The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

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!

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt, a business show with 0 episodes published.

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  Episode #1088

  1088: Want a Stronger Team? Start With Self-Awareness - Michelle Wakeman

  Aug 19, 202630 min

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

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  Episode #1087

  1087: Metric Mondays: Diagnostic Percentage: Are You Seeing the Care Patients Need? - Miranda Beeson

  Aug 17, 202621 min

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

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  Episode #1086

  1086: What Dental Practices Need Before Hiring an Office Manager - Lorie Streeter

  Aug 14, 202640 min

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

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  Episode #1085

  1085: What Is Working In Dental Marketing? - Minal Sampat

  Aug 12, 202648 min

  Dental marketing has changed significantly, but the goal is still to connect with the right patients and give them a reason to care. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with Minal Sampat, marketing strategist, social media coach, dental hygienist, best-selling author, and founder of Marketologist, about what is working in dental marketing today. You will learn how to use AI without losing trust, create content around patient outcomes, improve local and social marketing, track where patients actually come from, and evaluate your marketing budget based on your audience and competition. For practical ways to make your marketing more effective, listen to Episode 1085 of The Best Practices Show! Main Takeaways: Marketing platforms and techniques continue to change, but effective marketing still depends on connecting with people and giving them something they care about. AI should be used as a tool rather than a substitute for human communication, and practices should be transparent when AI-generated avatars or content are being used. Dental content builds more trust when it shows the patient outcome of treatment instead of focusing only on procedures. Practices can expand their local reach by supporting nearby businesses and organizations and collaborating with them through social media content. Marketing budgets should be based on the competitive environment, the patients the practice wants to serve, and the activities that produce a measurable return. New patient forms can help identify the patient journey by allowing patients to select every marketing source that contributed to their decision. Internal marketing should emphasize patient appreciation and practice culture, while external marketing should create a consistent experience across reviews, social media, websites, ads, and patient communication. Episode Chapters: 00:00 What is working in dental marketing today. 02:39 Minal’s background in marketing and dental hygiene. 05:40 Creating a Guinness World Record campaign. 10:11 How dental marketing changed after COVID-19. 13:26 The growing role of AI in marketing. 14:55 Using AI while maintaining trust. 17:00 Humanizing AI-generated communication. 21:05 Social media content and Google search visibility. 22:30 Creating dental content that builds trust. 28:49 A simple local marketing strategy for dental practices. 30:59 Combining ground marketing with social media. 33:11 Leveraging existing marketing to reduce unnecessary spending. 35:37 Understanding your target audience. 36:52 Marketing KPIs and tracking patient sources. 40:07 Internal versus external marketing. 42:29 Evaluating the potential patient journey. 44:15 Final thoughts on using marketing tools effectively. 44:47 Minal’s Exchange session. 45:43 Podcast Wrap Up Guest Bio: Minal Sampat, RDH is the bestselling author of Why Your Marketing Is Killing Your Business, And What To Do About It. She is the founder of Marketologist® - an online marketing strategy & training course & community, a renowned marketing strategist, sought-after speaker, and social media coach extraordinaire. Minal is the founder of the popular CE on The Beach™ event! She hosts CE events & workshops on beautiful islands around the world. This event has sold out every single time! Plus, she is the Co-founder of the Pediatric Dental Marketing Course & Pediatric Dental Growth Summit! P.S. Many call Minal the "Marketing Therapist." Episode Resources: https://www.minalsampat.com/ https://ceonthebeach.com/ https://marketologist.com/ https://www.instagram.com/minalsampatllc/ https://www.facebook.com/RealTalkWithMinalSampat HeyGen: https://app.heygen.com ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/ Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/ More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: gina@actdental.com The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/ Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hub Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/ Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/ Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

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  Episode #1084

  1084: Metric Mondays: Provider Production: What Each Column Is Really Contributing - Miranda Beeson

  Aug 10, 202621 min

  Provider production reports can reveal far more than which clinician produced the most. When production numbers are viewed without context around capacity, schedule utilization, experience, and procedure mix, they can create inaccurate comparisons and unproductive conversations. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt and practice coach Miranda Beeson explain how to evaluate production by provider as a management and coaching tool rather than a scorecard. You will learn how to connect production with capacity, identify what is influencing each provider’s results, and use the data to create clearer expectations and better opportunities for your team to succeed. To learn how to get more useful information from your provider production reports, listen to Episode 1084 of The Best Practices Show! Main Takeaways: Provider production reports should be used as decision-making and coaching tools rather than simple scorecards. Production comparisons should account for differences in schedule capacity, clinical responsibilities, experience, and procedure mix. Capacity measures how much of a provider’s available clinical time is actually being utilized with patients in the chair. Production and schedule utilization should be reviewed together to determine whether each provider has an appropriate opportunity to produce. Practice owners should investigate why providers or specific days perform differently instead of assigning blame based on production totals alone. Reviewing successful and unsuccessful days with the team can reveal scheduling, case acceptance, and service-mix opportunities. Clear expectations and collaborative review of production data can support provider development and associate retention. Episode Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:19 Why production reports matter 04:00 Evaluating associate production with schedule utilization. 06:15 Defining provider capacity. 07:58 What practices get wrong with production reports. 12:42 What healthy practices do differently. 15:57 A practical exercise for reviewing production and capacity. 18:00 Reviewing successful and unsuccessful days with the team. 19:00 Developing providers and supporting associate retention. 20:00 Closing thoughts. Guest Bio: Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches. Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach. More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life: Contact Gina to learn more about ACT: gina@actdental.com The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/ Smile Source Community Hub: https://www.actdental.com/community-hub Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/ Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/ Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

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