The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

Burnout is not always caused by the amount of work someone is doing. It can also result from spending too much time performing work that creates frustration and drains energy. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Heather Crockett, ACT Dental coach, about applying the Working Genius model to burnout, leadership, team responsibilities, and patient care.

You will learn how to recognize frustration-based burnout, delegate work according to energy and natural strengths, and use all six working geniuses to improve the patient experience. To create a healthier team and find more joy at work, listen to Episode 1068 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• Burnout can result from the type of work someone performs, not only the amount of work assigned.
• High performers may burn out faster because they try to complete all six types of work at a consistently high level.
• Promotions can place capable team members into roles that rely heavily on their areas of frustration.
• Leaders should consider a team member’s energy and working geniuses instead of delegating solely according to available capacity.
• Each of the six working geniuses contributes differently to treatment planning, communication, follow-through, and patient trust.
• Team members become more effective in their geniuses when they receive regular opportunities to use and develop them.
• A fulfilled and energized dental team communicates more effectively and creates a stronger patient experience.

Snippets:

00:00 Applying Working Genius to burnout, leadership, and patient care.

02:43 A review of the six working geniuses.

03:43 How working frustrations drain energy.

05:18 Why the type of work can cause burnout.

06:35 How promotions can move high performers into frustrating work.

08:26 What burnout looks like on dental teams.

09:40 Why high performers may burn out faster.

11:22 Leadership mistakes related to Working Genius.

13:31 Delegating according to energy instead of capacity.

16:12 How each working genius supports patient care.

18:27 Why fulfilled teams create better patient experiences.

20:20 Final lessons about burnout, team roles, and contribution.

21:42 Taking the assessment and starting a team conversation.

22:48 Working Genius education at the Exchange.

Guest Bio/Guest Resources:

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.

Resources mentioned on the episode:

Working Genius Assessment: https://www.workinggenius.com/

The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Types-Working-Genius-Understand-Frustrations/dp/1637743297

Smile Source Exchange: https://smilesource.com/exchange

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

• The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/
• Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/
• Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

A clicking jaw joint may not hurt, but pain alone does not reveal whether the joint is healthy, stable, or affecting growth and occlusion. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Dr. Jim McKee, a restorative dentist and educator, about evaluating clicking joints from a structural and orthopedic perspective.

You will learn how the articular disc supports condylar position, mandibular and maxillary growth, vertical dimension, bone protection, and load distribution, as well as why patient age, malocclusion, and joint anatomy should guide diagnosis. To understand why dentists need to ask better questions about clicking joints, listen to Episode 1067 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• The articular disc acts like a gasket that positions the condyle three-dimensionally and supports a repeatable bite.
• A displaced disc can affect mandibular and maxillary growth even when the patient does not report pain.
• Malocclusion can be an early clinical indicator of structurally altered temporomandibular joints.
• Changes in vertical dimension at the joint level can contribute to excessive loading and breakdown of terminal posterior teeth.
• MRI and CBCT provide information about soft-tissue and hard-tissue joint anatomy that cannot be determined from symptoms alone.
• Appliances can redistribute load and support adaptation, but they cannot guarantee that every structurally altered joint will adapt.
• An asymptomatic clicking joint in a stable adult should be evaluated differently from an asymptomatic clicking joint in a growing patient with malocclusion.

Snippets:

00:00 Intro

02:28 Why pain may be a late-stage indicator of a joint problem.

04:31 What a clicking disc may be unable to do compared with a normal disc.

08:12 Why teeth are only one part of the occlusal system.

10:27 How the disc supports mandibular growth.

15:12 How disc displacement may affect maxillary growth.

19:35 Why joint diagnosis matters before orthodontic treatment.

22:54 Understanding vertical dimension at the joint level.

26:44 How the disc protects bone and distributes load.

29:42 Using malocclusion to identify patients who may need joint evaluation.

36:05 How patient age and occlusal stability change the clinical significance of clicking.

38:19 Educational resources for learning joint diagnosis and restorative treatment planning.

44:27 Final Takeaways

Guest Bio/Guest Resources:

Dr. Jim McKee is a restorative dentist and educator focused on occlusion, TMD, and restorative diagnosis. He is a member of the Spear Resident Faculty. He has maintained a private practice since 1984 in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he treats a wide variety of cases with a focus on predictable restorative dentistry. He is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and former president of the American Equilibration Society. He has lectured both nationally and internationally for over 25 years and directs several study clubs. Dr. McKee graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1980 and earned his dental degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in 1984.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Stephen Phelan’s online program featuring Dr. Jim McKee’s:

https://courses.phelandentalseminars.com/tmd-webinar-wj

Advanced Occlusion Workshop at Spear Education : https://app.speareducation.com/events/workshops/advanced-occlusion

EP779: The Restorative Diagnostic Practice:

https://www.actdental.com/blog/779-mckee

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

• The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/
• Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/
• Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

A full schedule can look productive while still falling short of a practice’s financial goals. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Miranda Beeson, Director of Education at ACT Dental, about why busy days underperform and how production-per-day goals, schedule utilization, patient selection, and block scheduling create greater predictability.

You will learn how to evaluate schedule quality, protect high-value clinical time, and help your administrative team make more intentional scheduling decisions. To build a full schedule that supports production, profitability, and a better workday, listen to Episode 1066 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• A full schedule can still underperform when appointments are not aligned with the practice’s production goals.
• Production-per-day goals should be visible in the practice management software and understood by the entire team.
• Schedule utilization measures how much available clinical time is being used for patient care.
• Administrative team members should consider procedure value and patient reliability instead of filling every opening with the first available appointment.
• A and B patients create greater schedule stability because they are more likely to attend appointments and pay their balances.
• Block scheduling protects prime clinical time for higher-value treatment and creates more predictable daily production.
• An ideal day schedule should balance the owner’s preferences, patient needs, and the practice’s production goals.

Snippets

00:00 Intro

01:31 Full schedules can still produce underperforming days.

02:18 Why filling every opening does not guarantee productivity.

03:13 The importance of production per day and schedule utilization.

05:03 Working backward from annual goals to a daily production target.

06:39 What an underperforming full schedule looks like.

08:13 Why practices should replace like with like when appointments change.

10:30 How intentional scheduling supports production goals.

12:20 Protecting prime clinical time with block scheduling.

13:00 Using the production figure in practice management software before scheduling an appointment.

15:05 How comprehensive treatment blocks can create peaceful, productive days.

17:06 Displaying production-per-day goals in the practice management software.

17:46 Building an ideal day schedule for greater consistency.

19:03 The ideal day scheduling guide in the ACT Dental community hub.

Guest Bio/Guest Resources

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.

Guest Resource:

Ideal Day Scheduling Guide in the ACT Dental community hub:

https://www.actdental.com/blog/cut-the-chaos-from-your-schedule

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

• The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/
• Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/
• Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com
• Schedule a call with Gina: https://www.actdental.com/schedule-with-gina
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Patients may seem uninterested in their oral health, but the real issue may be that they have not been given a clear reason to participate in their care. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Melissa Obrotka, a dental hygienist and oral-systemic health educator, about helping patients understand what is happening in their mouths and why it matters to their overall health.

You will learn how to create patient buy-in, use visual evidence and open-ended questions, calibrate your team, and transition from task-based hygiene to a healthcare-focused approach. To improve communication and help patients take action, listen to Episode 1065 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• Dental professionals must help patients understand how oral inflammation and bacteria can affect systemic health.
• Team calibration requires dedicated non-patient time to establish shared clinical standards, protocols, and expectations.
• Disclosing biofilm gives patients visual evidence that helps them understand disease, inflammation, and areas of risk.
• Open-ended questions and motivational interviewing can uncover the fear or previous experiences behind patient resistance.
• Providers can challenge patients directly while acknowledging their choices and asking permission to explain clinical concerns.
• Hygienists earn healthcare-level compensation by consistently delivering comprehensive healthcare rather than limited task-based services.
• Dentists and hygienists should learn and implement an oral-systemic approach together so patients receive consistent care.

Snippets:

00:00 Intro

01:00 Why patients may appear not to care about their oral health.

02:20 Melissa’s background in dental hygiene and oral-systemic education.

03:45 The relationship between oral inflammation, bacteria, and systemic health.

06:05 How hygienists inherit task-based systems and schedules.

09:05 Why dental hygienists may be the most important healthcare providers patients see all year.

10:55 The need to schedule non-patient time for team calibration.

12:00 How disclosing biofilm creates patient buy-in.

13:45 Connecting periodontal charting, radiographs, bleeding, and visible bacteria.

16:00 The expanding research on oral and systemic health.

18:35 Using questions and motivational interviewing with resistant patients.

22:00 How to care deeply while challenging patients directly.

24:20 Melissa’s perspective on dental hygiene as a career.

28:45 Melissa’s courses at The Exchange.

31:10 Final thoughts on helping patients care and take action.

32:00 Why dentists and hygienists should attend training together.

Guest Bio/Guest Resources:

Melissa A Obrotka, BA, RDH, holds over 25 years of experience in the dental field and concentrated clinical experience with the dental implant patient population. Melissa’s core objectives for her patients in specialty perio/prosthodontics are focused on a “whole-listic” approach to dental prevention, disease remission, and therapies that encompass total body health and wellness. Her approach to patient care is focused on biofilm disruption strategies for periodontal and peri-implant health and longevity while providing healthcare advocacy to patients. In addition, Obrotka is a dental hygiene motivator, educator, podcast host, change agent, influencer, and industry thought leader.

Obrotka serves as a clinical adjunct professor at her alma mater, Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey, where she elevated clinical education by instructing students on the oral microbiome, biofilm disruption and introduced the Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) methodology. Obrotka was nationally recognized in 2016 as a Master Clinician for her outstanding clinical expertise. In 2017, Obrotka was named one of the “Six Dental Hygienists You Want to Know’’ in the clinincal practice category by Dimensions of Dental Hygiene.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsthebadasshygienist/
• Website: https://itsthebadasshygienist.com

Mentioned Programs:

• No More Ignored Advice &The Biology Led Hygiene Appointment: https://www.itsthebadasshygienist.com/speaking-the-badass-hygienist-melissa-obrotka-rdh
• OPSM Framework: Oral Prevention is Systemic Medicine: https://www.itsthebadasshygienist.com/opsm-framework-course

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

The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/

Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa

Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/

Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Why do some team members leave work energized while others feel drained, frustrated, or misunderstood? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with coach Heather Crockett about the Working Genius model and how dental teams can use it to better understand their strengths, frustrations, communication patterns, and roles.

You will learn the six types of Working Genius, why every stage of work matters, and how shared language can improve meetings, teamwork, productivity, and joy at work. To understand how your team can work more effectively together, listen to Episode 1064 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways

• Working Genius helps team members understand which types of work give them energy and which types drain them.
• The six Working Geniuses are wonder, invention, discernment, galvanizing, enablement, and tenacity.
• Each person has two geniuses, two competencies, and two frustrations.
• Teams need all six geniuses to move work from identifying a need through implementation and completion.
• Meetings become less effective when teams move directly from generating ideas to assigning tasks without discernment and galvanizing.
• A shared understanding of Working Genius can reduce judgment, improve communication, and help leaders assign work more intentionally.
• A Working Genius indicates the type of work a person enjoys, but it does not automatically mean that person has mastered it.

Snippets

00:00 Welcome

03:17 What Is Working Genius

06:55 An introduction to the six types of Working Genius.

07:45 How invention generates solutions and new ideas.

09:50 How discernment evaluates ideas and galvanizing creates momentum.

11:12 How enablement supports implementation and tenacity completes the work.

12:09 The difference between geniuses, competencies, and frustrations.

13:01 How complementary geniuses helped ACT Dental grow.

22:05 How Working Genius can reduce judgment and attribution errors.

24:59 How Working Genius affects meetings and workplace culture.

29:51 Why leaders should avoid pigeonholing people by their assessment results.

32:12 A practical treatment plan for applying Working Genius.

34:38 Wrap Up And Part Two Tease

35:13 Final Outro And Resources

Guest Bio/Guest Resources:

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.

Working Genius Assessment: https://www.workinggenius.com/

The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Types-Working-Genius-Understand-Frustrations/dp/1637743297

Smile Source Exchange: https://smilesource.com/exchange

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

The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/

Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa

Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/

Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Production gaps are often blamed on low case acceptance or insufficient diagnosis, but the real issue may begin with how the schedule is structured, protected, and maintained. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt talks with dental practice coach Ariel Siegel about identifying whether lost production begins in the schedule or the operatory. You will learn how reappointment systems, downtime monitoring, intentional scheduling, and future schedule protection can create more consistent production and smoother clinical days.

To understand where production gaps begin and what your team can do about them, listen to Episode 1063 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways

• Production problems may result from scheduling systems even when diagnosis and treatment acceptance remain strong.
• Constantly filling last-minute openings prevents administrative team members from completing other production-building activities.
• Filling schedule gaps with unsuitable appointments can disrupt the intended flow and energy of the clinical day.
• Strong reappointment systems help patients understand why they are returning and reduce future cancellations.
• Protecting the future schedule allows the team to maintain production goals and minimize bottlenecks.
• Monitoring doctor and hygiene downtime reveals both large openings and smaller gaps that accumulate throughout the day.
• Designing the schedule around provider energy and appointment type supports more consistent monthly production and revenue.

Snippets:

00:00 Metric Mondays Intro

01:19 Schedule vs Operatory

02:20 Why Gaps Happen

03:28 When It Goes Wrong

04:26 Scramble Fill Trap

06:51 Getting It Right

07:57 Protect Future Schedule

09:17 Design Around Energy

10:07 Action Steps Today

11:17 Resources and Wrap Up

11:57 Final Thanks and Outro

Guest Bio/Guest Resources:

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!

Guest Resources:

https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/

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

• The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/
• Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/
• Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Missed calls, staffing shortages, and phone fatigue can create a front office bottleneck that affects both the patient experience and practice production. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt speaks with Richard May of Mango Voice about how modern VoIP systems and AI receptionists can help dental practices answer more calls, streamline scheduling, document patient conversations, and reduce administrative workload without eliminating the human relationships patients need.

Learn where AI is most useful, which conversations should remain with team members, and how practices can evaluate these tools responsibly. To improve your phone workflow and reduce pressure on your front office, listen to Episode 1062 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• Front office bottlenecks occur when team members must manage ringing phones, arriving patients, scheduling requests, insurance questions, and payments at the same time.
• Missed calls can represent lost new-patient opportunities and make it difficult for practices to measure the production they are losing.
• An AI receptionist can answer simultaneous calls, schedule selected appointments, respond to common questions, and filter spam or irrelevant calls.
• AI tools should be customized with accurate practice information and used as an extension of the team rather than a replacement for every human interaction.
• Phone integrations with practice management software can identify callers, open patient profiles, create conversation summaries, and reduce manual documentation.
• Payment disputes, detailed insurance questions, sensitive family concerns, and treatment conversations still require human judgment and empathy.
• Modern VoIP systems can use mobile applications and cellular data to keep business calls operating during an internet outage.

Snippets:

00:00 The front office bottleneck in dental practices.

01:27 Meet Richard May

04:18 How competing front office demands create workflow bottlenecks.

06:21 Phone fatigue and the impact of missed calls.

08:33 How an AI receptionist handles simultaneous and after-hours calls.

10:09 Addressing concerns about AI representing the practice.

15:09 Why dentists underestimate the importance of their phone systems.

16:39 How patient expectations influence which dental practice they choose.

19:10 Using transcripts, keyword searches, and automated patient notes.

21:21 The staffing crisis and AI-supported administrative work.

23:26 Which tasks should remain human.

26:40 How AI can triage after-hours and emergency calls.

29:20 How VoIP reliability and mobile applications have improved.

31:32 Final considerations for adopting AI in the dental practice.

34:24 How to test Margo and schedule a Mango Voice demonstration.

Guest Bio/Guest Resources

Richard has had a fulfilling career in public health, where he spent a decade dedicated to improving community wellness, health education, and preventive care. His work in public health allowed him to make a tangible difference, positively impacting lives and communities, a passion that continues to drive him.

Following his public health career, Richard joined Mango, bringing his dedication to health and wellness into a new professional chapter. His role at Mango is a perfect fit, aligning with his values of teamwork, community engagement, and continuous improvement.

Mango Voice: https://www.mangovoice.com/

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

The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/

Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa

Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/

Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Building, growing, and owning an independent dental practice can feel isolating, especially when decisions, team challenges, and long-term vision fall on the practice owner. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Miranda Beeson, ACT coach and dental practice leader, to explain why community matters in practice ownership and how the right support system can help dentists and their teams make better decisions, avoid unnecessary mistakes, build confidence, and grow with greater clarity.

To learn how to find the right people in your corner, listen to Episode 1061 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• Independent practice owners do not have to solve every challenge alone.
• A strong professional community provides shared learning, support, accountability, and practical perspective.
• The right community helps dentists shorten the learning curve by learning from others’ real-world experiences.
• Community should align with the practice owner’s values and avoid judgment, toxicity, or hidden agendas.
• Team members also need community and role-specific support to grow in confidence and leadership.
• The Community Hub provides forums, study clubs, clinical education, resources, and vendor connections for dentists and their teams.
• Community is a strategic advantage because it helps practice owners think better, lead better, and grow faster.

Snippets:

00:00 Who Is In Your Corner

01:19 Meet Miranda Beeson

02:15 Why Dentists Feel Alone

04:09 Tribe Stories And Patterns

07:41 Isolation And Negative Self Talk

08:34 What Community Really Means

10:59 Avoid Toxic Communities

13:31 Real Benefits For Owners

15:25 Belief And Accountability

18:15 Community For The Whole Team

23:20 Inside The Community Hub

26:43 Forum Wins And AI Examples

32:19 More Questions Solved Fast

37:56 Final Takeaways And Invite

40:33 How To Get Started

42:32 Closing And Call To Action

Guest Bio/Guest Resources:

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.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/
• ACT Dental resources: https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/
• For more information about the community, contact [email protected]

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

• The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/
• Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/
• Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Most dentists believe they need more new patients, but the real problem may be how well they are using the patients, providers, and chair time they already have. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Ariel Siegel, ACT Dental coach, to explain why active patient count, pre-appointment percentage, capacity utilization, and annual patient value matter before investing in new patient growth.

Learn how to identify whether your practice has a patient problem or a utilization problem, and how to start improving schedule efficiency with the data you already have. To grow more predictably with the patients already in your practice, listen to Episode 1060 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• Practices should evaluate utilization of current patients and provider capacity before pursuing more new patients.
• New patients can add pressure because phone calls, relationship building, and appointments require more time and energy.
• A healthy active patient count is often around 1,200 to 1,500 patients per provider.
• Unscheduled active patients and low pre-appointment rates reveal opportunities within the existing patient base.
• Chair time utilization around 90% to 95% creates productive schedules while leaving some flexibility.
• Annual patient value helps determine whether a practice needs more patients or better production per patient.
• Capacity tracking should be reviewed consistently so each provider column has accountability.

Snippets:

00:00 Metric Mondays Intro

01:50 Meet Ariel Siegel

02:14 More Patients Myth

04:18 Active Patient Benchmarks

08:07 When Utilization Fails

10:33 Redefining Growth

11:56 Capacity Utilization Targets

14:36 Action Plan With APV

18:06 Vision And Wrap Up

18:33 Final Goodbye

Guest Bio/Guest Resources:

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!

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

• The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/
• Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/
• Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com

Digital workflows are changing how dentists select, plan, monitor, and communicate clear aligner treatment. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Maria Jose Blanco Solis, private practice dentist and clear aligner educator, to discuss how digital workflow innovations are transforming aligner treatment in 2026.

You will learn how to evaluate aligner case complexity, monitor tracking and compliance, use auxiliary techniques, manage retention protocols, and think about aligners as part of a broader functional and preventive approach to dentistry. To understand how to make aligner workflows more predictable and practical in your practice, listen to Episode 1059 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• Clear aligners have expanded from simple aesthetic cases to more complex Class II, Class III, surgical, and multidisciplinary treatment plans.
• Case selection should include evaluation of occlusion, arch form, profile, crossbites, growth status, recession, and bone support.
• CBCT, STL files, and complete diagnostic records give doctors better control and confidence when planning aligner treatment.
• Monitoring appointments should focus on aligner fit, attachment integrity, tracking gaps, programmed IPR, and occlusal contacts.
• Patient compliance remains essential because aligners generally require 22 hours of daily wear.
• Auxiliary techniques such as buttons, elastics, TADs, and bootstrap mechanics can improve movement predictability in moderate and severe cases.
• Retention protocols should account for occlusal stability and patient compliance, especially when deciding between clear retainers and lingual wires.

Snippets:

00:00 Welcome And Guest Intro

02:11 Meet Dr Mari Jose

03:14 Aligners In 2026

05:24 Case Selection Basics

06:55 Monitoring And Tracking

10:37 Doctor Coaching Support

11:13 Micronutrients And Compliance

13:03 Retainers And Stability

14:45 Aux Techniques And Elastics

16:32 Posterior Open Bite Causes

18:24 Retainer Wear Schedule

19:52 Future Of Aligner Care

22:20 Final Tips And Records

23:14 Contact Info And Spark

24:28 The Exchange Event Preview

25:00 Final thoughts on case selection, auxiliary techniques, and live case alignment.

Guest Bio/Guest Resources:

Dr. Maria Jose Blanco Solis is a dentist in private practice in San Jose, Costa Rica. She has worked with clear aligner therapy through Invisalign and Spark and focuses on digital dentistry, aligner workflow, case selection, clinical monitoring, and doctor education.

In this episode, she discusses Spark, Vista aligners, TruGen XR material, one-on-one clinical support, and her upcoming presentation at Smile Exchange on case selection, clinical complexity, auxiliary techniques, and live case review.

Resources mentioned:

• [email protected]
• Discount code for the smile exchange: JOSEBLANCO26
• https://smilesource.com/exchange

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

The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/

Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa

Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/

Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com