You can have the best marketing strategy in the world, but if your phone skills are lacking, patients will walk. In this episode, Dana and Sandy get real about what happens when dental teams unknowingly drive callers away with poor phone habits, disconnection, or defaulting to “no.”

They walk through mystery shopper call examples, red-flag language to avoid, and the mindset shift every front desk team member needs to convert, not repel, new patients.

This one’s packed with real talk, laugh-out-loud stories, and practical ways to be the cheerleader your practice needs.

You’ll learn how to:

✅ Build rapport in the first 7 seconds of a call ✅ Ask the right questions during discovery ✅ Avoid “no” language and still set boundaries ✅ Take control of the appointment conversation ✅ End calls in a way that reduces broken appointments

📓 Listener challenge: Call your own office or listen to a recorded call (if legal in your state). Would you schedule an appointment based on how it sounds?

Key takeaways:

• Your marketing dollars are wasted if your phone skills don’t back it up.

• “Unfortunately” and “Sorry” are red flags—replace them with warmth and guidance.

• Patients don’t want homework. Take the lead, get their name and number first.

• Schedule with confidence. Too many options = confusion.

• A cheerful, confident voice beats fancy scripts every time.

🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com

📲 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!

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 goals that don’t overwhelm your team ✅ Empower employees to “own” their numbers ✅ Reduce cancellations and no-shows ✅ Create a consistent system for growth—without expensive software

📓 Listener challenge: Grab a notepad (or your phone) and follow along as Sandy walks through the 10 KPIs that every dental front desk should be tracking.

Key takeaways:

• What gets measured gets managed.

• Metrics don’t remove the human touch—they improve it.

• New patients, calls out, and appointment conversion rates matter just as much as production.

• Use a physical binder to track schedule changes and spot patterns at a glance.

• Sharing goals consistently (not just when things go wrong) builds morale and accountability.

🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com 📞 Mango Voice – Smart, reliable phone systems designed for dental practices. Learn more at mangovoice.com

📲 Join the conversation! Share your favorite KPI or ask a practice management question in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group — your question might inspire our next episode!

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 difference. Jane also shares exciting KPIs from real clients and explains how Plan Forward’s intuitive software puts your membership program on autopilot.

If you’ve been manually managing your plan—or wondering if one is worth the trouble—this conversation will change the way you look at in-house dental membership.

In This Episode You’ll Learn How To:

1. Boost Production: Find out how these plans can increase practice revenue by getting patients to say “yes” to treatment and cancel less.
2. Keep Patients Coming Back: Learn the secret to turning patients into loyal members & an integral part of your dental community. 
3. Kiss No-Shows Goodbye: Hear how membership cuts down on those missed appointments, making your day less stressful.
4. Make Life Easier: Get the scoop on Plan Forward’s easy-to-use software that handles payments, renewals, and is compliant with state regulations.
5. Break Free from Insurance: Discover how to ditch PPOs and stand out when only 20–25% of practices are doing this.

Upcoming Event: Front Desk Pro – Chicago August 1, 2025 Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person Seats are limited and these events always sell out!

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.

Identity Dental Marketing Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.

Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.

Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a dental friend who’s ready to level up their patient loyalty and revenue with a smarter membership plan.

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 authority

• Create protocols that do the talking for you

👥 Listener shoutout: Thank you, Heather, for bravely sharing your story and inspiring this important conversation.

Key takeaways:

• Consistency over comfort builds trust.

• Keep friend chat and leadership decisions separate.

• Use writing to reduce drama and maintain accountability.

• If you hire a friend, be prepared to lead like a boss—not a buddy.

🔊 Special thanks to our sponsors: 🦷 Plan Forward – Simplify and grow your dental membership plans with ease. Learn more at planforward.io 📣 Identity Dental Marketing – The industry’s go-to for branding, SEO, and growth. Discover how they can elevate your practice at identitydental.com 📞 Mango Voice – Smart, reliable phone systems designed for dental practices. Learn more at mangovoice.com

📲 Join the conversation! Ask your question or suggest a topic in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group — your comment could be featured on a future episode!

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 more than you might realize.

If you’ve been nervous about stepping away—or if your last vacation didn’t go as smoothly as you hoped—this episode will give you the tools and mindset shifts you need to set your team (and yourself) up for a win.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why setting department-specific goals boosts accountability while you're away

• The simple but powerful memo every practice owner or manager should send before leaving

• How inviting your team to list their self-made responsibilities builds ownership

• The critical importance of showing trust (and not policing the clock)

• How strong leadership before vacation leads to stronger team dynamics year-round

• Why handling your time off well is a leadership skill worth mastering

Upcoming Event: Front Desk Pro – Philadelphia May 9, 2025 Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person Seats are limited and these events always sell out!

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Identity Dental Marketing Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.

Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.

Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.

Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a dental friend who deserves a truly relaxing, worry-free vacation.

Gossip at Work: The Hidden Cost of Chatter Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury Gossip at Work: The Hidden Cost of Chatter 0:00

Episode Description Gossip may seem like harmless chatter, but it has the power to erode trust, damage morale, and derail productivity in your dental practice. In this episode, Sandy and Dana tackle the tough topic of workplace gossip—what it sounds like, why it spreads, and how to stop it before it takes a toll on your culture and your team.

From NLRB rules to real-life consulting stories, they share practical ways to address negativity, encourage accountability, and build a team that thrives on trust. Plus, Dana delivers scripted verbal skills you can use right away to shut gossip down respectfully and effectively.

Whether you're a practice owner, manager, or team member, this episode will help you foster a workplace where professionalism wins and gossip has no place.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why “friendly chatter” sometimes crosses the line into legal risk

• What the National Labor Relations Board says about banning gossip

• How negativity spreads—and how to stop it at the source

• Why some team members resist consulting and how to handle it

• How to create a safe, gossip-free workspace with open doors and clear roles

• The real reason broken appointments and low morale go hand in hand

• Why clearly defined job descriptions reduce friction and confusion

• How to use team agreements and core values to unify your staff

• A leadership lesson from the book The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon

• Verbal skills to shut gossip down with professionalism

• Why patients are paying attention to more than just your dentistry

Bonus Resource: Want a team-building moment at your next staff meeting? Look up the poem “Nobody’s Friend” and read it aloud. You might be surprised by the conversations it sparks.

Upcoming Event: Front Desk Pro – Philadelphia May 9, 2025 Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person Seats are limited and these events always sell out!

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.

Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.

Identity Dental Marketing Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.

Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a dental friend who’s ready to build a drama-free, high-performing team.

When the economy starts to shake, most dental practices start to shrink. But Sandy says now is the time to lean in and level up—and she’s sharing exactly how to do it.

In this episode, Dana and Sandy break down what it takes to recession-proof your practice before anything happens. From tightening your finances to training your team, maximizing re-care systems to building patient loyalty, this episode is your no-fluff guide to keeping treatment plans up—even when wallets are down.

Whether you’re nervous about the future or just want to boost production now, this conversation will help you lead with confidence, stay consistent, and find opportunity where others see obstacles.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why mindset matters more than market trends

• The first two things to do when the economy dips

• How to avoid becoming your own worst enemy in front of the team

• The real cost of third-party re-care systems that leave you in the dark

• A simple report to pull that could reactivate hundreds of patients

• Why untrained phone calls = missed treatment acceptance

• How to double down on marketing without wasting dollars

• Why patients need more than just a reminder—they need to feel missed

• How membership plans keep the back door closed and loyalty high

• The forgotten art of verbal skills and how they change everything

📅 Upcoming Event: 🗓️ Front Desk Pro – Philadelphia 📍 May 9, 2025 🎟️ Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person 🚨 Seats are limited and these events always sell out!

🙏 Thank You to Our Sponsors:

➡️ Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.

➡️ Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.

➡️ Identity Dental Marketing Your marketing firm should tell you who’s landing on your website and what they’re doing there. Identity Dental Marketing does that—and more. From website strategy to SEO and patient attraction systems, they help you grow smart and stay visible. Explore at identitydental.com.

📌 Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a dental friend who could use a boost in strategy—and mindset. Let’s recession-proof your practice together.

Episode Summary: This week, Sandy is fresh off an energizing Front Desk Pro seminar in Burbank, California—and she’s bringing the heat! Dana and Sandy dive deep into a topic that every dental practice owner and manager needs to master: employee one-on-ones. From handling raise requests to increasing team engagement and reducing turnover, this episode is packed with real-world strategies and scripted verbal skills you can use right away.

Sandy shares how acknowledgment and structure transform the culture of a practice, while Dana brings in heartfelt reminders of how leadership impacts lives beyond the workplace. Whether you’re avoiding tough conversations or want to build a better team dynamic, this episode will give you the confidence (and language) to lead.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why repeat attendees at Front Desk Pro are proof that the system works

• What to say when a raise just isn’t feasible right now

• The verbal skill every manager needs when a team member feels unappreciated

• How to handle “she’s doing my job” type complaints without fueling gossip

• The surprising way asking employees to “write it up” filters noise from facts

• How to build review systems that actually get followed through

• Why one-on-ones aren't about raises—they’re about retention, growth, and clarity

• A reflective exercise that helps you lead with legacy in mind 

📅 Upcoming Event: 🗓️ Front Desk Pro – Philadelphia 📍 May 9, 2025 🎟️ Use promo code SECRETSAUCE (capital S in Secret and Sauce) to save $100 per person 🚨 These sell out—don’t wait!

🙏 Thank You to Our Sponsors:

➡️ Plan Forward Plan Forward makes membership plans easy. Their revolutionary platform helps you grow your dental practice, improve patient loyalty, and create predictable recurring revenue. Learn more at planforward.io.

➡️ Mango Voice Mango Voice is a cloud-based phone system built for dental offices. It’s packed with smart features that help your front desk perform at its best—from call recording and routing to texting and integrations. See it in action at mangovoice.com.

📌 Subscribe & Share: Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and share this episode with a colleague who needs to stop avoiding those tough conversations.

Want to retain great employees and build a team that runs like a dream? It all starts with one-on-one conversations that count. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury share how regular one-on-one meetings can transform your culture, boost accountability, and keep your team growing in the right direction.

They break down the timing, tools, and tone of a successful one-on-one—plus how to turn them into growth opportunities, not gripe sessions. If you want more engagement and less drama in your dental office, start here.

• How to set up meaningful one-on-ones with your team

• Why these meetings are more powerful than traditional reviews

• How to use self-evaluation tools to start real conversations

• What to document and track before each meeting

• How one-on-ones can reduce turnover and improve morale

• The role of emotional deposits and team development in retention

Sandy and Dana discuss what happens when one-on-ones are done right—from better communication to uncovering training gaps before they become performance issues. Learn why most team breakdowns stem from a lack of connection, not capability.

Want to boost your front desk skills? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025

Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com

✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. 💡 Exclusive Offer: Mention Dental Drill Bits for one month free! https://www.planforward.io/

✅ Mango Voice – The VoIP phone system designed for dental offices, helping teams provide a seamless patient experience. Visit MangoVoice.ai and use code DentalDrillBits for 1 Month FREE!

📌 Sandy’s Challenge: Build stronger teams—one conversation at a time! ➡️ Schedule regular one-on-ones with each team member ➡️ Use self-evaluation forms to spark honest feedback ➡️ Track progress, goals, and follow-ups after every meeting ➡️ Train your managers on how to lead growth-focused one-on-ones

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies to grow your practice.

Is your hygiene schedule disappearing before your eyes? You’re not imagining it! No-shows, last-minute cancellations, and poor confirmation strategies can leave your hygiene team scrambling and your bottom line suffering.

In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue Salisbury break down why hygiene schedules fall apart—and how to fix it for good! From smarter pre-scheduling to foolproof confirmation techniques, they’re sharing real-world solutions to keep your chairs full and your patients accountable.

✅ The #1 reason why hygiene schedules collapse before your eyes  ✅ How pre-scheduling the wrong patients is hurting your practice  ✅ A foolproof confirmation system that actually works  ✅ The perfect balance of texts, calls, emails & postcards for max confirmations  ✅ Why new patient time slots should be set in stone (and how to protect them!)  ✅ The morning huddle strategy that prevents no-shows before they happen 

🔍 Sandy shares what her consulting team discovered after reviewing thousands of broken appointments—and how a simple 80/20 rule can save your hygiene schedule!

Want to boost your front desk skills? Don’t miss Front Desk Pro! 📍 Philadelphia, PA – May 9, 2025

Use promo code "Secret Sauce" for $100 off your registration! 👉 Register now at ClassicPractice.com

✅ Plan Forward – The dental membership plan partner that helps your office thrive. 💡 Exclusive Offer: Mention Dental Drill Bits for one month free! https://www.planforward.io/

✅ Mango Voice – The VoIP phone system designed for dental offices, helping teams provide a seamless patient experience. Visit MangoVoice.ai and use code DentalDrillBits for 1 Month FREE!

📌 Sandy’s Challenge: Stop hygiene chaos before it starts! ➡️ Audit your broken appointments—who keeps canceling? ➡️ Set a stricter pre-scheduling policy—not every patient should be auto-booked! ➡️ Revamp your confirmation system—postcards, emails, texts, and calls should work together 📅

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Dental Drill Bits and leave a review! Your feedback helps us bring you even more game-changing strategies to grow your practice.

📣 Tag a dental pro who needs to hear this episode! 👇 #DentalDrillBits #HygieneScheduling #NoMoreNoShows #PracticeGrowth