Managing Dental Drama

Bethany and Dr. Kuba are thrilled to be ringing in a third season!! In this celebratory episode, they allow you, the listener, to get to know them a little better while also providing some good reflection questions. First, Dr. Kuba reflects on what she would tell her former, brand-new practice owner self (she would have to go back 13 years to talk to this new practice owner!). Then, she discusses...

Dr. Kuba is back with some drama of her own to share! Although lost supplies can be common, it is rare to hear about a lost sensor. In this episode, hear Dr. Kuba’s dramatic tale of a lost sensor in her very own practice. In addition to discussing the details of the missing sensor, Dr. Kuba and Bethany also discuss practical take-aways including good systems for inventory of supplies and equipment...

Correcting an employee is so incredibly difficult – sometimes so daunting that we completely avoid it. Despite the intense desire to retain employees, corrective conversations are absolutely essential. Therefore, it is critical to conduct these in an effective way. This episode discusses when to have an immediate corrective conversation and when to have a planned/delayed one. Also discussed is the...

Bethany spends today’s episode challenging each practice owner to dive deep into the treatment acceptance category AND to train their team in treatment acceptance. She spends time reviewing her top ten tips for improving treatment acceptance. Specifically, she encourages dental teams to:  Discover your patient’s motivation  Understand your patient’s barrier Resist the urge to over-educate  “Schedu...

Dr. Kuba and Bethany conclude their three part series on Treatment Acceptance by discussing very practical steps that practice owners can take. They spend the bulk of this episode reviewing the importance of making dentistry affordable for patients. The pros and cons of in office financing are discussed as well as third-party financing options. They also discuss being wise with what options to sel...

It may seem counterintuitive to consider dropping insurance plans in the midst of patients not accepting treatment. However, because of continued increased supply costs and elevated employee costs, it’s important to close the gap between costs, revenue, and net profitability. Currently, insurance reimbursements are one of the main hurdles in closing that gap. While there are several options to con...

If you’ve noticed a recent dip in treatment acceptance, you aren’t alone. A large number of practices across the nation are seeing what feels like a sudden drop in treatment acceptance. In this episode, Dr. Kuba and Bethany discuss the WHY behind this drop. They also discuss that due to current economic factors, this current trend isn’t just a little blip that will be here today and gone tomorrow....

It is an unfortunate and common occurrence – a team member finds fault in another team member. Then, they turn to complaining – complaining to you, complaining to other team members, and even complaining to patients! Yikes! In this episode, Dr. Kuba and Bethany discuss the all-too common problem of employees who are frustrated with other employees. Dr. Kuba shares about two of her lead employees s...

Every practice owner has experienced that dreaded moment – the moment when the most valuable, knowledgeable, indispensable employee turns in his or her notice. What do you do? In this episode, Dr. Kuba and Bethany discuss the importance of having a good backup plan in place. Do you have an employee or two that knows everything? A good backup plan often involves cross-training to ensure that the pr...

Hiring is an excruciating task, and when it all falls to one or two people to handle, it can be completely overwhelming. In this episode, Dr. Kuba and Bethany discuss the thorough and shared model of hiring that Dr. Kuba uses in her practice. The process allows multiple people, even the full team, to weigh in on the candidate to ensure that they do not see any red flags. Also, she is able to evalu...

Is the rumor mill running at your office? Are there conversations behind closed doors that cause problems? Team drama is not only stressful but also damaging to a practice. In this episode, Bethany references a client who is struggling with inner-office drama, and then Dr. Kuba weighs in on the value of documentation and open lines of communication. In her office, every conversation with an employ...

Amanda is back for another episode!! This time, she and Bethany tackle more of Dr. Patel’s burning questions. They start with his first question – “If you have two team members who are having conflict, how specifically do you handle this, and how early do you intervene?” They also discuss the importance of communication between the practice owner and the office manager. How frequently should a doc...

Amanda is back for another episode!! This time, she and Bethany tackle more of Dr. Patel’s burning questions. They start with his first question – “If you have two team members who are having conflict, how specifically do you handle this, and how early do you intervene?” They also discuss the importance of communication between the practice owner and the office manager. How frequently should a doc...

One of our devoted listeners requested that we invite another office manager to the show. Bethany invited one of her favorites – Amanda Eldred! Amanda has a long history in the dental field and has worn many hats. She has also worked alongside Bethany in a consulting format. She answers several of Dr. Patel’s burning questions – How do you keep staff morale high? What are specific things you do in...

A resigning employee often leaves a wave of destruction behind them – a mess that the practice owner and team ultimately have to clean up. Bethany and Dr. Kuba talk about various ways to solve either a temporary or long-term staff shortage. They discuss the importance of being prepared for any team member to quit and building backup plans through really knowing your employees. Dr. Kuba shares how...

Over the last month, Bethany has been hit with multiple panicked text messages and voicemails regarding an employee quitting. She ropes Dr. Kuba into the conversation to discuss the aftermath of an employee quitting. How do you navigate the 2-week notice? How do you find someone quickly enough to avoid being understaffed? Is there anything you should or should not do in regards to incorporating th...

In this episode, Dr. Kuba and Bethany continue their conversation from last week. They discussed more pros and cons of having an office manager, and they specifically discuss how Dr. Kuba utilized a practice manager for many years before shifting to a leadership model. As the conversation unfolds, they find themselves back at the question of, “Does having a manager prevent me from selling my pract...

With the ever-increasing stresses of practice ownership, it can be hard to manage all aspects of the practice alone. In this segment, Dr. Kuba is back! She and Bethany discuss the benefits and potential risks of incorporating an office manager into the practice. They both emphasize the importance of training and equipping an office manager and then carefully grafting him or her successfully into t...

With a recession looming, dentists everywhere worry about what a recession will do to the dental field. In this episode, Mr. Petty (Bethany’s husband who loves economics) will share some specific things to expect in a recession. Patients AND staff members show us signs and help practice owners to spot when the recession has officially hit. Preparation should begin NOW. Spending and saving should c...

Mr. Petty (Bethany’s husband) joins the studio for the first time today! He teaches government and economics and has a genuine passion for how these subjects impact life. Today, Bethany searches for the cliff note version of what is truly happening in the economy. Are we in a recession? What’s going on with the interest rates? Will those rates impact small business lending? What does the rest of 2...

After listening to last week’s episode, you have the basics for determining if your practice is on a positive trend or a negative one. But do you have any ideas of how to fix a negative trend? This week, learn how to take basic practice information and dive even deeper to determine WHY there is a negative trend. Then, listen as Bethany shares several potential solutions to those negative trends. I...

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

Dr. Kuba has built a list of extremely important topics that every practicing dentist needs to pause and contemplate, research and learn, and dialogue about with others. First, she and Bethany discuss a dental office that unintentionally ran a stolen credit card for payment. When is the last time you and your team have considered your rules and parameters for processing payments? Next, they discus...

 In this episode, Dr. Kuba and Bethany continue their conversation about selling a practice. In this episode, they discuss how to prepare a practice for selling. Where do associates fit in? What do potential buyers consider when looking at a practice? How long does it take to get a practice ready to sell? All of these questions and more will be covered in this episode. Whether you are planning to...

It is no secret that practicing ownership is exhilarating, rewarding, and utterly exhausting. There are often many moments when a practice owner asks, “Should I Sell My Practice?” With the ever-changing market of practice buyers and DSO buyers, it’s normal for a practice owner to wonder if life would be simpler and better with somebody else running the show. In this episode, Dr. Kuba shares her ow...