Dental Unfiltered

Zach Shelley, a dental operations and revenue cycle management pro, explains why front offices struggle and how to fix them. He discusses outsourcing RCM, the hidden costs of insurance processing, boosting production through smarter scheduling, and reclaiming staff time to improve patient experience and collections.

They debate insourcing versus outsourcing for call centers, labs, and insurance processing. They weigh costs, turnover, fraud risk, and startup burdens. They describe when insourcing might pay off and how outsourcing can improve intake, verifications, and treatment acceptance. They share vendor experiences and practical trade-offs between growth and operational distractions.

Avi Patel, a dentist and clear-aligner coach who helps clinicians start and scale Invisalign and other aligner programs. He debunks the lab-fee myth and explains ROI, talks about scanners as persuasive diagnostic tools, and shares how routine scanning and mentorship turn existing patients into predictable, profitable aligner cases.

They unpack what EBITDA really means for dental practice value. They explain common add-backs like one-time equipment and travel. They describe monthly reviews with CPAs and who can manage the process. They cover add-backs for growing multi-office groups and how adjusted numbers help lending conversations.

Dr. Polly, a periodontist and educator known as Periopolly, dives into periodontal therapy choices and practical clinical reasoning. They revisit landmark SRP vs flap research and question how modern instruments change outcomes. Conversations cover calculus removal limits, when to opt for flap or conservative osseous approaches, regeneration considerations, and the crucial role of hygienists in patient communication and referral.

A deep dive into achieving a 100% reappointment rate and why it fuels predictable growth. Practical focuses include hygienist conversations, new scripting with automatic scheduling fallbacks, and roleplay for adoption. They cover leadership, KPIs, incentive plans, and low-barrier hygiene packages to boost return visits. Marketing ROI and converting consults into hygiene appointments are highlighted.

Dr. Spencer Greer, a practicing dentist and production-focused coach who runs High Level Dental Producers, shares practical tactics for boosting practice production and case acceptance. He talks about setting income goals, overcoming fear and incomplete diagnoses, selling value over price, improving consult rapport, protecting production time, and balancing workload for long-term success.

They talk about ending practice-funded Invisalign payment plans and the reasons behind that shift. Cash flow strains from payroll and big monthly card bills get highlighted. Rising default rates and administrative burdens from in-house plans are examined. Alternative payment options and incentives like prepay perks and third-party financing are discussed.

In this episode of Management Unfiltered, Kirk Teachout and Zach Shelley tackle the challenge of working with a problematic boss. They share practical strategies for communicating effectively, asking better questions, and leading upward within a hierarchy—while emphasizing the role of leadership in creating a supportive, high-performing work environment.

Deep dive into high-performance biohacking and a personal health reset. Using AI as a coaching tool to redesign diet, sleep, exercise, and supplements. Major beverage and dietary overhauls, plus rapid early results. Data-driven tracking, sauna and cold-plunge recovery routines, and a marathon training goal.