The Double Your Production Podcast

In this milestone episode, we invited dental practice owners from across our community to join us live and share what has been most impactful for their practice growth. You’ll hear from dentists with a wide variety of practices as they share what has made the biggest difference for them. In this episode, we talked about everything from profitability to teamwork to comprehensive preventative care. Don’t miss this packed episode. Thank you to everyone who was a part of this live recording, we’re SO honored to have hosted The Double Your Production Podcast for 150 episodes. Thanks for tuning in, we’re looking forward to many more episodes!

On the podcast today, we’re talking about money. Specifically, we’re talking about the role production plays in a dental practice.    How important is production? If the owner-dentist is talking a lot about production, is that a sign of greed or possible over-diagnosing? A dental practice is a business, and money plays a role, but how does that factor into patient care and the overall practice atmosphere?   Production isn't everything, but it is important to the survival and performance of the practice. So how much should teams be focusing on it?   We’re diving into this hot topic in today’s episode, so don’t miss it!

Team compensation can be an emotionally-charged topic in any dental office. With wages rising and profits shrinking, this can put doctor-owners in a tough spot when determining a fair pay structure.   Today, Kellie Black is joining Wendy Briggs on The Double Your Production Podcast to share how to best handle compensation in the practice.   In this episode, you’ll learn: How to determine the market rate for your area (and the pros and cons of meeting or exceeding that rate) How to introduce activity bonuses periodically to energize the team and incentivize top performance The best ways to respond to team members who ask for a raise What to do when team members are frustrated by the compensation of others

Most dentists are taking on too many things in the practice. They see patients every day, manage the team, and operate the business, all of which could be full time jobs. This overload often leads to burnout and causes practice growth to hit a ceiling, but delegation isn’t always easy. Do any of these sound familiar? “The team is already working so hard, I can’t ask them to take on any more.” “By the time I teach someone else how to do this, I could have just done it myself.” “This project is too sensitive to give to a team member, it can only be done by me.” When delegation is done right, time is saved, team members are more satisfied in their roles, and the practice can grow more quickly. In this episode, Dr. John Meis and Wendy Briggs are sharing their tips for delegation and clearing the way for stronger team dynamics. In the episode, Wendy highlights some of our upcoming events. We hope to see you at one of these retreats or workshops. See our full calendar here: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/events 

In part 2 of this episode, Dr. John Meis and Wendy Briggs are discussing more ways to protect your dental practice in the event of an economic recession. In this episode, you’ll learn… How to make the most of lean periods in your practice Why it’s a good time to evaluate your insurance participation and renegotiate reimbursement rates How to avoid bad habits if appointments dip Why an economic downturn is often a good time to invest in growth Unexpected challenges will always arise in business, but the more prepared you are, the less your practice will be impacted. Don’t miss this episode. These strategies will ensure your office thrives no matter the circumstances. Download Your Free Guide: We’ve put together a downloadable guide with additional resources on how to protect your practice. Get your copy here: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/recession 

Over the past few months, there have been countless headlines warning of a recession. While nobody can predict the future, there is considerable evidence to indicate a looming downturn. What can you do to protect your dental practice? Contrary to popular belief, recessions don’t hurt all businesses. Some companies make it through difficult periods unscathed, and some even take advantage of certain economic factors (like low interest rates) and grow. How you prepare will determine the impact economic fluctuations will have on your production, profitability, and growth potential.  In this 2-part episode, Dr. John Meis and Wendy Briggs are sharing their 7 strategies to insulate your dental practice from economic harm. Don’t miss this in-depth episode. We’ve also put together a free downloadable guide with additional resources on how to protect your office. Get your copy here: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/recession

How is AI impacting the dental industry? How will it transform patient care? In this episode of The Double Your Production Podcast, Dr. John Meis and Wendy Briggs are diving into the AI advancements that they believe are making the biggest difference right now. Technology is improving at breakneck speed, and changes are coming to dentistry every day. As you look at the technology available, it’s important to have sound recommendations so you can make smart investments for your office. We’re proud to announce that this episode will be part of a recurring series on the podcast where Dr. John and Wendy share their thoughts on emerging tech and help you make the wisest investments for your practice. Don’t lose money on overly hyped new releases, get our recommendations here.

When people work closely together, conflict is inevitable. In a dental office, disagreements will come up, but if you have strategies in place to handle them, these sticky moments can actually bring team members closer and create a stronger work environment. In this episode of The Double Your Production Podcast, Wendy Briggs is joined by Heather Driscoll to talk about ways to reduce conflict at the office and bring the team together with a common purpose. In today’s episode, you’ll learn: How to establish non-negotiable rules of behavior to protect core values The Drama Triangle: what it is and how best to handle it in the workplace Scripts to empower the team to face discomfort and interpersonal tension How to disagree with co-workers without abandoning your integrity How clear roles and systems greatly reduce overall conflict within teams When conflict arises in your office, it’s an opportunity to improve communication, strengthen the team, and emerge happier.  If you’re struggling with conflict among your team members, reach out to us for some guidance and tools. Schedule a quick 10-min call here and we’ll see how we can help: theteamtraininginstitute.com/10min 

Every day in dentistry, new science emerges that requires dental professionals to revisit their recommendations for patients. While chlorhexidine was a widely used antimicrobial agent for many years, it may not be the gold standard moving forward. In this bonus episode of The Double Your Production Podcast, Wendy Briggs is sharing her best recommendations for home care products for at-risk patients.

Do your patients thoroughly understand why they need the care you recommend? Do they understand their risks and the benefits of preventative treatment? In today’s episode of The Double Your Production Podcast, Wendy Briggs and Dr. John Meis are discussing better ways to communicate these risks and benefits to patients to get them more engaged in their oral health. In this episode, you’ll learn: How risk assessments help patients better understand oral disease and the health implications of their lifestyles How a chairside risk assessment process raises the case acceptance rate How to talk to patients about fluoride when they’re encountering conflicting information in the media How to open up a conversation with patients about periodontal disease and the oral-systemic link Why the ideal appointment structure is needed to accommodate patient education When patients know more, they choose more, and dental professionals can be of greater service each day. At our upcoming Champions of Dentistry Summit, Wendy Briggs will be talking about this topic in more detail. In-person tickets and virtual tickets to the conference are still available. Save your seat here: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/summit 

Patients appreciate options. When you’re able to offer more to patients and provide the education and autonomy to choose a higher level of services, their health improves and the business performs better. When patients have access to new technology, new treatment, and advanced care, they are more engaged with their dental care and feel more satisfied with their providers. Today, dental hygiene coaches Bert Triche and Paige Hood are joining the podcast to talk about ways to expand care in a dental office. In this episode, you’ll learn: How expanded hygiene care leads to higher doctor production How to get patients excited about their care options Why 30-minute hygiene appointments often stunt practice growth How hygienists can empower patients to move forward with necessary care Also, Bert and Paige will be speaking more on this at our upcoming Champions of Dentistry Summit in Austin! Be sure to get tickets to hear their in-depth sessions. Click here to learn more about the Summit: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/summit 

Scheduling is central to the financial success of a dental office. Without a great system for scheduling patients, the day can quickly fall apart with delays, patients getting upset, and the team turning on one another. In today’s episode of The Double Your Production Podcast, Heather Driscoll is sharing her tips for building a productive, smooth schedule each and every day. Heather has spent her career managing and overseeing dental offices across the US. She owns her own group of practices and sees each day how small changes can create big improvements to performance.  In the episode, you’ll learn… How to handle missed appointments and last-minute cancellations  How to avoid conflicts between clinical and front desk staff around scheduling What to do when members of the team become “schedule watchers” Scheduling pitfalls to avoid Why radios are key to making each day run more smoothly PLUS, Heather will be speaking on this topic at our upcoming Champions of Dentistry Summit in Austin, TX, so be sure to join us to get a deep dive into her best scheduling strategies. Click here to learn more and get tickets: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/summit 

If you’re experiencing a profitability squeeze in your dental office, you’re not alone. As costs continue to rise and reimbursements fall, dentists need to pay special attention to profitability in order to ensure the doors stay open for years to come. In this episode, Dr. John Meis and Wendy Briggs are sharing some tips on how to run a more profitable office. They’re also discussing how expanding your menu of care and making some changes to your scheduling systems can drastically raise profits. At this year’s Champions of Dentistry Summit in Austin, TX, we’re diving deep on this topic. We’ll be sharing systems for expanding treatment options, improving case acceptance, and transforming profitability. Tickets are available now for this 3-day conference. Don’t miss it! Click here to learn more and register: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/summit 

Before a new patient reaches your office, before they even schedule an appointment, they do a search online to learn more about you. When they search, does your dental office make a good first impression? Do you show up toward the top of search results? Do you have positive reviews and a 4 or 5-star rating? If not, it’s time to build a stronger online reputation. With over 1,600 reviews and a 4.9 rating for his own dental office, Dr. Len Tau learned that positive reviews were an enormous source of new patient growth for his practice. He now teaches dentists and teams how to improve their own online presence with smart marketing and social media strategies. In this episode of The Double Your Production Podcast, Dr. Tau is sharing his best tips for boosting reviews and attracting more new patients into your practice. We’re also thrilled to announce that Dr. Tau will be joining us at our upcoming Summit in Austin, TX to talk about how to increase 5-star reviews and grow your practice. Learn more about the conference and get your tickets here: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/summit 

Most practice owners focus on 3 key numbers in their office: production, collections, and number of new patients. While these numbers are important to the success of the business, there's one crucial figure missing… profitability.  If you're not paying attention to profitability, you will likely end up with cash flow issues, difficulties making payroll, and stress around paying bills. You could face challenges if you want to take out a loan or sell the business. Profits keep the lights on, so it’s important to monitor the profitability of your dental office. In this episode of The Double Your Production Podcast, Dr. John Meis and Wendy Briggs are sharing their best advice for turning a profit each month. If practice profitability isn’t where it should be, now is the time to address it. For help with profitability, schedule a call with our team (https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/book-a-call) Also, consider joining us at our upcoming Champions of Dentistry Summit in Austin, TX where our focus will be on quickly improving the profitability of your practice: https://www.theteamtraininginstitute.com/summit 

The reliability of the phone system is a huge part of dental practice success. While many patients are able to schedule online or via text message, phones remain the most popular way to communicate with patients and their family members. If calls aren’t being answered consistently enough or conversations don’t flow smoothly, patient concerns can fall through the cracks leaving gaps in the schedule, unanswered questions, and missed opportunities to provide care. Today, Dr. John and Wendy are joined by Richard May of Mango to talk about how dental teams can make big improvements to their phone processes and better connect with patients. With some tech assistance, managing the phones becomes much easier and practices can prevent the frustration many patients experience when trying to get a hold of their dental office. For more information about Mango, visit: https://get.mangovoice.com/tti 

Debates often bubble up on social media about dental hygiene. As wages continue to rise and challenges emerge, many practice owners are considering shortening appointments or shifting models to keep costs manageable. With hygiene-free and assisted hygiene models rising in popularity, Wendy Briggs sat down to share her thoughts on these models and shed light on how they are working in real practices.  It’s important to be sharply aware of the pros and cons of these models in order to protect the business, protect the patient experience, and set your office on a path to growth. If your hygiene department is overloaded or isn’t running profitably, tune into this episode to hear Wendy’s insights so you can make the right decisions for your office.

Do you need more new patients in your dental office? Are people in your community able to find you and learn more about your practice?  And if you do need more patients, should you outsource your marketing or do it yourself? How do you ensure you’re spending your advertising dollars wisely? Dr. John and Wendy sat down with Cassidy Dustin of Gargle to answer your questions about marketing and patient flow. Listen to today’s episode to learn how to build a predictable, manageble stream of patients into your practice each month. Gargle is a preferred partner of The Team Training Institute. If you need help with marketing and patient flow, learn more about them here: https://www.gargle.com/

Rising dental hygiene wages and shrinking reimbursements are creating major challenges in dental offices. Many practice owners are asking themselves, “Is it even possible to be profitable with hygiene, or should I find ways to cut these losses?” With the right tools and training, dental hygiene can not only be profitable, it can be a thriving part of a dental office. We’ve seen it over and over again in practices across the US and Canada.  Recently, Wendy Briggs hosted a call with practice owners to discuss these challenges in hygiene departments and make recommendations. In part two of this presentation, you’ll get insights into how to provide comprehensive hygiene care to patients efficiently and profitably each day.

Did you know…? According to the ADA, dental assistant and hygienist vacancies have resulted in a 10% drop in dental practice capacity nationally. The ADA's Health Policy Institute also estimates that 1/3 of dental assistants and hygienists plan to retire within the next 5 years.  Additionally, insurance reimbursements continue to fall and overhead continues to rise causing a financial squeeze in dentistry. In today’s episode, we’re sharing a recording of a recent call Wendy Briggs hosted with dental practice owners to talk through these dental hygiene challenges and her recommended solutions. In this recording, you’ll get insights into how to run a hygiene department efficiently and profitably while providing comprehensive care.