Dental Unfiltered Episode 117 - Management Unfiltered | Why and When You Need Front Desk
Aug 21, 2025
Explore the challenges of dental front desk staffing, from overstaffing to enhancing patient experiences. The hosts discuss the importance of streamlined systems and operational efficiency in boosting practice success. Discover the impact of cross-training staff and leveraging technology to optimize workflows. Learn how structuring an effective front desk team can significantly improve patient retention and satisfaction. This engaging discussion leaves listeners with practical strategies to enhance their dental practice.
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Five Front Desk Hires That Didn't Make Sense
- Kirk describes a $2M solo doc practice with five front admins and questions why so many people were hired.
- He uses this story to show front desks are often overstaffed and inefficient rather than truly busy.
Systems, Not Heads, Solve Front Problems
- Many practices appear understaffed but actually lack efficient front-office systems.
- Improving systems often lets fewer people accomplish the same work without burnout.
Hire When Patient Flow Creates Friction
- Add a second front desk when patient experience is suffering from friction at check-in/out or phone handling.
- Use patient wait, acknowledgment, and phone answer rates to time hires, not arbitrary revenue targets.