The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

Every healthy practice needs new patients. But you don't want to just have “more”. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to break down new patient count and new patient growth, how to calculate actual patient growth, and what you can do to improve your numbers. To learn how to keep a consistent active patient count that's right for your practice, listen to Episode 964 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/actdentalSend Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@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/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 964: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosMain Takeaways:Track your new patient count to know how effective your scheduling and marketing is.Healthy practices need new patients. Figure out the right number for your practice.Set a monthly new patient goal that is aligned with your long-term growth goals.Know your actual patient growth by measuring new patient growth count.Create documented follow-up systems to recapture your lost patients.Align your team with your new patient goal so they can monitor it.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.1:30 New patient count and new patient growth, explained.3:37 How new patient count impacts the practice.7:04 What you can do to impact new patient count.7:51 New patient growth, explained.10:37 How new patient growth impacts the practice.11:27 What you can do to impact new patient growth.16:22 Final thoughts.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. 

Do your hygiene visits feel too routine? Do your patients devalue appointments? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Carlie Einarson, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, with four ways to reinvent your hygiene op so you can take it from being transactional to transformational for your patients. To help patients feel educated, motivated, and to value hygiene, listen to Episode 963 of The Best Practices Show!Learn More About Carlie:Send Carlie an email: carlie@actdental.com Follow Carlie on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdentalSend Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@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/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 963: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosRegister to ACT’s BPA for their Tiers of Service exercise: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Ftiers-of-service-exercise#emailRegister to ACT’s BPA for their Creating a 6-Star Patient Experience tool: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2F6-star-experience#emailMain Takeaways:Start off strong by setting clear expectations for your patients.Use monitors to show the impact of their visit, not the news or HGTV.A picture is worth a thousand words. Start using technology to its fullest.Celebrate even the small wins and validate concerns so that patients open up.Resist your “righting” reflex. Create space for learning rather than giving answers.Make hygiene visits an opportunity for patient engagement, not just “routine cleaning”.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.1:47 Why this is an important topic.4:00 Set clear expectations.9:34 Use monitors for patient education.17:15 Use technology to its fullest.21:25 Celebrate wins and validate concerns.23:50 The righting reflex, explained.26:49 Help patients get out of their routine.30:01 Final thoughts.31:23 ACT’s BPA.Carlie Einarson Bio:Carlie Einarson is a lead practice coach who has a passion for helping others succeed in the dental field. She loves helping to create a stable foundation for practices so both professionals and patients have a great experience every time they walk in the door!Carlie graduated from Utah College of Dental Hygiene. She has ten years of experience in the dental field, including clinical dental hygiene, front office, and leading teams.In her free time, Carlie enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, traveling, skiing, playing volleyball, and golfing.

How do you build a general practice that can pay the bills? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. John Cranham, co-founder of Cranham Culp Digital Dental, to share his tips for balancing bread-and-butter dentistry with your niche so you can have a fulfilling and profitable career. To learn how to build a healthy general practice that you enjoy, listen to Episode 962 of The Best Practices Show!Learn More About Dr. Cranham:Send Dr. Cranham an email: jcranham@mac.com Join Dr. Cranham on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.c.cranhamFollow Dr. Cranham on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnccranhamddsLearn more about Cranham Culp Digital Dental: https://www.ccdigitaldental.comMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 962: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosRead Good to Great by Jim Collins: https://bookshop.org/p/books/good-to-great-why-some-companies-make-the-leap-and-other-s-don-t-jim-collins/ec0b317c56aaceb4?ean=9780066620992&next=tMain Takeaways:Don't get addicted to growth. Seek eudaimonia.Find your niche and balance it with your general dentistry.A healthy hygiene department is key to having a strong general practice.Pay attention to how you're scheduling. Keep your records and consult spots full.Align with your team so they understand why they shouldn't book your specialty spots.Balance what you love doing, what you can be the best at, and what can pay your bills.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.2:11 Dr. Cranham’s background.3:59 The general practice paying the bills, explained.7:40 How much is “enough”?12:32 What dentists get wrong about what is enough.14:44 How a general practice can pay your bills.19:53 Specialty, explained.23:11 Not all patients are specialty patients.26:26 What is the ideal number of records per day?28:01 Keep your record spots and consult spots full.30:00 Maintain balance.31:17 Three things to ask yourself when finding your niche.33:48 Final thoughts.35:08 More about Cranham Culp Digital Dental.Dr. John Cranham Bio:Dr. John C. Cranham is a highly respected and renowned dentist in Chesapeake, Virginia. At his state-of-the-art office, he delivers unsurpassed general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and restorative dentistry, including TMJ therapy and dental implant services. He uses his vast experience and expansive knowledge to create healthy, natural-looking smiles. Dr. Cranham was an honors graduate of the Medical College of Virginia in 1988. He is an internationally recognized speaker on the esthetic principles of smile design, contemporary occlusal concepts, treatment planning, restoration selection, digital photography, laboratory communication, and happiness and fulfillment in dentistry. Dr. Cranham founded Cranham Dental Seminars, which provides lectures, mobile programs, and intensive hands-on experiences to dentists around the world. In 2008, Cranham Dental Seminars merged with The Dawson Academy, a world-famous continuing education facility based in St. Petersburg, Florida. As The Dawson Academy’s acting Clinical Director, Dr. Cranham is involved with many of the courses and provides continuing education to dental professionals across the globe. He spends approximately two-thirds of his time in private practice and the other third as an educator. He believes this balance keeps him on the leading edge of both disciplines. Dr. Cranham is an active member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics, and American Equilibration Society.

How good is your team at capturing opportunities over the phone? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to break down new patient call conversion percentage, how it impacts your practice, and what you can do to improve your numbers. To learn how to help your team with their phone skills and save thousands on marketing, listen to Episode 961 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/actdentalSend Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@actdental.com Learn More About ACT Dental:ACT’s Events: https://www.actdental.com/eventACT’s website: https://www.actdental.comACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdentalACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdentalACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdentalACT’s LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/actdental/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 961: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosMain Takeaways:New patient call conversion percentage reflects your team’s phone skills.Listen to recorded calls as a team to evaluate and improve their skills.Winning a patient over starts with the call, not when they show up.A low conversion rate reflects wasted leads and wasted dollars.Create a scheduling system that gets new patients in easily.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.1:56 New patient call conversion percentage, explained.4:00 Why this metric is important and how it impacts your practice.7:45 Tips to improve this metric.17:29 ACT’s BPA.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.

Airway dentistry isn't just a fad — it’s here to stay! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings in Dr. Meggie Graham and Dr. Liz Turner, founders of the Untethered Airway Health Center, to talk about the growing field, what airway health really means, and why it’s important to integrate it into your practice. To learn how you can impact your patients’ health no matter their age, listen to Episode 960 of The Best Practices Show!Learn More About Dr. Graham & Dr. Turner:Join Dr. Graham & Dr. Turner on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/untetheredahcFollow Dr. Graham & Dr. Turner on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untetheredairwayLearn more about Untethered Airway Health Center: https://untetheredairwayhealthcenter.comRegister for The Untethered Way courses: https://theuntetheredway.comListen to Dr. Graham & Dr. Turner’s podcast: https://untethered-airway-health.captivate.fmMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 960: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosMain Takeaways:Airway is not just a fad — it’s that dentistry has been missing it for years.Help patients identify their breathing dysfunctions and become aware.Don't push airway onto patients who aren't ready to hear about it.Implementing airway isn't all or nothing. It’s okay to do it slowly.Stay curious and excited to learn to be fulfilled in your career.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.1:23 Dr. Turner and Dr. Graham’s backgrounds.3:33 Dr. Turner and Dr. Graham’s aha moment.10:25 What airway health really means.17:34 Common mistakes dentists make when looking at airway issues.20:51 How to integrate airway into your practice.26:09 The future of airway in dentistry.30:01 Is airway just a fad?34:20 Final thoughts.35:59 The origin of The Untethered Way.38:26 More about The Untethered Way course.39:45 More about the No One Told Me podcast and how to get in touch.Dr. Meggie Graham Bio:Dr. Meggie Graham helps patients of all ages breathe better and live healthier lives. As both a mother and an airway patient herself, she understands the challenges families face with breathing disorders, tongue-ties, and sleep problems.A faculty member at The Breathe Institute, Dr. Graham specializes in non-invasive solutions that address root causes of breathing issues. Her commitment comes from years of advanced training in sleep-disordered breathing and facial development, combining personal experience with professional expertise to create lasting solutions for her patients.Dr. Liz Turner Bio:Dr. Elizabeth Turner helps families overcome feeding difficulties and breathing challenges at every age. As a mother who watched her own son transform after tongue-tie treatment, she understands both the concerns parents face and the care needed for optimal results.A certified laser surgeon and Tufts University graduate, she specializes in infant tongue-tie release, children's airway development, and adult breathing solutions. Dr. Turner combines advanced laser technology with gentle, personalized care, regularly educating both families and healthcare providers about early intervention in breathing health.

959: The Secret Behind Selling Dentistry Without Selling – Dr. Tom HedgeHow do you sell dentistry without selling? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings in Dr. Tom Hedge, founder of The Houston Dentists Tanglewood, to review a recent presentation he gave at Smile Source Exchange and share his secret to selling dentistry without actually selling. To learn how to get patients to buy without feeling like they're sold to, listen to Episode 959 of The Best Practices Show!Learn More About Dr. Hedge:Send Dr. Hedge an email: tomhedge@mac.com Join Dr. Hedge on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHoustonDentistsTanglewoodFollow Dr. Hedge on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houstondentistoftanglewoodLearn more on Dr. Hedge’s website: https://www.thehoustondentiststanglewood.comMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 959: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosLearn more about Smile Source and The Exchange: https://smilesource.comTry Weave: https://www.getweave.comMain Takeaways:Always take photos of new patients. It is a critical step.Use digital photography for patient education. Let them do the talking.Never treat a stranger. Ask good questions and get to know your patients.Consider hiring a remote employee. They can free up you and your team’s time.Make it as easy and as convenient as possible for patients to schedule appointments.There isn't one big thing to make your practice better; there are a thousand little things.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.0:52 Dr. Hedge’s background.4:56 What most dentists get wrong about photography.7:01 Selling without selling, explained.8:46 Does Dr. Hedge invest in marketing?9:44 All you need is an iPad.10:09 Self-limiting beliefs about taking photos.11:03 Let patients do the talking.11:36 Benefits of a remote employee.16:03 Benefits of using Weave.16:58 Dr. Hedge’s philosophy on hygiene.19:05 The future of technology in dentistry.22:43 Advice for dentists.24:24 About Smile Source Exchange.27:35 Final thoughts.Dr. Tom Hedge Bio:Dr. Tom Hedge is widely known as one of the top-notch cosmetic dentists in the United States. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he majored in biology and chemistry. While studying at the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, he conducted research resulting in the publication of seven abstracts and one paper, which received numerous awards at the state and national levels. After graduating from dental school, he completed a general practice residency at Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina. This advanced education included training in anesthesia, pediatrics, emergency medicine, geriatrics, TMJ treatment, endodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, oral surgery, prosthetics, and implantology.Dr. Hedge is nationally recognized not only for excellence in clinical programs, but for sound business practices that make full use of the newest technologies in dentistry. He is an alumnus of the renowned Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, as well as the Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education. Dr. Hedge is a frequent contributor to dental publications, as well as professional development magazines. 

958: Metric Mondays: New Patient Re-Appointed to Hygiene Percentage - Miranda BesonAre your new patients one-and-done, or do they stay with you long term? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to break down new patient re-appointed to hygiene percentage, how it affects your practice, and ways to improve your numbers. To learn how to create long-term patient relationships by re-appointing to hygiene, listen to Episode 958 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/actdentalSend Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@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/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 958: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosRegister for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 24, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-24-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218452908449?aff=odcleoeventsincollectionMain Takeaways:Evaluate your new patient process. Ensure that it ends with a scheduled hygiene visit.Track your re-appointments. Quickly follow up with patients who haven't scheduled.Make it easy to schedule future appointments. Ensure it’s done before they leave.If your re-appointment percentage is low, focus on building patient loyalty.A high re-appointment percentage shows patients value your care.Discuss and document your new patient system as a team.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.2:14 New patients re-appointed to hygiene percentage, explained.5:28 How this metric impacts the practice.8:13 High and low re-appointment percentages.10:26 What you can do to impact this metric.14:50 ACT’s BPA.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. 

957: Beat Burnout With Better Systems – Miranda BeesonWhen you're burned out, it leads to chaos. Luckily, there's a cure! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to share five steps to create a solid system that will keep your practice running smooth and stress-free. To learn how better systems can bring joy back into your practice, listen to Episode 957 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/actdentalSend Courtney an email for your Golden Ticket to ACT’s TTT: courtney@actdental.com Send Gina an email for your Golden Ticket to ACT’s TTT: 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/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 957: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosWatch Episode 947 with Alan Twigg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CHbDVbpa3MRegister for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 17, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-17-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218436780209?aff=odcleoeventsincollectionRegister for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 24, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-24-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218452908449?aff=odcleoeventsincollectionMain Takeaways:Align with your team about what you're creating.Convey the “why” to get understanding and commitment.Identify where exactly your systems apply. Be very specific.Define when your systems should be activated and followed.Assign responsibilities clearly so everyone knows who does what.Determine how your system will be applied with clear, specific steps.Document your systems. If they aren’t written down, then they don’t exist.Do this process together as a team. Get their weigh-in so that you get buy-in.Constantly revisit, review, and revise your systems. Don't just set it and forget it.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.5:31 ACT’s BPA and Smile Source.8:24 Why this is an important topic.19:23 Chaos is the symptom, and systems are the cure.22:37 Set clear expectations.28:33 Creating New Agreements, Policies, & Systems: What.30:55 Creating New Agreements, Policies, & Systems: Why.36:13 Creating New Agreements, Policies, & Systems: Where.39:53 Creating New Agreements, Policies, & Systems: Who.46:37 Creating New Agreements, Policies, & Systems: How.48:18 The 80% approach.51:41 Revisit, review, and revise your systems as a team.55:41 Don't set it and forget it.57:59 Final takeaways.1:01:07 Q&A: Can there be an effective marriage of cross-training and systems?1:08:07 ACT’s To The Top Study Club.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.

956: 5 Reasons Your Team Feels Overwhelmed – Michelle WakemanDo you and your team constantly feel overwhelmed? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings in Michelle Wakeman, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to explain five reasons why and what you can do to reduce burnout and overwhelm. Feeling overwhelmed is normal — and it’s fixable! To learn how to be less stressed and more productive so you can take better care of your patients, listen to Episode 956 of The Best Practices Show!Learn More About Michelle:Send Michelle an email: michelle@actdental.com Follow Michelle on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdentalSend Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@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/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 956: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosRegister for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 17, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-17-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218436780209?aff=odcleoeventsincollectionRegister for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 24, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-24-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218452908449?aff=odcleoeventsincollectionRegister to ACT’s BPA for their Creating New Agreements, Policies, and Systems resource: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fcreating-new-agreements-policies-systems#emailRegister to ACT’s BPA for their Communications Rhythms Guide: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fthe-act-dental-meeting-rhythm#emailRegister to ACT’s BPA for their Building an Appreciative Workplace resource: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fbuilding-an-appreciative-workplace#emailRead books by Jon Gordon: https://jongordon.com/booksRead books by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.tablegroup.com/booksMain Takeaways:Set clear expectations. Don't leave your team guessing.Have documented systems so your team can be proactive.Clearly communicate changes with your team before they happen.Be clear about roles and responsibilities. Make it clear who does what.Give your team feedback. They actually want to know where they stand.Recognize your team’s hard work. It goes a long way and keeps morale high.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.1:31 Why this is an important topic.4:55 Set clear expectations.11:31 Have documented systems in place.17:11 Communicate changes.22:49 Have clear roles and responsibilities.27:27 Give feedback and recognition.32:32 Final thoughts.34:28 ACT’s BPA.Michelle Wakeman, BSDH, 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.

955: Metric Mondays: Unscheduled Active Patients – Miranda BeesonYou might have 1,500 active patients. But how many don't have their next appointments scheduled? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to break down unscheduled active patients, how it impacts your practice, and ways to improve your numbers so your days get better at work. To learn how to keep patients tethered to your practice, listen to Episode 955 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/actdentalSend Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: courtney@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/listenJoin The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaDownload ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_USJoin ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/tttGet The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazinePlease leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218Episode Resources:Watch the video version of Episode 955: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videosRegister for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 17, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-17-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218436780209?aff=odcleoeventsincollectionRegister for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 24, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-24-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218452908449?aff=odcleoeventsincollectionMain Takeaways:Having too many unscheduled patients will lead to schedule gaps and lost revenue.Unscheduled patients also means missed opportunities for preventative care.About 40% of patients who don't schedule future appointments don't return.Align your team on the expectation to always preschedule your patients.Also align your team on the value-building language that's used.When patients are less likely to return, their health will suffer.Create follow-up systems to proactively recapture patients.Snippets:0:00 Introduction.2:51 Unscheduled active patients, explained.4:19 How unscheduled active patients impacts your practice.10:01 Ways to positively impact this metric.15:06 Last thoughts.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.