Dental Drills Bits

Practice owner (and longterm user of Sandy's systems) Dawn Kulongowski is an open book today; sharing everything she's enjoyed about Sandy's systems after using them for nigh a decade. With her trademark infectious laugh, Dawn shares amazing and absurd stories with Sandy and Richard.

Accounts receivable looks awful. Insurance is just out of control. Does that describe your office? If so, don't be surprised. This is common! Sandy sees this on the regular. She and Richard teach us the proper workload split with front office staff, getting accurate insurance date before they deny something, so that--above of all--we can turn things around by asking patients and insurance for our money...healthily!   Sandy@ClassicPractice.com 1-800-928-9289 www.ClassicPractice.com

Whether you have to re-allocate existing staff, or hire new, Sandy shows us super specific ways to forge our own front office dream team. Today's subject: your receptionist. What kind of person do you need to work the phones? What does a new patient letter look like? When should they be written? 😯 Grab a notepad and listen in as Sandy shares all this and more. Sandy@ClassicPractice.com 1-800-928-9289 www.ClassicPractice.com

Sandy continues her from-the-ground-up scheduling philosophy. Richard asks about scheduling to a goal, keeping goals consistent, and the checklists and metrics your scheduler MUST know.   Sandy@ClassicPractice.com 1-800-928-9289

When Richard asks Sandy about her scheduling philosophy, she shares her from-the-ground-up dream schedule. Oftentimes, practice owners inherit scheduling systems from sellers. But startup or acquisition, you can start working these systems into your practice now.   www.ClassicPractice.com 

Who's picking up the phone when your practice is closed? Is your front desk demonstrably disappointed and surprised when patients call in to cancel? Sandy digs into these situations and more. Plus, she shares a super-simple secret to learn about broken appointments well before they happen.

Being bad on the phones is the best way to drive away good patients. Sandy and Richard jump right into the best practices in phone etiquette. Grab a pen and take notes as Sandy gives us actionable gems about how many times you should let it ring, empathetic tone of voice, and why being assigned to the phone is not a bad thing--at all!

Richard and Sandy discover where dentists fail to take charge; keeping a "scoreboard", developing a lifestyle of learning, and how not to be afraid of your team. Listen now.   Sandy@ClassicPractice.com

As Sandy continues showing the process of working with her and her team, she talks keeping a 'scoreboard', firing the wrong people the right way, and how she trains your team to build out (and sustain) new, effective systems!   Sandy@ClassicPractice.com

Some of us have reached the point where we don't want more money; we want less stress! Sandy teaches us when it's right to hire a consultant (and when it's wrong). Having helped countless practices uproot deep-set problems, she also shares what it took to help one practice shake free of the stress caused by hurtful employees unwilling to change. Plus, what it's like to work with Sandy and her Classic Practices team.

Last week Richard and Sandy discussed urgency with regard to team members. We now uncover the steps to take to maintain that same sense of urgency when communicating treatment plans to our patients. Sandy gives warnings about consistently mentioning a timeline, proper handoffs to team members, educating patients on the dangers of waiting, and more...

Richard and Sandy jump into a conversation about urgency. With only a little urgency, we can fill dropped appointments faster, collect more overdue accounts, and reduce the amount of diagnosed treatment that goes unscheduled--plus, the simplest thing in the world your team could be doing now to get started. ** Take an online sample Wonderlic test now.

Dr. Richard Low joins the legendary Sandy Pardue in a brand new season of Dental Drill Bits! Today, after asking Sandy to sound off on the subject of morning huddles, we get a constant stream of actionable info. Who should attend, team members' actual responsibilities, and the antidote to the perceived need to micromanage are all covered in detail.

Dr. Richard Low joins the legendary Sandy Pardue in a brand new season of Dental Drill Bits! Today, Richard strikes gold. When he mentions his friend's chaotic team meetings, Sandy opens up a treasure chest of information for the rest of us! When to schedule team meetings, how to make effective agenda outlines, KPI ownership (and a lot more)--all inside.

In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana discuss one of the most overlooked leadership systems in dental practices: documentation. Many practice owners believe conversations alone are enough to manage team performance, only to find themselves in difficult situations when there is no written record of expectations, warnings, or accountability. This conversation breaks down what should be in a personnel file, why documentation protects both the practice and the employee, and how proper record keeping makes leadership clearer and more consistent. If you have ever thought, "We've talked about this before," but nothing was written down, this episode will help you understand why documentation matters and how to implement it properly in your practice. Topics We Discuss Why documentation protects both the practice and the employee The most common documentation mistakes practices make What should be included in a personnel file Why verbal conversations are not enough The difference between coaching, counseling, and written warnings When documentation should begin What should be included in a termination letter State separation notices and employment documentation requirements How documentation strengthens leadership and accountability Special thanks to our sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com 📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com 📲 Join the conversation! Have you ever experienced a situation where expectations weren't as clear as you thought? Share your story in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.

What happens when a new doctor buys a practice… but the team expects the same automatic raises they've received for the last 20 years? Excitement meets resistance. Vision meets comfort. And compensation conversations get awkward fast. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack the tension between loyalty and leadership — and why raises must be tied to increased value, not just time served. This conversation isn't about dismissing long-term employees. Stability matters. Commitment matters. Institutional knowledge matters. But alignment matters more. You'll learn how to: • Reset compensation expectations during a practice transition • Communicate clearly about raises before review season hits • Understand the difference between a raise and a bonus • Use staff overhead percentages to create a sustainable quarterly bonus model • Identify whether you're rewarding trajectory or tenure • Lead growth without funding stagnation Sandy walks through a practical bonus structure based on collections — not production — using a benchmark staff overhead percentage (typically 25–27%). When overhead comes in under target, the margin becomes a shared team reward. Transparent. Measurable. Sustainable. You'll also hear a powerful reminder: Raises are not a reward for time served. They are a reward for increased value. If you don't define value, your team will define it for you. Clarity protects your culture. Clarity protects your profitability. Clarity protects your relationships.   Special thanks to our sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com 📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com 📲 Join the conversation! Have you ever experienced a situation where expectations weren't as clear as you thought? Share your story in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.

Dentists are trained to think in formulas. Spend X. Get Y. Measure it. Optimize it. So when marketing doesn't deliver immediate, perfectly trackable ROI, the reaction is often the same: turn it off. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy are joined by Grace Rizza, CEO of Identity Dental Marketing, to challenge that mindset. Grace breaks down the three buckets of marketing every practice must understand: foundational credibility, lead generation for high-intent patients, and brand recognition that builds long-term authority. Each bucket has a different purpose, a different timeline, and a different way to measure success. The conversation also gets real about what happens inside the practice. Sometimes marketing is working — but phone skills, internal tracking, and team accountability determine whether those leads ever convert. Grace shares key questions every dentist should ask their marketing agency, including transparency in ad spend, keyword strategy, ownership of digital assets, and how AI search is reshaping visibility. If you've been chasing ROI month-to-month, this episode may help you see growth through a different lens. Connect with Grace at identitydental.com

You introduce a new system. A new expectation. A new metric. And someone struggles. They're not aggressive. Not insubordinate. Not openly defiant. But they're hesitant. Slow. Guarded. Quietly pushing back. So the question becomes: Do we show empathy? Or do we hold accountability? In this episode, Dana and Sandy unpack the reality that most employees aren't resistant to change — they're protective of competence, routine, and confidence. But understanding human behavior does not mean lowering standards. Drawing on research from McKinsey & Company showing that nearly 70 percent of major change efforts fail due to employee behavior and leadership misalignment, they explore why great ideas fade out after implementation. They discuss: • Why consistency builds discipline • How unclear follow-through trains teams to ignore new systems • When coaching turns into enabling • The power of written protocols and documented conversations • Why accountability is clarity, not punishment Because in a growing practice, adaptability is not optional. The standard is the standard. Special thanks to our sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com 📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com 📲 Join the conversation! Have you ever experienced a situation where expectations weren't as clear as you thought? Share your story in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.

What happens when a termination feels clear to leadership—but not to the employee? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana Pardue Salisbury and Sandy Pardue unpack a surprisingly common scenario: an employee is told they're being let go, only to return to work days later like nothing happened. Through real dental office experiences and a famous Larry David story that inspired a Seinfeld episode, they explore the psychology behind denial, shame, and stress—and why documentation and written follow-through aren't HR formalities, but essential leadership tools. You'll learn how unclear communication creates risk, why verbal conversations fail under stress, and how systems, separation notices, and documentation protect the practice, the team, and the patients watching it all unfold. Special thanks to our sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com 📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions. Learn more at practicebynumbers.com 📲 Join the conversation! Have you ever experienced a situation where expectations weren't as clear as you thought? Share your story in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature it in a future episode.

What if your marketing isn't the problem—but your expectations are? In this episode, Dana and Sandy welcome Grace Rizza, the powerhouse behind Identity Dental Marketing, to break down why most dental campaigns fall flat—and what actually works. From unethical agencies to underfunded ad budgets, Grace unpacks the truth most marketers won't say out loud. If you've ever felt burned by a marketing agency, overwhelmed as a startup, or scared to go fee-for-service—this one's for you. You'll learn how to: ✅ Spot the difference between strategic marketing and expensive guesswork ✅ Avoid wasting thousands on low-quality leads and poor conversion ✅ Set realistic expectations for Google Ads and SEO ✅ Know when your marketing isn't the problem—your front desk is ✅ Confidently budget and brand your way to sustainable growth 📓 Listener Challenge: Review your last 6 months of new patient numbers. Are you tracking the right data? Is your marketing converting—or just collecting clicks? Key takeaways: 👉 You can't market your way out of bad conversion. Start with honest analysis. 👉 Dabbling in ads (like $1,000/month on Google) is worse than doing nothing. 👉 Fee-for-service practices need stronger branding, not just lead generation. 👉 Your front desk is your filter—train them or waste your marketing dollars. 👉 Success starts with realistic expectations and total ownership of your results. 🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works. Learn more at identitydental.com 📲 Join the conversation! What marketing myths have you had to unlearn? Share your experience in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—we may feature your insight in a future episode!