The Top 3 Reasons Patients Aren't Accepting Your Treatment Plan
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
Release Date: 07/10/2024
RERUN: The Real Reason Your AR Is Out of Control (And It's Not Insurance)
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
In this eye-opening episode, Sandy digs into one of the most overlooked contributors to rising accounts receivable (AR) in dental practices—abandoning mailed statements too soon. You may be emailing and texting patients about balances, but do you actually know how many patients you're reaching? Sandy breaks down the data and shares real stats from dental dashboards, showing that many practices have incomplete contact info for 20–40% of their patients—and it’s costing them tens of thousands. Whether your AR is creeping past $100,000 or you’re trying to build a smarter collection...
info_outline
The Truth About Dental Marketing
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
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 ✅...
info_outline
Hiring or Hustling Backwards? (Part 2: Leadership, Metrics & the True Cost of Delay)
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
Hiring is never just about plugging a hole. It’s a strategic leadership move—and when rushed or mismanaged, it can quietly sabotage your entire practice. In Part 2 of the Hiring Series, Dana and Sandy dive deep into what happens between identifying a hiring need and getting the green light to bring someone on board. From pecking orders to prep work, leadership courage to legal compliance, they unpack everything you should have in place before you hit “post job ad.” They also share formulas and benchmarks to help you bring data—not just emotion—into your hiring decisions. Because...
info_outline
Hiring or Hustling Backwards?
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
A growing team sounds like success, but adding the wrong hire too soon can wreck morale, raise overhead, and increase chaos. In this kickoff to the Hiring Series, Dana and Sandy break down how to assess whether your practice truly needs to hire or if it’s time to get serious about systems, training, and communication first. They walk through real-world scenarios (yes, including a team walking out!) and offer tools to help you make strategic hiring decisions instead of emotional ones. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Recognize signs of burnout and bottlenecks ✅ Use patient flow (not just...
info_outline
Meetings That Matter: Turning Staff Time Into Practice Power
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
A dental team without effective meetings is like a GPS with no signal—lost, frustrated, and going in circles. In this episode, Dana and Sandy dive into the often-overlooked power of consistent, structured team meetings. From setting agendas and reviewing stats to celebrating birthdays and avoiding gum-chewing drama, they lay out the exact formula for turning “just another meeting” into a high-impact tool for team alignment, accountability, and growth. This episode is inspired by a post in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group (thanks, Heather!), and it answers all your questions about...
info_outline
Marketing Can't Save You From a Bad Phone Call
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at 📲 Join the conversation! Drop your favorite phone call tip or share a “worst call ever” moment in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group—your post could inspire our next episode! Let me know if you’d like a shortened version for social, or if this episode will also be linked to a specific event or download!
info_outline
Scoreboard Success: 10 Front Desk KPIs That Drive Production
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
We’re diving into a topic that separates struggling practices from high-performing ones—your front desk metrics. Dana and Sandy break down the most important KPIs your admin team should be tracking daily, weekly, and monthly. Spoiler alert: if you’re not measuring it, you can’t manage it! Whether you're brand new to tracking stats or need a refresh to re-energize your team, this episode gives you simple, actionable ways to bring structure and accountability to your schedule, collections, and patient flow. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Track leading and lagging indicators ✅ Set realistic...
info_outline
Making Membership Work: Clearing Up some of the Myths and Why It’s Reshaping Dentistry
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
Membership Plans That Work: What Compliance Really Looks Like Dental membership plans aren’t new—but compliance around them is becoming more critical than ever. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana are joined by Jane Levy, Co-founder and CEO of Plan Forward, to uncover how in-house dental plans can boost treatment acceptance, increase loyalty, and help practices navigate the complex world of legal compliance. They discuss real-world misconceptions, why membership plans aren’t just for fee-for-service practices, and how the right tools (and the right vendor) make all the...
info_outline
Lonely at the Top, Leading with Authority (Even When You’re Friends)
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
We’re diving into a topic many practice managers quietly struggle with—what happens when your team feels more like friends than employees? Dana and Sandy tackle a heartfelt listener question: “How do I manage a team I’ve been friends with for years?” Whether you were promoted from within, or made the mistake of hiring a friend, this episode will help you maintain professionalism without sacrificing connection. You’ll learn how to: Lead with warmth while keeping your edge Set clear boundaries and expectations Avoid favoritism and cliques Stay approachable without losing...
info_outline
Vacation-Proofing Your Team
Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury
Vacation-Proofing Your Team Episode Description Taking time off as a dental professional shouldn't leave you stressed out or worried about what's happening back at the office. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana break down how to set your team up for success before you leave—so you can truly unplug. They cover real-world strategies to vacation-proof your practice, from setting department-specific goals to sending advance memos, and even encouraging team members to take ownership of their responsibilities. Plus, they tackle the big one: why showing trust in your team matters...
info_outlineEver wonder why patients often decline treatment and how you can address these objections effectively? In this episode, Michael and Sandy dive deep into the top three most common excuses patients give: fear, lack of awareness, and financial concerns. Sandy sheds light on why recognizing these objections is crucial and offers actionable strategies for overcoming them. Through compelling examples, she underscores the importance of educating patients about the benefits of timely care and mastering verbal skills, including the art of voice inflection, to present treatment plans compellingly.
Sandy doesn’t stop there. She explains how role-playing and regular training can transform your dental team's approach, making patients feel more at ease and informed. By the end of this enlightening discussion, you'll understand how to create a comforting environment for your patients, empowering them to move forward with necessary treatments. Tune in to harness the power of effective communication and patient education in your practice.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How to identify and address patient fears regarding dental treatments.
- Techniques to inform patients who are unaware of their dental needs.
- Strategies for handling financial objections to dental care.
- The role of verbal skills and voice inflection in presenting treatment plans.
- The impact of role-playing and team training on patient interactions.
- Ways to make patients feel comfortable and informed during decision-making.
- Tips for educating patients about the benefits of timely dental treatments.
Transform the way you handle patient objections by listening to this episode today!
Sponsors:
Don’t just look ahead. Plan Forward. Discover the dental membership plan partner that empowers your entire office. Created by a team in your shoes. Find out more here, and be sure to mention Dental Drill Bits for a special offer! https://www.planforward.io/