Dental A Team Podcast

Brad James, director of partner development at Kleer, is the star of this Dental A-Team episode! Brad talks about Kleer, which helps roll out membership plans effectively and successfully to uninsured patients, and its new program centered around small businesses and employee care. Did you know that roughly half of small businesses don't offer dental benefits, but 82% of them want to do so in the future? Enter Kleer Employee Care, which connects small businesses with local dentist practices for membership programs. Brad and Kiera discuss all the details behind what this means for small businesses and practices, including cost, commitments, and more. This fully functional program is expected to roll out this May or June, so keep an eye out at www.kleer.com/kleer-employee-care! Check out other Dental A-Team podcast episodes that incorporate Kleer: #204: You Need to Put This in Place #276: Get More Money Into Your Practice

Ladies and gentlemen, we're talking OSHA and HIPAA compliance. The Dental A-Team welcomes Danielle McKinley, director of partner relations with PCIHIPAA, to talk about this crucial topic. It may not be the sexiest information, but it's so integral to your practice (think potential fines of hundreds of thousands to over a millions dollars! Danielle shares some horror stories). Danielle breaks down the difference between OSHA and HIPAA, the actual costs of becoming compliant, and steps you can take to tackle the overwhelming topics: She suggests first performing a risk assessment, which you can find at www.pcihipaa.com/danielle. To learn more about the Dental A-Team, and have one of our consultants come to YOU, visit www.TheDentalATeam.com today!

Kiera is joined by fellow DAT consultant, Tiffanie Trader, and Dr. Sean O'Grady in this episode. Dr. O'Grady started a practice in 2019, and shares his journey through that practice ownership. He talks with Kiera and Tiffanie about trials faced as an urban dental practice, victories had (including up 90% in collections over two months), and how the Dental A-Team played a role. From a consultant's point of view, Tiffanie shares the positives Dr. O'Grady has had, including: Prepared and growth-oriented Doesn't jump and leap without knowing what result should be Waited to have the DAT come aboard until he had hired a team that was committed Join this trio as they talk the highs and lows of starting a new practice during Covid-19! Interested in having your own success story? Visit www.TheDentalATeam.com to start with us! About Dr. O'Grady: From a young age, Dr. O'Grady knew that he wanted a career in health care because he wanted to be able to make a positive impact on people's lives. Dr. O'Grady is a people person, and one of his favorite things about dentistry is that it allows him to meet all different kinds of people, from all walks of life. Dr. O'Grady grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, and was the first person in his family to go to college. After he graduated from the University of Arizona, he earned his DMD from Boston University and completed his residency in New York City at Metropolitan Hospital, where he honed his craft of treating dental emergencies and family dental care. Dr. O'Grady worked for 3 years in Chicago at an urgent dental office, using his skill set to become more efficient at same day treatment of dental emergencies and all aspects of dental care. Dr. O'Grady further advanced his skill set by receiving training in placing and restoring implants.

It's a Q&A episode from one of our Instagram followers! This episode's topic: How to get referrals from your patients. Kiera gives two specific tips: Make sure your practice provides a good patient experience. Practice and role play with your staff how to ask for referrals. Taking these steps will personalize your patients' visit to your practice, and show them how much you care — about their teeth and their opinion. Now, we get to ask you! Will you rate and review US? You can do so by visiting our podcast page on whatever app you use to listen.

Sameer Bhasin, vice president of alliances at CareCredit, shares the low-down on third-party financing and how to better-utilize companies like CareCredit. Kiera has her own experience with CareCredit, and used it religiously when she was a treatment coordinator, closing on $60,000 to $80,000 cases. Not everyone who wants to work with CareCredit is prepared and ready to make those moves, so Sameer has tips on where to start, and he explains them in more detail: Inventory your office. Are you utilizing CareCredit or another patient financing as a product or as part of a process? Pull up diagnosing and treatment plans. Understand why some treatments are still sitting on the to-do list. Kiera and Sameer also discuss how to talk to your patients about such finances, how credit scores come into play, and, of course, what the magic number is to know if your practice is healthy in terms of CareCredit/etc. applications. Want to reach your CareCredit practice rep? Visit www.carecredit.com/partnerportal/contactus. Sameer can be contacted at [email protected].

It's time for a rundown of Dental A-Team events happening this year: all workshop-style, all CE, all virtual (until the world opens up again), and all available to sign up for at www.TheDentalATeam.com/events. Here's what's on the docket: March 26: Billing Mastery. How to set up billing, perform spot audits, run insurance verification, and more. May 14-15: Dental A-Team Summit. For the first time ever, we're hosting a full team-training event. We're talking team building, effective meetings, building financial freedom, setting goals, and a ton more. July 16: Getting the Yes! Maximized Case Acceptance. Treatment planning, tracking case acceptance, and understanding the psychology about why patients say no. September 17: Operations Manual Creation. A full day of teaching principles behind creation on operations manual and having you and your full team take action. This event will give you a massive jumpstart on having the perfect ops manual! Stoked for these events? We are too! Email us with questions at [email protected]. Lastly, make sure you use the coupon code 'podcast' for an exclusive discount!

Today's episode is all about how your practice can thrive. Kiera lays out the steps to do just that: Track KPIs (examples of what you can track included!) Set quarterly and annual goals Brainstorm dump and enact the three quick and easy things It's easy and it goes a looooong way, and all we at the Dental A-Team ask is that you try the ideas out for a month to see what progress is made. Need a little nudge? We can do that too: Email us at [email protected].

Happy 2 Year Birthday to Dental A Team Podcast! This VERY podcast you're listening to is two years old TODAY! To celebrate, we're reflecting on the journey we've been on to get this far, and invite you to do the same! Reflect on your past two years. Who did you want to be and where did you want to go two years ago today? Are you on or off track? As Kiera's therapist once said: Goals are stars to guide by, not sticks to beat ourselves with. Thank you for staying on this journey with us. Relive our best podcast moments at www.TheDentalATeam.com! And please subscribe and review as a birthday present to us :)

Office autopsies are always a fan favorite, so we're back with another! The low-down on this practice: 3 doctors, 5-6 hygienists, 4 front office staff, and a bunch of dental assistants; it's a solo office that's contemplating a second location; maxed out on operatories; and awesome associate doctors. So what were the concerns? This office reached out to the Dental A-Team to fix its front desk and develop its leadership team. How did that happen? Well, well, well, you're just going to have to listen up to understand why! It wasn't all sunshine and daisies in the journey to a better place, but the DAT worked with this team through it all, and now things are humming along better than it ever has been. Let us say that again: This practice is THE BEST it's ever been in its history of ownership. Want your own practice to get there? We want to help! Email [email protected] to get started.

The event you've been searching for IS ALMOST HERE! That's right, The Dental A-Team Summit is happening on May 14 and 15! This **virtual** event will absolutely revolutionize your practice's teamwork and effectiveness; we're talking team CE and swag boxes and lessons you can implement LIVE in your practice right then and there. Plus, hear from such stellar speakers as Mikel Michalowicz (on financial freedom), Dr. Erin Elliott (on sleep apnea), Paul Goodman (on onboarding an associate), and so many more! The DAT Summit is Kiera's dream come true, so please attend with your entire team and experience a bond for life. And we're not done yet! Before March 31, be sure to sign up and get the early bird discount. ALSO enter coupon code 'podcast' to get another surprise :) Visit summit.thedentalateam.com/ to sign up.

Dr. Josh Austin is back on the podcast, chatting with Kiera about a continuation of the topic of their last episode: mental health. Dr. Austin shares that since he started therapy, his practice has seen a 16% increase in profitability on average each month. Because he goes to therapy regularly, he feels he's become a better communicator, more empathetic, more productive, and a better leader. To put it in dental terms: therapy is like hygiene; you're never done with it. Thus, therapy is hygiene for your mind. Joshua Austin, DDS, FAGD, FACD, is a native San Antonian. After attending San Antonio's Health Careers High School and the University of Texas, San Antonio as an undergrad student, Dr. Austin graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Dental School. Dr. Austin is a member of the prestigious Seattle Study Club, which is a network of professional dental study groups dedicated to ideal comprehensive dental care. Dr. Austin's other professional memberships include the Academy of General Dentistry, the Texas Dental Association, American Dental Association, and the Rotary Club of San Antonio. Dr. Austin is a published author and lectures nationally on restorative dentistry and reputation management. He has a monthly column and weekly e-newsletter in Dental Economics, the most read dental magazine in the world. Beginning in 2014, Dr. Austin has been named a Super Dentist in Texas Monthly Magazine.

It's time to tackle the stuff you've been avoiding. Yup. In this episode, Kiera shares her experience with home buying and how it's related to upkeep in dental practices. To sum it up: What is the deferred maintenance on your practice? Have you taken temperature checks on cancellations, AR, statements, how protocols have changed with COVID-19? If you're leaving these tiny items unfixed and unaddressed for too long, they stack up! Let the Dental A-Team help you. Take our quiz here to see how systematized you are. You can also email us at [email protected] to get a copy! Our challenge to you: Fix the deferred maintenance THIS QUARTER! We believe in you, and we're also here to help. You can always reach us at www.TheDentalATeam.com.

Dr. Rhonda Kalasho, one of Hollywood's leading dental experts in cosmetic and restorative dentistry, is on the Dental A-Team podcast! With Kiera, Dr. Kalasho talks about COVID-19's impacts on the cosmetic dentistry industry, learning not to operate on a margin, and how to put the patient first. And (!!!) she shares how her practice utilizes an actual robot with patients. Exciting times, people! If you're interested in gaining a clear vision for your practice and sticking to it, as well as how to create a blueprint for success, you'll want to listen up to Dr. Kalasho's insights. Dr. Rhonda Kalasho is a dentist and patients see her for a host of reasons, including teeth bonding, bruxism, sleep apnea, sensitive teeth, and plaque. She is fluent in English as well as Arabic, which makes her culturally attuned to patients from various backgrounds. Dr. Kalasho earned her dental degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She presently runs her own practice located in Los Angeles. As a dental professional, she tries to stay updated on the latest advancements in dentistry to provide suitable treatment options to her patients. Dr. Kalasho recognizes that many patients may not be completely comfortable with visiting a dentist. Hence, she endeavors to make dental visits a low-stress experience with minimal discomfort. Learn more about GLO Modern Dental at glomoderndental.com.

Did you know that the stories you tell yourself are true? Oh, that patient is too poor to afford treatment or my doctor is a bad leader or I'm egotistical … If you think these things enough, they establish themselves in your mind and then it's all you see! Kiera is here to fix that, encouraging listeners to change up their thought process. Stop making stumbling blocks where there should be stepping stones. Tell yourself stories that create a positive reality. Let us help you become the best dental team member you can be at www.TheDentalATeam.com!

One of the many things COVID-19 did was put dental practices back on equal footing — everyone faced the same hurdles to overcome. In this episode, Kiera shares her recent experiences that caused her to switch loyalties from her beloved Southwest Airlines over to Delta (if you know Kiera, you know this is A HUGE DEAL). She talks about why Delta stood out to her, and then relates it to your practice. How is your practice standing out compared to all your competitors in terms of safety and service? The Dental A-Team encourages its family members to not scrimp and leave their patients' concerns by the wayside. Today is the day to care, and see your practice rise to the top. Visit www.TheDentalATeam.com to discover other ways your practice can stand out!

Kiera is chatting with Amy Ells, regional manager for Finger Lakes Dental Care in New York! The two women just finished two days of meetings with the four Finger Lakes dental offices, and share their debrief in this episode. Topics discussed include… Successful team participation Running meetings on a cadence Inspiring a growth model Cruises vs. cookie cakes :) The underlying point to the huge success of Amy and her practice: traction! Like what you heard? Listen to Amy's previous DAT episode, #95, Successful Leadership Teams of Multi-practices. Amy joined Finger Lakes Dental Care after completing her degree in communications with a concentration in public relations and a minor in marketing from SUNY Fredonia. She has been a part of the Finger Lakes Dental Care team since 2008. Amy is a member of the American Association of Dental Office Managers and has been taking multiple classes over the past few years covering topics from inter-office communications to online marketing. In her spare time, Amy enjoys crafting, traveling, and reading. For more information and episodes, visit www.TheDentalATeam.com.

Do you often think of your practice's or company's core value? We sure hope you do! They're an important part of setting the culture at your place of work, and guideposts on the roadmap to success. The Dental A-Team is currently reworking its core values to attract better hires. Listen to this episode for a core value exercise to see where you stand with your current values, and then learn if they might need to be re-shifted. Also included are the eight attributes of teams and companies that succeeded over the past year! Check 'em out: Candor Collaboration Teaming out Accountability Development Energy Relationship Outcomes This rework should be a team effort, so make sure you're including the gang! If you want to hear more about core values, listen to episode 244, Workshop Wednesday: The Hardest Part.

We're going to be honest with you: Hiring has been hard as of late. Just like many of the practices we visit, the Dental A-Team has experienced staff turnover. We might be desperate to fill these important positions in our practice, but THIS episode is about how we didn't let that desperation take the driver's seat to bring someone new aboard. Today's new spin on hiring is all about how you write the job description. Hint: Be brutally honest when you fill it out; list exactly what you want out of your dream hire. Not so sure about that approach? Press play to hear how we did it. And! The DAT also has a hiring course to help you on this journey. Visit www.TheDentalATeam.com to sign up, and use code 'hire7' to get a sweet discount.

You know those topics you just love to hear about? This throwback episode re-tackles the 2-2-2 follow-up, which will in turn help increase your case acceptance AND provide better patient care. The first rule: Every patient who leaves your practice should always leave with an appointment. If they don't, it's time to implement the 2-2-2 follow-up, meaning you're reaching out two days after the appointment, two weeks, and two months. Check out the Dental A-Team's treatment tracker to help you establish this in your practice!

It's time to take a good look at your practice in the mirror: Are you assuming too much of your patients? Kiera shares an example of this at a Macy's in Arizona where she was shipped from department to department without any helping hand. Don't be like this Macy's! Stop assuming your patients know what a crown is, or a root canal, or insurance verification. Stop sending your patients around in circles because you're not on the same page as your fellow team members! This episode will encourage you to focus in on perfecting the patient experience in your practice. The good news, 95% of the changes you can make are free! By ensuring your patients are taken care of from start to finish, you're showing the love and care they want to feel. But wait! There's more! Are you looking for other ways to make your patients feel like VIPs? Visit www.TheDentalATeam.com to discover the path to perfection.

If you're a Dental A-Team podcast listener, you KNOW Kiera is all about creating a word for each year. In this episode, she shares her 2021 word, invites listeners to do the same … and then encourages your PRACTICE to come up with a word for the year, too! For example: The DAT's 2021 word? Maximization! This topic is a great one for weekly meetings. Gather your team together to brainstorm word ideas that represent what your practice wants to accomplish this year. Then share them with us: [email protected]. We can't wait to hear your words!

You need to start trusting the process, people! In this episode, Kiera talks through how to take hold of 2021 and reassert yourself professionally and personally. The steps to get there: Make the decision and take action Something holding you back? Dive in with both feet Leave behind the guilt Make the new year a good one by grabbing it by the horns. The Dental A-Team is here to help you along the way. Visit us at www.TheDentalATeam.com to take more action today.

Do you want to perfect your treatment plans? Organize schedule planning? Become the ultimate leader? It's time to start doing just that. The Dental A-Team is here to inspire you to shift your mindset and start speaking the positive. What you focus on is what you achieve. You create what your professional life is, what your persona life is, and what 2021 will mean for you. Start today by listening to this episode. By the way, have you rated and reviewed us? Please do! You can do so on any place you're streaming this podcast. We'll love you forever :)

Let's give a warm welcome to the returning Dr. Jenny Perna (Yogi Dentist)! Listen in as she and Kiera discuss Dr. Perna's plans that went awry in 2020 — her attempts to acquire an office and work with moving parts, as well as the many lessons learned. What would Dr. Perna change, looking back? Assemble your transition team early Don't be afraid to stray from recommendations Include as much in your Letter of Intent as possible Those are only a few of the many tips she provides, but you'll need to press play to get the rest. More advice includes dealing with banks and what kind of mentor is imperative to have. Listen to our previous episode with Dr. Perna: #261, Associate to Owner, Taking the Leap! Dr. Jenny Perna grew up in Merritt Island, Florida, where she spent her early years performing as a dancer, singer, and actor. While attending the University of Florida for her undergraduate education, she worked as a dental assistant and saw how her two worlds of artistry and science could combine in a career in dentistry. Dr. Perna attended Nova Southeastern University and received her Doctorate in Dental Medicine in 2014. During her time in dental school, she participated in multiple dental missions trips and saw the life-changing impact that dentistry can have on her patients. After finishing dental school, Dr. Perna advanced her dental knowledge by completing her General Practice Residency in Asheville, NC. Dr. Perna currently practices in Austin, TX. She aims for every patient to feel at ease and comfortable with a complete understanding of their dental needs during their dental visits. She runs a dental instagram blog, @yogi_dentist, where she educates, entertains, and attempts to break the barrier between doctor and patient. When she's not thinking about teeth, Dr. Perna enjoys being active, yoga, traveling,cooking, and playing with her doberman, Gio.

Today's topic is a listener-fueled answer! Yup, if you have a question, the Dental A-Team has an answer, and sometimes that answer is an entire podcast episode! Listener Amanda asked about how to determine whether you should write a fee off or not. Kiera shares her own opinion on the matter: Basically, don't list $0! Posting a full fee and then writing it off from there with a certain discount shows the patient the value your practice and work is offering. Doctors, don't discount your dentistry. By implementing this DAT idea, your office can gift patients the value of dentistry, inspire loyalty, and keep track of the dollar amounts that are being written off. Press play to hear all about it! And listeners, have your own questions or podcast episode topic ideas? Email [email protected] today!

Wanna know a secret to moving forward positively in your personal and professional success? You immerse yourself in inspiring spheres of influence! This episode talks about proximity as power — utilizing mentors and coaches and consultants to expand your knowledge base and web of connections. Let Kiera warm you up with her own experiences of having coaches and mentors, then it's time to take flight! The Dental A-Team can be that starting point, or we can give you ideas for other resources. It all starts at www.TheDentalATeam.com.

It's time for … book club! Yup, Kiera is back with her latest read recommendations. These books are just for a good time — they're full of good ideas that you can instill in your own practice. (Pssst, we linked the audiobooks below so you can listen on the go!) The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn by John C Maxwell The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michaelowicz Fix This Next by Mike Michaelowicz Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis Get Out of Your Own Way by Dave Hollis The Untethered Soul by Michael A Singer Use these books to start your own book club in your practice! Assign, read, gather, then tell us about it! We want to hear your thoughts: [email protected].

Scenario: A key member of your practice goes completely out of commission … What do you do? This week's office autopsy takes a look at that. Kiera shares an experience a practice went through recently, prompting her encouragement to all practices to have the following in place: Have a COVID-19/shutdown plan Create an operations manual for everyone in your practice Encourage team members to take time off not only for mental health, but so weaknesses are revealed and problems solved Listen up to how the DAT worked through having a key player (in this case, the doctor!) out of the picture. Not sure where to start in creating your own emergency approach? The Dental A-Team can help you! Visit www.TheDentalATeam.com.

In search of some stellar programs to keep your practice organized this year? Kiera is sharing successful options the Dental A-Team has found like Basecamp, Trello, ClickUp (our current fave), and more. Have your own organization/communication apps that you love? Share 'em with us: [email protected]!

Kiera joins the gang at Commercial Real Estate Secrets podcast to share her journey through dentistry, how she purchased a practice, and lessons learned. Topics and experiences discussed include navigating partnerships, managing site relocation, and increasing revenue from $500,000 to $2.4 million in nine months. This episode is a great reminder of the experience and heart that is behind those in the Dental A-Team. We love working with our DAT fam, and hope you love working with us. Visit www.TheDentalATeam.com to continue to support our cause.

The Dental A-Team is joined by Naomi Cooper, marketing and strategic advisory dental extraordinaire with 20 years in the industry! Naomi discusses with Kiera the difference between doing your job versus doing your career and how to muster resources around you, plus advice for having a work-life balance, three tips of which are listed below: Start out your career "with a clean house" Give yourself and others space to grow Find education opportunities on and off the clock Naomi also shares her best time management hack, tip for delegation, and how-to for team communication. You can find and connect with Naomi at [email protected]. Naomi Cooper Hochman is president of Minoa Marketing, a dental/medical marketing & social media consulting firm based in Los Angeles, California. She is a published author, a sought-after speaker, and a dental industry opinion leader.

Office autopsies — our listeners love 'em! In today's office, Kiera shares the background of an office with seven locations and 80 employees and the six-month journey to achieve a better leadership team. Listen to what this office has done and consider your own take-aways for improving your practice with best management practices. As a reminder with these autopsies: We're showing you the highlight reels of these offices, not the low-lights (the turnover, the sacrifices), which definitely do exist. Make sure you consider that when assessing your own office's progress. Want to hear about your own office autopsy? Let the Dental A-Team come to yours! Visit us at www.TheDentalATeam.com to contact us today.

Got 12 minutes to stop cancellations in your office? This episode is the one for you! Kiera shares tips on how to stop people from canceling their appointment. Especially if they're not canceling for COVID-19-related reasons, there is a lot of wiggle room. Press play to learn the magic phrases to use to keep patients sticking to their appointment time and how to implement a 15-minute patient fill when it's impossible to do so. Want to hear more about combatting cancellations? Listen to one of our first episodes: Don't Break Up With Me - Controlling Cancellations at www.TheDentalATeam.com!

We may not be the very first, but we mean it fully: HAPPY NEW YEAR, DENTAL A-TEAM! Not to beat a dead horse, but boy are we glad to be out of 2020. In this quick episode, Kiera shares a dose of inspiration with some favorite quotes and a push to start doing instead of talking. Our challenge to you: Email us right now ([email protected]) and tell Kiera what your 2021 is going to look like. We can't wait to respond :)

Yes, it's time to reflect, but it's also time to blast off into the new year! Kiera walks through the steps to take to prep your 2021 goals. Here's what you need to do: Look back at your 2020 goals — did you hit them? Did you not? Why? Set new (personal and professional) goals and know why you want to meet them. Break down your new goals into a roadmap or benchmarks to meet your marks by the end of the dear. Whatever age you're turning, come up with that amount of fun goals! Break up your practice's departments, t-graph them up, and divvy up what each department is doing well and what they can improve on. Choose one or two things per department to help your practice reach its professional goal and pick action items to meet the goals. Decide: What's your word for 2021? Keep these goals in a place where you'll see them often. Actually print them out and keep them in your agenda or journal or on your mirror. Their presence will keep you honest through the year. Happy New Year's Eve!

Cody Butler — business coach and marketing expert — joins Kiera to talk about all things marketing (and what your practice can implement to stop leaving money on the table). Cody has coached over 5,000 businesses, so he definitely knows his stuff and how to market the best dental practices to save patients from bad dentistry. The number one problem businesses have? They're not following up enough nor staying in contact with a patient long enough. How to fix other mistakes? Ask for what you want (like for reviews) If you try to be all things to all people, you'll be nothing to no one No doesn't mean no; no means not right now Other tips Cody shares include how to best utilize LinkedIn and the two most effective marketing practices you can adopt today. Learn more about Cody at www.codybutler.com and grab a FREE copy of his book at the90daymarketingplan.biz/freebook.

Want to bump revenue from $1.25 million to $2 million and drop overhead by 10%? Then listen to this office autopsy! Kiera shares a success story she's had in an anonymous office and spills some of the beans on what steps she and the practice took to get from a pretty good point A to a very awesome point B. Revamp morning huddle Track your numbers! Train back office to be treatment planners (DAT's signature move) Tip-out bins for ordering Order twice a month Negotiate fees And more! Reduce overhead Now, if your office can implement these steps on its own, full steam ahead, but the Dental A-Team is here for you if you'd like! We're just an email away: [email protected]!

Merry Christmas Eve! This episode is short and quick, but the Dental A-Team is here for you on all Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Kiera talks her family traditions and her favorite cereals, then looks back on the person she was when she started off 2020 and the person she's become — the good and the bad. We love you, DAT fam! Enjoy your holidays :)

Picture this: A well-loved doctor whose practice is bursting at the seams, 100 new patients a month, and three hygienists. Something needs to change to accommodate the growth, but what will it be? Cut back on insurance companies? Expand your building? Add an associate doctor? Kiera walks through the choices this practice made and why they did or didn't make those choices. For example, when do you need to expand your office? DAT's answer is when you can't get a new patient in within a month (at the very max; preferably within a week!). Learn the solutions this practice sought and see how their story fits in with your own! And as always, remember that we're here to help you! Email us at [email protected] to find guidance for your own practice.

Office autopsies are back! In these episodes, Kiera explains the exact prescription applied by the Dental A-Team to an individual practice to get them to hero status! The practice shared (anonymously) in this episode was purchased by a first-time practice owner/former associate dentist and the annual revenue with four operatories was $350,000 per year. The DAT prescription got this practice up to $1.5 million per year by doing the following steps: Trained the front office Started working on an operations manual Increased the new patient count Tracked numbers daily (and monthly!) Kiera walks through the details of each, so listen in with a notebook and pen! Interested in getting your own DAT prescription? Email us at [email protected] or visit our website, www.TheDentalATeam.com!

If you want your practice's leadership team to thrive, you've got to give them room to flex. Today, Kiera talks about setting your executive leadership folks up for success. Her tips: Build out a calendar (we have a sample!) Define the structure and parameters for each leadership role Block out one hour a week for these positions to focus on admin time If you aren't giving guidance and time for your team to succeed, things fall through the cracks. Trust us on this. Let Kiera talk you into it by pressing play!

In this very special Dental A-Team podcast episode, Kiera is joined by Taylor James, host of The Waffle Shop podcast, to discuss mental health. Suicide and mental challenges is especially prevlant among dentists. Kiera and Taylor share their own journeys with mental health, what they've done, and why no size fits all when it comes to addressing your own mental health. This topic is incredibly important, and remember that so are you. If you're in need of a helping hand or a nudge in a certain direction, please don't hesitate to reach out to us: [email protected]. Remember that your experiences don't define you, but they do shape you — hopefully for the better rather than the worse. Reach out for help today. You can find Taylor on Instagram! www.instagram.com/waffleshoppodcast

Efficiency — we love it, we want it, and this episode is all about it! Kiera shares tips on finding those pockets of time that you can streamline to make patient visits go way more smoothly. The secret? Note templates! Listen up as Kiera spells out how this works. Want to get your hands on the Dental A-Team's checklist for framing your patient visit, hygienists? We have the form! If you want to smooth the edges of your visits and get your patients out the door AND have all your notes completed at the same time, this is the episode for you.

WOW, we are 300 episodes into this journey! Thank you to all our Dental A-Team family members — old and new. As Kiera reflects on what it's taken to be consistent with a three-times-a-week podcast, she invites listeners to think about their own life staples. What is it in your life, personally or professionally, that's requiring you to show up? What could you do to enhance your life? Kiera shares her own tips for accountability. We love our DAT listeners. Missed one of our 300 episodes? They're allll at www.TheDentalATeam.com for your binging pleasure :)

If you had 100 extra hours of time each year, what would you do? Well, we have an idea of how to get you more freedom: hiring an assistant! Don't believe us? Start by time journaling out your life and then figuring out where you could use a helping hand. Personal assistant: Takes care of the personal things — grocery shopping, picking up dry cleaning, housekeeping, etc. Administrative assistant: Helps with smaller task business items like responding to emails, creating forms for the practice, running errands Executive assistant: Moves the practice forward. This person is a high-level thinker who can work autonomously while looking at the direction and focus of the business. (Could be your operations manager, but does not have to be.) Kiera explains the pay range for each; where to find the good ones; and how the Dental A-Team can help! Psst, we can send you the most recent assistant ads we've placed — email us at [email protected]! At the end of the day, it's not going to hurt to hire an assistant.

Try as it might, COVID-19 canNOT ruin holiday cheer! This episode will inspire you to host the best holiday party this year, even if it's virtual. If you recall, the Dental A-Team is a virtual company, meaning we've got virtual parties in the bag. Tune in to hear about how to celebrate, what games to use, and how to give the perfect gift to your team members. Need more help or ideas? We've got you: email [email protected]!

Why are you the way you are? No, really: What is your WHY? What is the need in your life? In this episode, Kiera encourages Dental A-Team family members to understand why they are the way they are so you can all make smarter, wiser decisions about why you function the way you do! Start by taking Tony Robbins' Driving Force quiz, and use the results to launch yourself forward into continued success! Like what you're hearing as far as the purpose framework? Visit www.WomenDentistsConnect.com to hear the full talk, then www.TheDentalATeam.com for more podcast episodes about excelling as a person!

Sarah O'Brien is back to talk fee schedules! Here, she shares with Kiera what it means to negotiate a fee schedule, how often it should happen, and the secrets of getting an increase across the board … and then an additional increase. And umbrella companies' roles when it comes to reimbursements? Sarah has advice for that, too. If you fall in love with Sarah and her awesome knowledge, make sure you listen to all her episodes! She's kind of a regular :) Head over to www.TheDentalATeam.com for the goods. Sarah O'Brien started remote dental billing in 2017 when she was asked to help a newly graduated dentist who had purchased an existing office with higher-than-anticipated outstanding claims, some seriously crazy accounts, and a sweet front office person with very little experience. Since that time, dozens of dental offices and dentists have used her remote billing services to send or post claims, get help with high AR, create statement protocols, and train staff to be better dental billers. Three years later, Evolution Dental Billing was created when Sarah and her friend Kiera Dent (The Dental A-Team founder and CEO) came up with a plan to completely change the way we do dental billing.

We're here with your a-ha! moment for the day: Making sure your life is balanced. It starts with an activity that requires a piece of paper, pen, and six highlighters. Let Kiera walk you through how to check and see if the time you're spending each week is actually fulfilling. Ask yourself these questions: Are you in balance of fulfilling activities? Can someone else do your job better and faster? We're curious about your results! Feel free to share them with us: [email protected]!

Yeah, it's Thanksgiving and we're feeling grateful. We've reached a massive milestone of 300,000-plus downloads on this very podcast you're listening to! And we're not even two years old! Also, we have a killer fam at The Dental A-Team. What's not to be thankful for, even in 2020?! Our challenge for you today is to take the time to genuinely thank your team, and thank them specifically. Find subtle but direct ways to show your appreciation. Inspire a culture of gratitude! Remember that every person on your team brings a special piece to your workplace. Thank you, DAT gang. And Happy Thanksgiving!