Episode Title: Wasted Time, Open Time, and Maximizing Your Schedule

Episode Description: Welcome to another exciting episode of Dental Drill Bits! This week, Sandy Pardue is joined by a very special guest—Dana Pardue, the original co-host and HR business professional. Together, they kick off the new season with a deep dive into one of the most critical topics for dental practices: managing open time in your schedule.

Discover actionable tips to identify, track, and eliminate wasted time in your practice. Whether you're dealing with broken appointments, patient no-shows, or underutilized slots, this episode equips you with practical strategies to improve productivity, enhance patient care, and boost your bottom line.

Plus, hear Dana's unique perspective on the patient experience and why over-communicating about appointment changes can backfire. Stay tuned until the end for a game-changing resource that could revolutionize how you handle in-house membership plans!

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Dana Salisbury's journey back to Dental Drill Bits and her insights on training and development for dental practices.
• The real cost of open time and why tracking it is crucial.
• How to calculate daily, hourly, and per-unit production goals.
• Strategies to reduce cancellations, no-shows, and last-minute reschedules.
• The importance of maintaining a reliable call list and leveraging patient interactions.
• Patient perspective: Why excessive appointment changes can harm patient satisfaction.
• The role of team meetings in addressing missed opportunities.
• An introduction to Plan Forward—a custom dental membership platform offering tools for automated billing, patient communication, and more.

Sponsors:

Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. 👉 www.IdentityDental.com

Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices — simple, secure, and patient-friendly. 👉 www.PlanForward.io

Mango Voice VoIP that works for dental practices. Elevate your phone systems and never miss a patient call again. 👉 www.MangoVoice.com