Consulting vs. Coaching: Which Does Your Practice Need?
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Release Date: 08/14/2024
How Your Hiring Process Is Costing You Hygienists
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Finding a great hygienist is difficult enough in today's market. The last thing your practice needs is a hiring process that unintentionally drives qualified candidates away. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana Pardue challenge one of the most common assumptions in dentistry: that the hygienist shortage is the only reason practices can't fill open positions. While the shortage is real, many practices are creating unnecessary barriers through slow decision-making, gatekeepers, personality assessments, and interview processes that put the doctor—the very person candidates...
info_outline
Are You Teaching Your Team Not to Think?
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Episode Description Every dental practice wants employees who take ownership, solve problems, and think independently. But what if the biggest obstacle isn't your team—it's the way they're being led? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue explore the leadership habits that unintentionally create dependent employees. From constant reminders and answering every question to rescuing projects instead of coaching through them, they explain how well-meaning leaders can accidentally train their teams to wait instead of think. Learn how clear expectations, documented...
info_outline
The Million-Dollar Follow-Up Problem
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Every day, patients leave dental practices knowing they need treatment... yet many never schedule. The result? Health problems worsen, patients disappear, and practices unknowingly leave hundreds of thousands—even millions—of dollars in diagnosed treatment sitting unscheduled. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue tackle one of the biggest missed opportunities in dentistry: treatment plan follow-up. Dana also shares her personal health journey and why following through on recommended care made all the difference, creating a powerful reminder of what patients...
info_outline
Navigating No-Shows
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Are broken appointments disrupting the flow of your dental practice and impacting your bottom line? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Michael and Sandy dive deep into a chronic challenge faced by many dentists: managing broken appointments. Sandy, drawing from her wealth of expertise, sheds light on effective strategies to tackle this issue head-on. She discusses how proper appointment confirmations can make all the difference and shares her sharp observations on recognizing patterns that often lead to last-minute cancellations. Sandy stresses the imperative of clear and consistent...
info_outline
You Don’t Have a Staffing Problem
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Why do so many dental practices struggle with staffing, accountability, and turnover? According to Sandy Pardue, the issue may not be the team at all — it may be leadership. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy dive into the uncomfortable but necessary conversations around leadership, onboarding, staff meetings, expectations, accountability, and why many practices unknowingly create the chaos they complain about. From poor onboarding experiences to managers who were never trained to lead, this episode breaks down the habits that quietly damage team culture and drive good...
info_outline
The Hygiene Hiring Crisis
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Most hiring conversations in dentistry start with the wrong question. “Do people even want to work anymore?” But today’s workforce trends tell a different story. Employees are evaluating workplaces just as much as employers are evaluating them—and many candidates are prioritizing flexibility, leadership, clarity, and culture over compensation alone. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack one of the biggest frustrations in dentistry right now: hiring hygienists in a changing workforce landscape. Together, they break down how practices can stop hiring...
info_outline
Promoted… But Not Prepared: The Leadership Gap in Dentistry
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Are we expecting people to lead… without ever teaching them how? In dental practices everywhere, strong team members are promoted into management roles—but without clear systems, protocols, or expectations, they’re left to figure it out on their own. The result? Confusion, inconsistency, and leaders who feel stuck, reactive, or overwhelmed. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack one of the biggest gaps in dentistry today: the lack of structure behind leadership. Because the truth is—most managers aren’t failing because they’re incapable… they’re struggling...
info_outline
AI vs. Human: Who Should Answer Your Phones?
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
AI is changing the way dental practices operate—but should it replace the front desk? In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy take a real, balanced look at AI receptionists in dentistry. From answering phones and scheduling appointments to managing patient communication, automation is becoming more accessible than ever. But here’s the bigger question: Where does AI improve efficiency—and where does it risk losing the patient connection? Sandy shares real conversations she’s having with dentists right now, including practices considering reducing front desk staff. Together,...
info_outline
Front Desk Chaos to Clarity
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
Front Desk Chaos to Clarity Episode Description: In this episode of The Dental Drill Bits Podcast, Sandy and Dana tackle one of the biggest front desk challenges in dental practices—how to maintain consistency and organization when multiple team members rotate through the same position. 🔄 One doctor from the Dental Drill Bits Facebook group asked: How do I streamline communication and documentation when different front desk employees work on different days? Sandy and Dana break it all down, sharing real-world strategies to bring clarity and structure to the front office. They discuss the...
info_outline
New Dentist, Now What? Building the Business Side That Actually Works
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue
In this episode, we tackle one of the most common—and overwhelming—questions new dentists face: “Now what?” After dental school, the clinical foundation is there—but the business side often feels unclear, scattered, and reactive. Many dentists jump from course to course, system to system, trying to fix everything at once. But without a clear starting point and sequence, progress stalls—and frustration builds. We discuss what actually matters first when building the business side of a practice—from leadership and culture to metrics, systems, and accountability. You’ll...
info_outlineAre you unsure about how consulting might help your dental practice? In this episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into the transformative power of consulting versus coaching in the dental world. They clarify that while coaching hones the personal development of your team, consulting zeros in on your business's heartbeat—its systems, organization, and overall operational efficiency. From reducing stress to improving overall practice productivity, they paint a vivid picture of how the right consultant can turn a chaotic office into a well-oiled machine.
Sandy shares invaluable tips on choosing the right consultant, stressing the importance of experience, and steering clear of advice from inexperienced sources or online hearsay. They candidly discuss common challenges and misconceptions team members have about consulting, and provide practical advice for seamlessly introducing a consultant to your team. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how consultants can provide ongoing support well beyond mere initial implementation, and why viewing them as temporary "training wheels" can eventually lead your practice to smooth, independent operation. Don't forget to check out Classic Practice Resources and join the conversation in the Dental Gumbo Facebook group!
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The crucial differences between consulting and coaching for dental practices.
- How consultants can help improve systems, organization, and reduce practitioner stress.
- Why experience is key when selecting a consultant and red flags to watch for.
- Common team challenges and misconceptions about working with consultants.
- Tangible benefits of consulting, like increased productivity and better team training.
- Practical tips for effectively introducing a consultant to your team.
- Insights into Classic Practice Resources’ approach to consulting, including ongoing support.
Ready to transform your practice with an effective consultant? Tune in to get all the details!
Sponsors:
Do you need a new website or marketing agency? Check out what Docsites can do for you: https://www.docsites.com/landing-pages/ddb/
Tools/Software:
People:
Brands: