Growth in Dentistry: A Dental Intelligence Podcast

Welcome back to the Growth in Dentistry podcast! In this episode, Steve Jensen talks with Kelsey Porter, co-founder of Beacon PPO Solutions, about using PPO fee negotiations to increase practice profitability without increasing patient volume.What you’ll learn:How PPO negotiations can increase revenue per procedure while keeping practices in-networkHow often to negotiate and what happens if you have not reviewed fees in yearsWhy the first offer is often small, and how deeper negotiation can lead to larger liftsHow leasing and network structure can create leverage with carriersWhat the process, timeline, and workload typically look like for a practice…and so much more!Resources:Beacon PPO Solutions: www.beaconpposolutions.comCheck out a demo of Dental Intelligence and her a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast

Miranda Beeson, a dental hygienist-turned-practice coach and Director of Education at ACT Dental, helps practices build systems that support lifestyle goals. She argues new patient counts alone mislead. Conversations cover retention versus acquisition, net patient growth and the leaky bucket, annual patient value, reactivation systems, the new-patient hygiene reappointment metric, and designing a repeatable new-patient experience.

In this episode of the Growth in Dentistry podcast, join Steve Jensen as he sits down with Susan Leckowicz, a dental coach with 16 years of coaching experience and 20 years of clinical experience as a hygienist. Susan shares her proven case agreement system that helps practices move beyond simply getting patients to accept treatment, focusing instead on creating genuine agreement and commitment to complete care plans.Listen to the episode to hear more about:The case acceptance vs. case completion gapOptimizing the hygiene visit for treatment planningThe financial agreement systemFollow up and accountability with unscheduled treatmentDriving team buy-in and behavior changePatient communication strategies...and so much more!Connect with Susan by emailing her at susan@dentalcoaches.com. Learn more about Dental Coaches at www.dentalcoaches.com.See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: http://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this episode of Growth in Dentistry, Steve Jensen sits down with Heather Crockett from ACT Dental to discuss practical strategies for overcoming burnout and building a thriving dental practice. They explore the "Sunday Scaries" phenomenon that many dental professionals experience and provide actionable advice on leadership, self-awareness, delegation, and work-life balance.Listen to the episode to hear about:Identifying the root causes of Sunday night dreadThe Power of ReflectionThe Three Hats of LeadershipSelf-Awareness as a Leadership ToolThe Show-Do-Teach methodAvoiding Maintenance ModeSetting Boundaries...and much more!Resources:Learn more about ACT Dental: https://www.actdental.com/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaThe Working Genius Model: https://www.workinggenius.com/The DiSC® Assessment: https://www.discprofile.com/Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team: https://www.fivebehaviors.com/See a demo of Dental Intelligence and get a $50 gift card: http://get.dentalintel.net/podcast

Ragan Hartman, a dental leadership coach with 27+ years in healthcare management, shares practical communication and scripting strategies. She breaks down word choice, handling collections and insurance denials, reducing cancellations and no-shows, and messaging for going out-of-network. Short, usable scripts and timing tactics to help teams navigate tough conversations.

In this episode of Growth in Dentistry, host Steve Jensen and Riley Beck of Energize Group sit down with Dr. Fran Dolan, owner of Dolan Dental, to discuss how he built a top-performing scratch practice in just three years. Dr. Dolan shares his journey from associate dentist to practice owner, revealing the strategies, challenges, and key decisions that led to his success.Listen in to hear about:Dr. Dolan’s early career and transition from associate to practice ownerHis unique practice model of split-shift scheduling and how his team is structuredMarketing and patient acquisition, and his partnership with Energize GroupThe practice’s growth trajectoryHis investment in technology used in his practice, from 3D printers to intraoral scanners and more…and so much more!Want to get in touch with Dr. Dolan? Follow along with his practice journey on Instagram at @dolan_dental and reach out there or to his personal account, @fran_dolan_dmd. See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

Steve Jensen sits down with Matt Coggin, President and CEO of Spear Education, to discuss major trends shaping dentistry and how dental practices can navigate them successfully. Matt shares insights on practice consolidation, consumerism, digital transformation, and the challenges of training associates. Listen in to hear about:Major trends in dentistryThe challenge for dentists entering the workforce out of collegeThe gap between learning new procedures and implementing them in the practiceGrowth vs. operating expensesWhat drives success in dental practices...and so much more!Get in touch with Matt and the team at Spear: mcoggin@speareducation.com or https://www.speareducation.com. See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

Jon Harris from Fortune Management is back on the Growth in Dentistry podcast to discuss practice valuations, market trends, and strategies for building valuable dental practices. Jon shares his expertise on what makes practices valuable, how to structure acquisitions, and the importance of operational efficiency in today's changing market.Listen in to hear more about:Market Trends & Valuations: How rising interest rates, inflation, and market volatility have impacted practice valuations and deal structuresUnderstanding Practice Value: Why cash flow matters more than revenue, and how two practices collecting the same amount can have vastly different valuationsDeal Structures: Five ways to bridge valuation gapsMulti-Location Strategy: Why DSOs and private practices are pursuing multiple locations to spread margins and increase profitabilityCash Flow Drivers: The five key areas that drive cash flow in a dental practice Hygiene Optimization: How to calculate the impact of adding hygiene columns and prioritizing patients with unscheduled treatmentBuilding Value: Three main strategies to increase practice value: optimize capacity, expand clinical suite, and create a workplace culture that attracts talent...and so much more!Connect with Jon: (423) 579-3775 or jonharris@fortunemgmt.com. See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

In this episode, host Steve Jensen sits down with Ryan Menacho from Firegang Marketing to discuss a powerful framework for dental practice growth. Ryan shares the three-component model that has helped practices across the country attract more patients and build thriving businesses: differentiation, visibility, and conversion.Listen in to hear more about:The Firegang Three-Component Model: Understanding the three pillars of dental practice marketing successHow to stand out in your market through money, time, and convenienceMaking your practice known through strategic marketing channelsTurning phone calls into booked appointments with proven techniquesHow to control phone conversations and avoid saying "no"Addressing the hidden opportunity cost of unanswered calls…and so much more!Head over to http://www.firegang.com to set up your FREE Practice Growth call. And request your FREE copy of the Practice Growth book: https://go.firegang.com/pgexpanded-optin. See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: http://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.

Evan Lazarus is back on the podcast! In this episode, Steve Jensen sits down with the CEO and founder of Simple Impact Media to discuss what it really takes to grow a dental practice through marketing. Evan brings a unique perspective to dental marketing, combining his background as a former COO of a hedge fund with his data-driven approach to practice growth.Listen in to hear about:What makes the ideal marketing clientWhy focusing solely on new patient acquisition is a mistakeThe importance of understanding key metrics like annual patient value, conversion rates, and diagnostic percentagesHow to develop a comprehensive growth strategy rather than just implementing isolated tacticsRealistic expectations for marketing investment based on practice goalsThe critical factors that determine whether a practice is ready to benefit from marketing spendHow to approach marketing as an ongoing strategy rather than a quick fix…and so much more!Connect with Evan at www.simpleimpactmedia.com. See a demo of DI and get a $50 gift card: https://get.dentalintel.net/podcast.