950: How to Turn a Full Schedule into Full Potential – Miranda Beeson

A full schedule is a great thing. But is it stressing out your team? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to help you reframe your team’s mindset around having and managing a full schedule. To learn how to fill your schedule the right way and celebrate when it’s full, listen to Episode 950 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Miranda:

• Send Miranda an email: [email protected] 
• Follow Miranda on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental
• Send Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: [email protected] 

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/best-practices-association/id6738960360
• Download ACT’s BPA app on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actdental.join&hl=en_US
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 950: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 17, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-17-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218436780209?aff=odcleoeventsincollection
• Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (October 24, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-october-24-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1218452908449?aff=odcleoeventsincollection
• Register for ACT’s Ideal Day Scheduling Guide: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fcolor-coding-block-scheduling-and-ideal-day-scheduling#email
• Register for ACT’s Ideal Day Scheduling course: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in
• Register for ACT’s Patient ID System: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fpatient-id-system#email
• Listen to A Tale of Two Hygienists Podcast: https://ataleoftwohygienists.com

Main Takeaways:

• Help your team recognize that a full schedule is good!
• Reframe the schedule as an opportunity when talking to patients.
• Use a patient ID system. Prioritize who and what is in your schedule.
• Strategically fill holes in your schedule with VIP patients, not just anyone.
• Utilize block scheduling — and most importantly, be sure to honor the blocks!

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

0:37 Why this is an important topic.

7:46 Shift your mindset.

14:13 Customize the interval of care for patients.

15:51 The power of a priority list.

17:08 Don't schedule from your “mud” list.

22:43 Customize your text templates.

25:27 Align your team and practice verbal skills.

29:14 Utilize block scheduling.

33:40 Honor the blocks!

38:42 Final thoughts.

42:24 ACT’s BPA.

Miranda Beeson, MS, BSDH Bio:

Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.

Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.