The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

Rent and equipment is a huge part of overhead. But there are other costs hidden in those categories! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Robyn Theisen, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to continue the series on overhead and break down facilities and equipment percentage. To find out where else your money is being spent and how you can improve your overhead, listen to Episode 988 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Robyn:

1. Send Robyn an email: [email protected]
2. Follow Robyn on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental
3. Send Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: [email protected]
4. Send Gina an email to learn more about ACT: [email protected]

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

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

Episode Resources:

1. Watch the video version of Episode 988: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:

1. Examine your space and equipment. Are you optimizing what you currently have?
2. Review your systems. Do you have underutilized ops or unused technology?
3. A healthy percentage for facilities and equipment is between 7% and 8%.
4. Appoint an equipment coordinator to manage repairs and maintenance.
5. Schedule regular maintenance to extend the life of your equipment.
6. Make equipment purchasing decisions based on ROI, not feelings.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:54 Facilities and equipment percentage, explained.

2:50 How this percentage impacts your practice.

3:56 What is a healthy percentage for this metric?

5:27 Are you paying yourself rent?

6:17 What you can do to impact this metric.

9:02 ACT’s BPA.

Robyn Theisen Bio:

Robyn Theisen brings an entire life and legacy of dental experience to the team and every team with which she works as the daughter and sister of dentists. With almost 20 years of experience in dentistry, her roles ranged from practice management to operations at Patterson Dental to coaching teams. Robyn’s passion is empowering teams to realize that they can dramatically impact the lives of the people they serve by implementing skills and systems to remove barriers to life-changing dental treatment. She has done it for decades and does it every day with dental teams.

Outside of coaching, she enjoys time with her husband, Rob, and two daughters, Emerson and Ruby. She loves traveling, music, fitness, and cheering on the Michigan State Spartans.

Do you dream of running a successful practice? Then core values aren't optional! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Heather Crockett, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to share why core values are critical and how to do them the right way. Don't just paste your values on the walls! To learn how to keep them alive in your halls, listen to Episode 987 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Heather:

1. Send Heather an email: [email protected]
2. Join Heather on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.r.crockett
3. Follow Heather on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental
4. Send Gina an email to learn more about ACT: [email protected]

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

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

Episode Resources:

1. Watch the video version of Episode 987: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
2. Register to ACT’s BPA for their Identifying Your Core Values tool: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Flencioni-s-core-value-diagram#email
3. Register to ACT’s BPA for their How to Bring Your Core Values Alive tool: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fhow-to-bring-your-core-values-alive-c8a389#email
4. Register to ACT’s BPA for their Right People Scorecard tool: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fright-people-scorecard#email
5. Watch How Should a Company Share Its Values? | Q+A by Simon Sinek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yE541BY-1c

Main Takeaways:

1. Core values are your compass. Without them, you invite chaos to your practice.
2. Your expectations will be clear to your team when you have core values.
3. If your team is aligned on core values, they will start to self-manage.
4. With core values in place, it becomes easier to provide feedback.
5. When your values are clear, every decision becomes easier.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:22 Why this is an important topic.

3:40 What this means from a leadership standpoint.

4:53 Core values give clarity to expectations.

6:30 All feelings are welcome, but all behaviors are not.

12:05 Core values guide team feedback and development.

17:12 Core values can resolve real practice challenges.

22:21 Final thoughts.

24:04 ACT’s BPA and resources.

Heather Crockett Bio:

Heather Crockett is a Lead Practice Coach who finds joy in not only improving practices but improving the lives of those she coaches as well. With over 20 years of combined experience in assisting, office management, and clinical dental hygiene, her awareness supports many aspects of the practice setting.

Heather received her dental hygiene degree from the Utah College of Dental Hygiene in 2008. Networking in the dental community comes easy to her, and she loves to connect with like-minded colleagues on social media. Heather enjoys both attending and presenting continuing education to expand her knowledge and learn from her friends and colleagues.

She enjoys hanging out with her husband, three sons, and their dog, Moki, scrolling through social media, watching football, and traveling.

Everyone from your kids to your vet is using AI. But how should you use it in your dental practice? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Travis Wentworth, cybersecurity expert from Intelligence Quest, to share some best practices that you and your dental team should know when using AI. To learn about the precautions to take to keep your patients and practice safe, listen to Episode 986 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Travis:

1. Follow Travis on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travis_iq
2. Join Travis on Twitter: https://x.com/travisiq
3. Learn more about Intelligence Quest: https://intelligencequest.com
4. Watch Intelligence Quest on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@intelligencequest

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

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

Episode Resources:

1. Watch the video version of Episode 986: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:

1. Create clear policies for AI use in your practice.
2. Never enter HIPAA-compliant information into AI models.
3. Only enter publicly available information when giving context to AI.
4. Do your due diligence and ensure that the AI you're using is compliant.
5. AI will be utilized more in the future. Start using it now so you're not left behind.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:47 Travis’s background.

4:18 The current state of AI.

6:01 AI security basics and best practices.

10:46 Uses for ChatGPT in a dental practice.

12:24 Security practices when using AI.

14:02 Other things to be aware of.

16:35 Are our devices always spying on us?

21:02 The future of AI.

28:16 Have policies in place for AI use.

29:58 Last thoughts.

32:17 More about Intelligence Quest and how to get in touch.

Travis Wentworth Bio:

Dr. Travis Wentworth has been training students in engineering, networking, and cybersecurity for over a decade. He received his PhD in engineering from the University of Kansas in 2015 and completed a Postdoctoral Research fellowship at the University of Chalmers in Gothenburg, Sweden. While there, he was part of the world-renowned research group led by Dr. Louise Olsson and had the privilege to work with the European Union, Swedish Research Council, Volvo, and Chalmers University.

As a researcher, instructor, and consultant, Travis has presented his technical content to far-reaching corners of the globe including China, Germany, and Sweden, to name a few. Returning to the United States in 2017, he narrowed his emphasis to cybersecurity and networking training.

Travis has a diverse background with a proclivity in the acquisition and analysis of public and proprietary data. He is a published author in numerous peer-reviewed journals for computer modeling and catalysis and is well-versed in programming, networking, data acquisition, and cybersecurity.

You buy cheaper cotton rolls and the cheapest gloves. But your operational overhead is still too high! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to continue the series on overhead and break down operations percentage. Buying cheap supplies won't help your practice! To learn about the hidden costs that are impacting your overhead, listen to Episode 985 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Miranda:

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

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

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

Episode Resources:

1. Watch the video version of Episode 985: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
2. Learn more about Smile Source: https://smilesource.com

Main Takeaways:

1. Your operational overhead should be around 8%.
2. It’s not just about reducing your spending. Close your effort gap!
3. When operational costs aren't monitored, they can slowly creep up.
4. If possible, look into negotiating and lowering your bank or merchant fees.
5. Regularly audit subscriptions, software, and service contracts for unused tools.
6. Review your spending. Is everything critical for patient care and revenue support?
7. Look for supply waste, redundant subscriptions, unmanaged vendor costs, blind spots.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:06 Operations percentage, explained.

2:49 How this percentage impacts your practice.

8:28 What you can do to impact this metric.

15:15 Last thoughts.

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.

Things happen, and your team will be late or absent. But when does it become a problem, and what can you do about it? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Alan Twigg, president of Bent Ericksen & Associates, to help you navigate and address chronic attendance issues that are happening in your practice. To learn how to get your team to show up for you and your patients, listen to Episode 984 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Alan:

• Give Alan a call: (800) 679-2760
• Send Alan an email: [email protected] 
• Join Bent Ericksen on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BentEricksenAssociates
• Learn more about Bent Ericksen: https://bentericksen.com

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 984: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:

• Understand your state, county, and city rules around attendance, sick leave, and PTO.
• When you don't address chronic attendance issues, your good employees will leave.
• Avoid creating policies that are too strict or rigid. They will come back to bite you.
• Know the requirements, limitations, and nuances around getting doctor's notes.
• Always document your employees’ reasons for tardies and absences.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:38 Alan’s background.

2:26 Why this is an important topic.

3:55 Mandatory sick leave, explained.

6:16 Document the reason for an absence.

9:46 Things to know about requiring doctor’s notes.

13:00 Attendance, sick leave, and PTO policies.

15:22 Categorize the reasons for absences and tardies.

17:52 Let them use their time.

20:34 Don't solve your team members’ problems.

23:50 Your employee says they're sick, but . . .

27:02 Leave of absence, explained.

28:02 Being chronically late versus chronically absent.

30:22 Final thoughts.

31:44 More about Bent Ericksen and how to get in touch.

Alan Twigg Bio:

Alan Twigg is the president of Bent Ericksen & Associates. For over 10 years, he has guided thousands of clients and consultants through the ever-changing world of HR and employment compliance. He is a speaker, consultant, and author who is passionate about bringing education and peace of mind to such a confusing topic.

As a strong proponent of symbiotic employer-employee relations, Alan is passionate about teamwork and positive work cultures, with an emphasis on long-term personnel retention and employment compliance, where his solutions-oriented outlook excels.

Insurance can be frustrating to figure out on your own. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Shelley DeGroff, founder of PPO Advisors, to decode some of the biggest changes in the PPO world and share two things you need to do to improve your reimbursements in the upcoming year. To stay up to date with PPO changes and prevent future revenue loss, listen to Episode 983 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Shelley:

• Send Shelley an email: [email protected] 
• Join PPO Advisors on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PPOAdvisorsLLC
• Learn more about PPO Advisors: https://ppoadvisors.com
• Mention this episode or visit this link to receive $500 off your analysis fee: https://learn.ppoadvisors.com/promo

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 983: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Watch Episode 954 with Shelley DeGroff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjJ6cLq_k50

Main Takeaways:

• Stay on top of your EOBs by auditing them regularly.
• Evaluate your master fee to ensure you're paid what you're owed.
• Learn what stacking order means and how it can affect your practice.
• Opt-outs are not automatic! Be proactive so they are processed correctly.
• You don't need to be 100% PPO or 100% fee-for-service. Have a healthy mix.
• Don't get complacent or comfortable. Understand the contracts you're agreeing to.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:16 Shelley’s background.

2:10 A refresher on important PPO changes.

7:15 Audit your EOBs regularly.

10:23 Master fee, explained.

17:29 Stacking order, explained.

20:55 How PPO Advisors can help your practice.

26:10 Final thoughts.

28:24 More about PPO Advisors, their discount code, and how to get in touch.

Shelley DeGroff Bio: 

Shelley DeGroff, founder and CEO of PPO Advisors, knows dentistry. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, she began working as a dental receptionist in a nearby dental office. After completing her certification as a dental assistant, Shelley transitioned to become a successful office manager. It was in that role that Shelley began noticing the need for PPO negotiations for her employing doctor. This experience began the business model for PPO Advisors, which has now become a nationwide industry leader.

Running a business is expensive — and a large portion goes to your team. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to kick off a series on overhead with team compensation percentage. They break down what it is, how it impacts your practice, and what you can do to improve your numbers. To learn how to keep team compensation in a healthy range, listen to Episode 982 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 Gina 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 982: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:

• Think of team compensation as an investment, not an expense.
• Your team compensation percentage should be between 25% and 30%.
• If team compensation percentage is over 30%, you are too people-dependent.
• Define accountabilities, processes, and responsibilities to be systems-dependent.
• Consider profit-sharing models or hourly plus commission so your team can earn more.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:06 Team compensation percentage, explained.

3:53 How this metric impacts the practice.

10:16 What you can do to impact this metric.

16:47 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. 

Are you truly a great leader? Or are you overestimating how good you are? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings in Michelle Wakeman, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to reframe what it means to be a leader, why it’s important, and to share some of the best leadership lessons from thriving practices. To learn how to lead with confidence to build a successful practice, listen to Episode 981 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Michelle:

• Send Michelle an email: [email protected] 
• Follow Michelle on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental
• Send Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: [email protected] 
• Send Gina 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 981: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Read Traction by Gino Wickman: https://benbellabooks.com/shop/traction

Main Takeaways:

• Have a clear vision. Your vision is what provides direction for your team.
• Clearly define your clinical, financial, team culture, and life vision.
• Communicate your vision and core values to your team.
• Repeat your vision and core values for alignment.
• Walk the talk as the leader. Set the example.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

0:58 ACT/Smile Source and BPA.

3:29 Why this is an important topic.

4:50 How does this show up in your practice?

10:22 Three key things that great leaders define.

14:02 Vision provides direction.

18:44 Four key areas of practice vision: Clinical vision.

22:51 Four key areas of practice vision: Financial vision.

26:13 Four key areas of practice vision: Team culture vision.

28:13 Four key areas of practice vision: Life vision.

33:38 Purpose and values build meaning.

38:34 Defining core values.

40:27 Repetition creates alignment.

46:01 Final takeaways.

48:59 Q&A: The difference between mission, purpose, and vision and how they tie into values.

Michelle Wakeman, BSDH, Bio:

Michelle Wakeman, BSDH, brings nearly 20 years of clinical dental hygiene, administrative, managerial, and sales experience to the table. She has a passion for people and a natural aptitude for communication that has led her to develop meaningful relationships throughout her career in dentistry. As a coach, she seeks to help dental practices develop systems that enable them to enhance their patient experience, leading to better relationships among owners, team members, and patients, along with profitable outcomes.

In her off time, Michelle can usually be found at the ice rink supporting her son, Hunter, in hockey, the ball field cheering on her son, Carter, or the gym, reliving her days as a gymnast with her daughter, Leighton.

Dentists aren't just clinicians — they're also leaders and entrepreneurs! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to share how to balance these three circles so you can gain control of your practice and reclaim your life. To start enjoying life in 2026 and beyond, listen to Episode 980 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 Gina 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 980: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Register to ACT’s BPA for their Dental Practice Success Triad tool: https://join.actdental.com/users/sign_in?post_login_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fjoin.actdental.com%2Fc%2Fpractice-coaching-tools%2Fdental-practice-success-triad#email
• Read The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber: https://www.michaelegerbercompanies.com/product/the-e-myth-revisited
• Learn more about The Sletten Group: https://theslettengroup.com

Main Takeaways:

• As a practice owner, you need to balance being a clinician, leader, and entrepreneur.
• Don't just “live in the chair”. If you neglect the other two circles, you can't thrive.
• Your practice will only grow to the level of your least developed circle.
• Anyone can improve their leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
• Set aside time every week to invest in each circle.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:09 Why this is an important topic.

3:44 Why most dentists “live in the chair”.

6:06 Do you need to give equal time to each circle?

9:57 Anyone can develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

14:23 The three circles: The clinician (the comfort zone).

19:01 The three circles: The entrepreneur.

31:04 The three circles: The leader.

35:16 Final thoughts.

38:32 Choose one circle to work on.

39:27 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.

For the month of December, we look back at some favorite episodes of 2025. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, to break down the one basic equation you need to know to produce more while working less. Stop spending 220 days at the office! To learn how to produce more the right way, listen to Episode 979 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Dr. Straub:

• Send Dr. Straub an email: [email protected] 
• Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub
• Send Courtney an email to learn more about ACT: [email protected] 
• Send Gina 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 979: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:

• There are two ways to produce more: work more days or produce more per day.
• Figure out your production per day and gross production target for the year.
• Set your goals and decisions based on data, not with your emotions.
• Just working more days is not the answer. You need a plan.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:37 Why this is an important topic.

2:48 Why emotion comes into this equation.

3:49 The equation for gross production.

7:06 Two key numbers to pull.

12:35 Time is the new rich.

14:21 Final thoughts.

16:47 ACT’s BPA.

Dr. Barrett Straub Bio:

Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry.

A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted.

Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth.