Managing Dental Drama

With a recession looming, dentists everywhere worry about what a recession will do to the dental field. In this episode, Mr. Petty (Bethany’s husband who loves economics) will share some specific things to expect in a recession. Patients AND staff members show us signs and help practice owners to spot when the recession has officially hit. Preparation should begin NOW. Spending and saving should change NOW. Marketing should change NOW. Creativity in a recession is much more helpful than burying the proverbial head in the sand. Finally, Bethany and her husband end with a reminder to all practice owners – the recession hurts many. It is important to keep the livelihood of the staff at the forefront. 

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
Big Picture Economics for Small Businesses
10 Marketing Minutes

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Mr. Petty (Bethany’s husband) joins the studio for the first time today! He teaches government and economics and has a genuine passion for how these subjects impact life. Today, Bethany searches for the cliff note version of what is truly happening in the economy. Are we in a recession? What’s going on with the interest rates? Will those rates impact small business lending? What does the rest of 2023 hold for dental practices? What can they expect? How long do recessions usually last? Once current trends and future predictions are discussed in detail, Mr. Petty concludes with a reminder that small businesses are often the hardest hit by recessions and yet, we’ve survived recessions many times before, so he encourages all practice owners to buckle up, be smart, and get ready! 

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
Cutting Hours, Cutting Pay, and Exit Interviews
The “Surface Pressure” is Killing Me, Now What?

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After listening to last week’s episode, you have the basics for determining if your practice is on a positive trend or a negative one. But do you have any ideas of how to fix a negative trend? This week, learn how to take basic practice information and dive even deeper to determine WHY there is a negative trend. Then, listen as Bethany shares several potential solutions to those negative trends. In addition, learn a couple of different ways to determine if you might have a capacity problem, but it’s important to know if you have a TRUE capacity problem. Listen closely and get ready to find the trends in your practice!

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
Current Practice and Employee Market Trends
Sucktember – What to Do With Staff When the Schedule is Slow

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A successful practice has a story behind it. The story can often be found in the variety of reports in the dental software program. What makes a practice successful? In this episode, learn about some important daily and monthly practice numbers to evaluate. Do you know how to spot a positive or negative trend? Bethany discusses how to evaluate numbers in order to spot trends and to look at the practice in a collective and comprehensive way. Finally, she encourages dentists to take the time to evaluate reports on a consistent basis.

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
Overhead Expenses: How to Make More Money
Insurance MAD World Part One 

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Dr. Kuba has built a list of extremely important topics that every practicing dentist needs to pause and contemplate, research and learn, and dialogue about with others. First, she and Bethany discuss a dental office that unintentionally ran a stolen credit card for payment. When is the last time you and your team have considered your rules and parameters for processing payments? Next, they discuss x-ray purposes, frequencies, and the risk of over or underdoing it with x-rays. They also discuss the importance of avoiding nickel and diming patients with random charges such as charging for patient record transfer. They also discuss the roles and duties of Registered Dental Assistants as well as discussing the “can assistants take iTero scans?” question.  This episode is packed with important topics to discuss and research so listen closely, put your thinking cap on, and get ready to think about small but important topics! 

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
Protecting Your License – Avoiding Common Documentation Errors  Dental Practice Owners are Leaders

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 In this episode, Dr. Kuba and Bethany continue their conversation about selling a practice. In this episode, they discuss how to prepare a practice for selling. Where do associates fit in? What do potential buyers consider when looking at a practice? How long does it take to get a practice ready to sell? All of these questions and more will be covered in this episode. Whether you are planning to sell in 2 years or in 10 years, this episode contains critical information in order to ensure you receive top dollar for your practice when the time comes to sell. 

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
Should I Sell My Practice?
Hiring an Associate – Part One

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Interested in the Leadership Summit? 
Friday, September 18, 2026 from 8:30 – 4:30 
Inquire or register TODAY:  https://www.hellobethany.com/about-3

It is no secret that practicing ownership is exhilarating, rewarding, and utterly exhausting. There are often many moments when a practice owner asks, “Should I Sell My Practice?” With the ever-changing market of practice buyers and DSO buyers, it’s normal for a practice owner to wonder if life would be simpler and better with somebody else running the show. In this episode, Dr. Kuba shares her own experiences of fatigue and practice selling considerations. She and Bethany talk about very practical things practice owners should do when they find themselves considering the option to sell. Finally, they take a moment to consider the various impacts of selling. 

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
The Emotional and Mental Health of the Dentist or Practice Owner
Thirty Positive Thoughts in Less Than Thirty Minutes 

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The kids are back, and boy do they have some opinions to share! Dr. Kuba and Bethany invite their kids back into the studio to get their perspective on the two-week firing (see last week’s episode). As a general rule of thumb, Bethany and Dr. Kuba invite their kids into the adult working world in order to teach them about work ethic, decision-making, and leadership. In this episode, the kids react to the events that led up to the most recent termination of Dr. Kuba’s newest employee. They share their reactions, thoughts, and support for Dr. Kuba’s decision to fire an employee so quickly. Listen to the wisdom from the mouths of babes while also developing some tools for discussing adult work-world topics with children! 

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
Firing After Two Weeks – Too Soon?

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 In the current employment market, it can be very difficult to make the decision to fire an employee. Most practice owners wait until it’s overwhelmingly obvious that the employee won’t work out because they aren’t certain that another employee will come along. In this week’s episode, Dr. Kuba discusses her very fresh firing of an employee who only lasted two weeks. After terminating the employee, she started to have doubts on whether she made the right decision. She and Bethany discuss all of the small details that led to a big decision – firing her new employee. Listen as she unpacks her worries, regrets, and lessons learned. 

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
How to Fire Employees
When to Coach and When to Fire Underperforming Employees

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 Dr. Jones is back! After practicing dentistry for over 40 years, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. In this episode, he answers questions about how to schedule time away from the practice. A self-proclaimed workaholic, Dr. Jones admits that being away from the practice has never been easy for him, but over the years, he realized the importance of taking a break and spending time with family. He also discusses how he decides to spend money. He admits that he’s quick to spend money on new technology or continuing education, so he has had to learn how to spend money on the things that truly matter. 

Previous Episodes Worth Revisiting:
The Emotional and Mental Health of the Dentist or Practice Owner
Staff and Supply Costs Up, Profits Down 

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