The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

By ACT DentalBusiness

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt episodes

August 11, 2025928: Metric Mondays: Accounts Receivable Percentage – Ariel Juday
How long does it take to collect what you're owed? The longer you wait, the less likely you are to collect it! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Ariel Juday, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to break down accounts receivable percentage, where your numbers should be, and what to do if they're not in the ideal ranges. To learn how to collect what you're owed as quickly as possible, listen to Episode 928 of The Best Practices Show!
Learn More About Ariel:
Send Ariel an email: [email protected]
Follow Ariel 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 928: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:
The older a balance is, the more difficult it is to collect it.
Create a clear financial policy and review it with your patients.
Know your benchmarks for current, overdue, and delinquent balances.
Have a plan to collect before rescheduling patients who have overdue balances.
Do weekly audits of AR balances and have a follow-up system that someone owns.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
2:27 Why this is an important topic.
3:21 AR percentage, explained.
5:41 How AR percentage impacts the practice.
9:35 AR benchmarks, explained.
10:58 What it looks like when AR percentage is going well.
12:29 Collect 100% or more of your net collections.
13:34 What it looks like when AR percentage is not going well.
15:24 How to improve your AR percentage.
20:08 Last thoughts.
Ariel Juday Bio:
Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!
24 min
August 08, 2025927: Part 2: A Great System to Reduce the Chance of Embezzlement in Your Dental Practice – David Harris
About 70% of dentists will be embezzled during their careers. In fact, it may be happening to you now! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back David Harris, embezzlement expert and CEO of Prosperident, to continue with part two of how to stop embezzlement from happening in your practice. To learn the best monitoring framework to stop future thieves in their tracks, listen to Episode 927 of The Best Practices Show!
Learn More About David:
Give David a call: (888) 398-2327
Email David for the monthly monitoring spreadsheet: [email protected]
Follow David on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidharris9406
Join David on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidharrisprosperident
Learn more about Prosperident: https://www.prosperident.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 927: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
Watch Episode 926 with David Harris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_yuHXQA-Tk

Main Takeaways:
Ensure your day-end report matches up with what you remember from that day.
Review your day-end report and ask yourself if what you see makes sense.
Have other providers sign off on their day-end reports for accountability.
Print your own reports. Don't open the doors for selective reporting.
Make a habit of initialing and putting away reports that you review.
Compare day-end and month-end numbers for each month.
Confirm that your collections and deposits add up.
Learn to trust systems, not just people.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
2:36 David’s background.
4:20 Day-end reports, explained.
8:54 Why dentists need to print their own reports.
10:25 Two questions to ask about day-end reports.
12:01 Month-end reports, explained.
14:36 How often should month-end reports be done?
15:23 Compare collections against deposits.
18:07 Prosperident’s monthly monitoring spreadsheet.
19:52 Final thoughts.
22:09 More about Prosperident.
David Harris Bio:
Under David’s leadership, Prosperident has expanded over the past three decades to become a team of more than 20 highly specialized fraud investigators, forensic accountants, IT specialists, and support staff. David’s vast investigative experience, coupled with his youth-filled misadventures and his past military service, have given him a unique insight into embezzlers’ mindsets and actions. He is passionate about sharing his wealth of knowledge with dentists and dental specialists.
David is a much sought-after speaker and an accomplished author on the topic of dental embezzlement. Dental Embezzlement: The Art of Theft and the Science of Control is his most recently published book.
David’s professional qualifications include Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified in Financial Forensics, Forensic CPA, Chartered Professional Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, and Licensed Private Investigator.
26 min
August 06, 2025926: Part 1: Why Separation of Duties Is So Important With Money in Your Dental Practice – David Harris
About 70% of dentists will be embezzled at some point in their career. About 80% of them can be prevented just by having the right systems. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back David Harris, embezzlement expert and CEO of Prosperident, to share three rules that will deter future thieves and reduce your risk of embezzlement. If someone is going to steal from you, make it extremely difficult! To learn how to drastically reduce your risk of embezzlement, listen to Episode 926 of The Best Practices Show!
Learn More About David:
Give David a call: (888) 398-2327
Follow David on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidharris9406
Join David on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidharrisprosperident
Learn more about Prosperident: https://www.prosperident.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 926: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:
Break up the duties of the revenue cycle. No one does more than two of the six tasks.
Only clinicians who were in the operatory should enter treatment into the software.
Anyone is capable of a dishonest act given the wrong set of circumstances.
Get a PO Box. Dentists should be the only ones with access to the mail.
Don't try to monitor everything yourself. Delegate more to your team.
Use cross-training as a way to transition into dividing up systems.
Have multiple sets of eyes on tasks to catch discrepancies.
Embezzlement does more than just financial damage.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
1:11 David’s background.
2:05 Embezzlement affects more than just finances.
4:14 Why division of duties is important.
5:51 The revenue cycle and the six tasks, explained.
7:46 Rule 1) Treatment should not be entered by the front desk staff.
11:46 Why rule number one is important.
13:10 Rule 2) Nobody does more than two of the six tasks.
14:45 Why dentists should be the ones taking care of the mail.
17:57 Rule 3) Have different sets of eyes on tasks.
19:24 How to transition into separating duties.
21:05 Don't try to do this on your own.
24:06 Final thoughts.
25:14 About Prosperident.
David Harris Bio:
Under David’s leadership, Prosperident has expanded over the past three decades to become a team of more than 20 highly specialized fraud investigators, forensic accountants, IT specialists, and support staff. David’s vast investigative experience, coupled with his youth-filled misadventures and his past military service, have given him a unique insight into embezzlers’ mindsets and actions. He is passionate about sharing his wealth of knowledge with dentists and dental specialists.
David is a much sought-after speaker and an accomplished author on the topic of dental embezzlement. Dental Embezzlement: The Art of Theft and the Science of Control is his most recently published book.
David’s professional qualifications include Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified in Financial Forensics, Forensic CPA, Chartered Professional Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, and Licensed Private Investigator.
29 min
August 04, 2025925: Metric Mondays: Accounts Receivable Ratio – Ariel Juday
How efficient is your collections process? By looking at one number, you can find out! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Ariel Juday, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to break down accounts receivable ratio. She explains what AR is, how to track it, and what you can do if it’s not at a healthy number. To learn how to manage and take control of your AR, listen to Episode 925 of The Best Practices Show!
Learn More About Ariel:
Send Ariel an email: [email protected]
Follow Ariel 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 925: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:
Your ideal AR ratio is 1:1. For every $1 produced, you're owed no more than $1.
Calculate your AR ratio monthly or quarterly to keep track of any increases.
Have a clear financial policy and collect at time of service to keep AR low.
If your AR isn't healthy, don't be upset with your team members.
You can't fix your AR overnight. Have realistic expectations.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
2:10 Accounts receivable, explained.
4:14 Example of a healthy AR ratio.
4:55 How AR impacts your practice.
5:49 What a low AR ratio indicates.
6:39 Pros and cons of negative receivables.
8:38 How to impact your AR ratio.
11:34 Last thoughts.
Ariel Juday Bio:
Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!
15 min
August 01, 2025924: From Educator to Entrepreneur: Dr. Jeff Henneberg’s Journey to Dental Practice Ownership – Dr. Jeff Henneberg
Being a dentist isn't easy, and neither is being an entrepreneur. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings in Dr. Jeff Henneberg, co-founder of Smile Source Spokane, to share his path from being an educator to entrepreneurship and offer his words of wisdom and encouragement for current and future practice owners. To learn the essential tools and skills of entrepreneurship, listen to Episode 924 of The Best Practices Show!
Learn More About Dr. Henneberg:
Join Dr. Henneberg on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smilesourcespokane
Follow Dr. Henneberg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smilespokanenorth
Learn more about Smile Source Spokane: https://www.smilesourcespokane.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 924: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:
Entrepreneurship is a learnable skill, not something innate.
Whether it’s Smile Source or not, find a community to be a part of.
Balance your time and your life. It will make you a better human being.
Keep on giving. It’s when you're giving that you’ll feel like you're truly living.
Figure out who you are and what is important to you about the role of dentistry.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
1:40 Dr. Henneberg’s background and what pulled him into dentistry.
11:12 Can entrepreneurship be taught?
12:42 Bumps in the road and lessons learned.
19:26 The community of Smile Source.
22:08 The dark side of entrepreneurship.
25:08 The importance of finding a community.
27:50 Figure out who you are.
30:11 More bumps in the road and lessons learned.
34:03 The future for Dr. Henneberg.
36:04 The importance of controlling your time.
40:57 Final thoughts.
Dr. Jeff Henneberg Bio:
Dr. Jeff Henneberg is the co-founder of Smile Source Spokane. Smile Source Spokane helps people from all over the state and Inland Empire achieve oral health and feel confident about their smiles. For over 15 years, more than 3,000 people from over five states in the West and Canada have trusted their care to Smile Source Ellingsen-Henneberg Dental.
Dr. Henneberg has been an educator for dental students through the University of Washington Dental School and has hosted educational events in various subjects regarding oral care. He is a charter member of the Inland Empire Perio Study Club, which is one of the longest running educational clubs in the country. He provides implant, surgical, and consultation care for the Benewah Medical Clinic and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. He is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, the ADA®, WSDA, SDDS, and serves on the dental advisory board of Smile Source.
In his spare time, Dr. Henneberg enjoys spending time outdoors golfing, skiing, and hiking with his family. He is married with two children.
45 min
July 30, 2025923: The Hidden Reason 50% of Your New Patients Never Come Back (And What to Do About It) – Brad James
About 50% of your new patients will not return. Why does that happen, and what can you do about it? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings in Brad James, director of SMB sales at Kleer and Membersy, to explain the true problem you have in your practice. You don't have a new patient problem — you have a patient loyalty problem! To learn what's keeping new patients away and how to create loyalty in your practice, listen to Episode 923 of The Best Practices Show!
Learn More About Brad:
Follow Kleer and Membersy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kleerandmembersy
Learn more about Kleer and Membersy: https://www.kleer.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 923: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
Watch Episode 904 with Jeff Janssen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyBwnKvavDc
Read The Membership Economy by Robbie Kellman Baxter: https://robbiekellmanbaxter.com/the-membership-economy

Main Takeaways:
Membership patients, on average, spend 66% more.
Cash-paying patients don't come in as often as you think.
Study your practice data to avoid making knee-jerk decisions.
Offering membership plans builds loyalty by providing affordability.
Evaluate your team before trying to manage membership plans in-house.
Focus on creating loyalty across your practice, not just marketing to new patients.
Uninsured patients are least likely to return, spend money, and listen to suggestions.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
1:57 Brad’s background.
4:28 Lacking visibility of practice data and why it’s a problem.
8:50 Consequences of not knowing your numbers.
11:43 New patients aren't always the answer.
14:05 Incentivize patients to return.
15:34 Membership patients have a higher APV.
22:32 It’s not all about volume.
26:54 Myths and data about cash-paying patients.
31:29 Build your practice with loyalty, not price.
33:05 Membership drives loyalty.
35:48 Final thoughts.
37:17 About Kleer-Membersy.
Brad James Bio:
Brad James is an accomplished leader in the dental industry, serving as the director of SMB markets at Kleer and Membersy. Committed to making access to dental care both easy and profitable, Brad plays a pivotal role in empowering dental teams to implement strategies that unlock growth.
43 min
July 28, 2025922: Metric Mondays: Recaptured Percentage – Miranda Beeson
You can’t recapture 100% of your cancellations — but you can get 80% or more! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to break down recaptured percentage, how to track it, and ways to create a strong system to increase reappointment. To learn the secrets for actively rescheduling patients, listen to Episode 922 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 922: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
Join ACT’s BPA to get the 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

Main Takeaways:
Aim to recapture 80% or more of your cancellations.
Create a script to help your team reappoint cancellations on the spot.
Track cancellations in real time and follow up with patients on the same day.
Strengthen your verbal skills. Don't just tell patients to, “Call us when you're ready.”
Build an active follow-up system. Contact patients within a day or two of a cancellation.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
1:48 Recaptured percentage, explained.
4:40 How this percentage impacts your practice.
6:51 What it looks like when recaptured percentage is high.
8:47 What it looks like when recaptured percentage is low.
11:47 Countermeasures.
14:13 Join 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.
19 min
July 25, 2025921: Your Hygiene Department: A Goldmine for Growth – Ariel Juday, Angela Heathman, Miranda Beeson, Courtney Dalton, & Christina Byrne
Hygiene is more than just preventative care. It’s a way to tether patients to your practice! In this episode, Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, brings in four amazing ACT team members to share some of their best practices and insights for building value through hygiene. Hygienists are more than just “mouth janitors”! To learn of all the ways they provide value for your practice, listen to Episode 921 of The Best Practices Show!
Learn More About the ACT Team:
Send Ariel an email: [email protected]
Send Angela an email: [email protected]
Send Miranda an email: [email protected]
Send Courtney an email: [email protected]
Send Christina an email: [email protected]
Follow the Team on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental

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

Main Takeaways:
Hygiene is how you keep patients tethered to your practice.
Be aligned on what your optimal standard of care is for patients.
Always schedule the patient’s next appointment before they leave.
Don't underestimate the influence hygiene can have on practice growth.
Put a consistent follow-up plan in place to reintroduce unscheduled patients.
Use value building language to communicate why their next appointment matters.
Have documented systems that support your philosophy, initiatives, and follow-ups.
When doctors and hygienists work together, both the patients and the practice benefit.

Snippets:
0:00 ACT’s BPA.
2:18 Why this is an important topic.
5:39 How this topic shows up in the practice.
8:41 The importance of hygiene for patient retention.
13:19 The importance of hygiene: Create urgency or build value for the next appointment.
15:44 The importance of hygiene: “Due for what?”
17:24 The importance of hygiene: “Your program of care”.
18:11 The importance of hygiene: Don't use minimizing language.
19:48 Best practices for consistently working a recare system.
23:11 The importance of optimal standards of care.
30:37 Upholding optimal standards of care: Align your team on what optimal means.
33:04 Upholding optimal standards of care: Benefits of having a documented system.
34:38 Upholding optimal standards of care: Let patients know you're providing optimal care.
39:25 The importance of collaboration.
47:03 The importance of collaboration: “Preheat” the patient.
48:57 The importance of collaboration: Get doctors and hygienists aligned.
50:26 The importance of collaboration: Have clear conversations from the beginning.
51:25 The importance of collaboration: The exam on demand.
53:20 The importance of the hand-off.
55:29 Final takeaways.
Ariel Juday Bio:
Ariel has a master’s in healthcare administration and several years of dental experience in all aspects of the administrative roles within the dental office. Her passion is to work with dental teams to empower team members to realize their full potential in order to better serve patients, improve office systems to ensure a well-functioning team/office, and to help everyone have fun in the process!
Angela Heathman, MS, RDH Bio:
Angela Heathman, MS, RDH, has over 20 years of clinical dental hygiene, dental sales, and practice coaching experience. When she transitioned from her role as a clinician to her role as a sales account manager, she realized both her passion for education and practice development. Now, as a Lead Practice Coach with ACT Dental, she works with dentists and their teams to help them accomplish their goals. She believes the hard work you do on your practice is just as important as the work you do in your practice!
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.
Courtney Dalton, BS, RDH Bio:
Courtney Dalton is a Lead Practice Coach who focuses on establishing a solid foundation in order for a practice to thrive. With over 15 years of experience in the dental industry, she is as passionate about patient care as she is about those who are providing it.
Christina Byrne, BS, RDH Bio:
Christina Byrne has been involved in dentistry since 1985. Over the years, she has held many positions on the dental team, including dental assistant, business office, and dental hygienist. Christina’s extensive knowledge of the front office and clinical procedures is a great asset, and she loves to impart her knowledge to guide dental teams do the best they can to achieve a Better Practice, Better Life!
1 hr 1 min
July 23, 2025920: What You Should Know About Annual Performance Reviews – Alan Twigg
Traditional annual performance reviews don't work — and there's data to show it! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Alan Twigg, president of Bent Ericksen & Associates, to share what you should know about annual performance reviews, how to rethink them, and tips for making them more effective. To learn the best ways to give feedback to your team, listen to Episode 920 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
Try Bent Ericksen’s HR Director package: https://bentericksen.com/product/hr-director
Learn more on Bent Ericksen’s Resource Library: https://bentericksen.com/resource-library

Learn More About ACT Dental:
ACT’s Events: https://www.actdental.com/event
ACT’s website: https://www.actdental.com
ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental
ACT’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/actdental
ACT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actdental
ACT’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/actdental/

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 920: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
Watch Episode 908 with Alan Twigg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCg0_NPdbRI
Watch Episode 890 with Alan Twigg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS2d39YPVEI
Read Traction by Gino Wickman: https://benbellabooks.com/shop/traction

Main Takeaways:
Your goal is for your team to know exactly where they stand.
Communicate the good, the bad, and the ugly — especially early on.
Studies show that traditional annual performance reviews are not effective.
Regularly do check-ins and find out your teams’ wants, needs, and concerns.
Be proactive with feedback. Don't wait for your team members to come to you.
Don't give your team raises the same day you do check-ins or performance reviews.
Traditional performance reviews, when not done properly, can come back to bite you.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
2:13 Why this is an important topic.
3:24 Team members need to know where they stand.
6:12 Gallup Q12, explained.
7:51 Don't wait for team members to come to you.
10:40 Tips on the first 90 days for new hires.
11:30 Traditional annual performance reviews aren't effective.
13:44 Tips on setting goals.
16:32 Three questions to ask when doing check-ins.
20:51 Do what works for your practice.
22:49 Tips on giving raises.
31:35 About Bent Ericksen.
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.
37 min
July 21, 2025919: Metric Mondays: Cancellation/No-Show Percentage – Miranda Beeson
Cancellations will always happen — but there's a way to reduce and prevent them from happening! In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT’s director of education, to break down cancellation and no-show percentage and what you can do if you have high levels of broken appointments. Stop making it too easy to cancel! To learn the secret to getting patients to show up, listen to Episode 919 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 919: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
Register for ACT’s To The Top Study Club (July 25, 2025): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climb-with-us-register-for-july-25-2025-ttt-study-club-tickets-1205497959849

Main Takeaways:
Your ideal cancellation/no-show percentage is under 10%.
Proactively reach out to patients with unconfirmed appointments.
Put a system in place for releasing or keeping unconfirmed appointments.
Have a reminder system that utilizes both automated and personal outreach.
Be intentional with your language. Don't call to confirm appointments — remind them.
Communicate the value of appointments to patients and policies around missed visits.

Snippets:
0:00 Introduction.
3:15 Cancellation and no-show percentage, explained.
5:16 How this percentage impacts the practice.
7:59 What it looks like when it’s going well.
9:47 What it looks like when it’s not going well.
11:13 Learn how to track and cancel appointments in your software.
13:00 Ways to impact this metric.
19:58 Final 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.
24 min

About The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to The Best Practices Show, hosted by Kirk Behrendt, founder of ACT Dental (https://www.actdental.com/) and a leader in dental practice coaching. This podcast is your gateway to discovering the hidden gems and tactics used by the most successful dental practices worldwide.

At ACT Dental, we have meticulously curated strategies that have consistently proven effective in elevating dental practices. Our podcast, The Best Practices Show, extends our commitment to sharing this wealth of knowledge. Each episode features interviews with renowned dental professionals and industry leaders who have made significant strides in their practices. They share their experiences, insights, and the challenges they've overcome, offering a unique perspective that you won't find anywhere else.

Why should you listen to The Best Practices Show? Whether you're a seasoned dentist, a new practice owner, or somewhere in between, this podcast is tailored to inspire and educate. Our goal is not just to provide you with information but to transform the way you think about and run your dental practice. We delve into topics ranging from advanced clinical techniques and practice management to leadership skills and personal growth.

Kirk Behrendt, a respected figure in the dental community, brings his vast experience and infectious enthusiasm to each episode, making complex topics both understandable and engaging. As the CEO of ACT Dental, Kirk has helped countless dental practices thrive by focusing on holistic development - professionally, personally, and within their community.

Our commitment to authenticity and practical advice sets The Best Practices Show apart. We don't just talk about theories; we dive into real-life applications you can implement immediately in your practice. Our community-centric approach means we're always listening to our audience and constantly evolving our content to meet your needs.

In addition to the invaluable insights from our guests, we also provide access to exclusive resources available through ACT Dental. These resources complement the podcast topics and give you a more comprehensive understanding and practical tools to apply in your practice.

By subscribing to The Best Practices Show, you're not just gaining access to a podcast; you're joining a community of like-minded professionals committed to excellence in dentistry.

So, are you ready to transform your practice and be the best version of yourself? Join us on this journey, and let's grow together. Hit subscribe and never miss an episode of The Best Practices Show – where we uncover the secrets to the success of the world's best dental practices, one episode at a time.

Subscribe to The Best Practices Show on Apple Podcasts

Join our community and start your journey towards a more innovative, more successful dental practice today!