining performance without making assumptions about age or medical conditions.

You will learn how to establish objective job standards, document performance concerns, approach fitness-for-duty situations, involve an employee’s treating physician when appropriate, and navigate accommodations or transitions while reducing legal risk. For practical guidance on handling one of...

Are your financial systems helping you collect what patients owe when care happens—or are unexpected balances creating extra work for your team later? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Robyn Theisen, ACT Dental coach, about same-day collection percentage and why clear financial arrangements matter for both cash flow and the patient experience.

You’ll learn what this metric measures, what low same-day collections can reveal about your systems, how stronger financial conversations reduce accounts receivable, and what your team can do to improve financial clarity before treatment begins. For practical ways to strengthen your financial syst...

You may be tracking KPIs in your dental practice, but do you know what those numbers are actually telling you? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Adriana Booth, an ACT Dental coach, about how key performance indicators reveal the health of your systems, team, patient care, and business.

You’ll learn how to interpret KPIs as diagnostic tools, identify the systems influencing your numbers, focus your team on meaningful improvements, and make steady progress without chasing perfection. To understand what your practice data is really telling you, listen to Episode 1089 of The Best Practices Show!

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What does it take to build a stronger team that can think, collaborate, and perform without the dentist stepping in for every decision? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Michelle Wakeman, ACT Dental coach, about why stronger leadership starts with self-awareness. They explain how your behavior affects team culture, the four leadership tendencies based on care and challenge, why clarity and accountability strengthen trust, and how pausing before reacting can help you lead more effectively.

Learn how to recognize your leadership patterns, give clearer feedback, and create a healthier, more accountable team — listen to Episode 1088 of Th...

Are gaps in your schedule really a case acceptance problem, or are you simply not diagnosing enough of the care your patients need and want? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and Metric Mondays co-host Miranda Beeson explain diagnostic percentage, why it is an important leading indicator for future production, and how inconsistent exams, assumptions about patients, and excessive “watching” can limit both care and opportunity.

You’ll learn how to evaluate diagnostic percentage by provider, create greater consistency in your comprehensive exams, and identify opportunities to better serve existing patients without turning treatment conversations into a sales proces...

Hiring an office manager can add leadership and structure to a dental practice, but the title alone will not solve problems with communication, accountability, or culture. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Lorie Streeter, a longtime dental office management advocate and MaxAssist team member, about what practices need to have in place before adding an office manager.

They discuss when the role becomes necessary, the leadership qualities to look for, how to define decision-making authority, why regular communication matters, and how dentists can protect strong managers from burnout. To better understand what makes the dentist-office manager...

Dental marketing has changed significantly, but the goal is still to connect with the right patients and give them a reason to care. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Minal Sampat, marketing strategist, social media coach, dental hygienist, best-selling author, and founder of Marketologist, about what is working in dental marketing today.

You will learn how to use AI without losing trust, create content around patient outcomes, improve local and social marketing, track where patients actually come from, and evaluate your marketing budget based on your audience and competition. For practical ways to make your marketing...

Provider production reports can reveal far more than which clinician produced the most. When production numbers are viewed without context around capacity, schedule utilization, experience, and procedure mix, they can create inaccurate comparisons and unproductive conversations. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and practice coach Miranda Beeson explain how to evaluate production by provider as a management and coaching tool rather than a scorecard.

You will learn how to connect production with capacity, identify what is influencing each provider’s results, and use the data to create clearer expectations and better opportunities for your team to succeed. To le...

Does your dental practice clearly communicate what makes it different, or does it look and sound like every other office in your market? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Carlie Einarson, dental practice coach, about a four-step process for creating a practice that reflects what you value and attracts the patients you want to serve.

You will learn how to differentiate your practice, define your core customer, identify your core competencies, recognize weaknesses, and align your team and patient experience around a clear strategy. To build a practice around what you do best and the patients...

A dental practice can produce millions of dollars and still leave the owner wondering where the profit went. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with dental practice coach Courtney Dalton about the four financial gaps that determine how production becomes usable cash.

You will learn how to identify losses within adjustments, collections, overhead, and cash flow, along with the metrics and systems needed to improve profitability. Understand where your practice’s money is going and how to make informed financial decisions—listen to Episode 1082 of The Best Practices Show!

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A strong production day does not always mean a dental practice used its time efficiently. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and Miranda Beeson, co-host of The Best Practices Show, explain why production per hour provides a clearer view of provider efficiency than production per day alone. You will learn how schedule design, procedure mix, capacity utilization, delegation, and provider hours influence productivity, as well as how to calculate and evaluate production per hour in your practice.

To better understand the efficiency behind your production numbers, listen to Episode 1081 of The Best Practices Show!

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When every question, decision, and critical process depends on the practice owner, growth slows and the team becomes increasingly dependent on one person. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Heather Crockett, dental practice coach, about the three leadership bottlenecks that restrict practice performance: information, approval, and knowledge.

You will learn how consistent communication rhythms, clearly defined decision-making authority, documented systems, and cross-training can help your team operate with greater ownership and consistency. To identify and remove the leadership bottlenecks holding your practice back, listen to Episode 1080 of The Best Practices Show!

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