Best Practices for Managing Dental Offices

One of the biggest challenges I see in DSOs is the gap between clinical excellence and operational efficiency. Many groups have talented doctors and strong business minds, but they struggle to align the two in a way that drives real, sustainable growth. I recently worked with a DSO that was experiencing this exact issue. They had a strong team of providers, but they weren’t performing at their highest level. Same-store growth had stalled, doctors were inconsistent in their treatment planning, and clinical leaders didn’t have a clear framework to drive performance. Here’s how we turned things around: ✅ Doctor Alignment – We established clear expectations and accountability structures so doctors understood what success looked like and how to achieve it. ✅ Performance Metrics – I helped them implement a scorecard to track key clinical and operational indicators, making it easy to identify gaps and opportunities. ✅ Leadership Development – The Chief Dental Officer & Director of Hygiene needed tools to mentor, develop, and retain doctors & hygienists. I worked with them to refine their leadership approach. ✅ Operational Efficiencies – We streamlined systems to ensure that clinical workflows supported both high-quality care and financial success. The result? Within months, doctor & hygiene productivity increased, treatment acceptance improved, and the leadership team finally had a structured approach to coaching and accountability. Instead of trying to motivate doctors with generic incentives, they had a system that actually worked—because it was built around what drives real performance. Clinical operations isn’t just about running reports and managing compliance. It’s about creating a system where doctors thrive, operations run smoothly, and the business scales effectively. If your group is struggling to connect the dots between clinical and operational success, let’s talk. #ClinicalOperations #DSOLeadership #ScalingSuccess #OperationalExcellence

It's harder than ever to be a successful dentist in 2025. Here's your ultimate survival guide: I've spent years studying what separates thriving practices from struggling ones. It's not clinical skills. It's not location. It's not even marketing budget. It comes down to these 3 critical areas: 1. FOCUS ON SELF-GROWTH Without this foundation, nothing else matters. 🤝 Develop leadership skills Great dental leaders: - Simplify everything - streamline systems and vision - Delegate things you've outgrown - Plan both long-term & short-term - Systematize repetitive processes - Create structure that increases accountability 💙 Build genuine confidence - Master a few procedures instead of being mediocre at many - Change your self-talk from criticism to kindness - Celebrate small wins daily - new patients, team victories! - Set boundaries that protect your energy 📝 Learn to prioritize - Set clear goals - Break them into manageable tasks - Use the Eisenhower matrix religiously (urgent/important grid) - Schedule, delegate, or delete everything else 💌 Practice gratitude Gratitude is so powerful, don’t skip it. It genuinely rewires your brain to see opportunities instead of obstacles. 2. BUILD AN A+ TEAM 👀 Who to hire - Hire for values alignment first, skills second. Skills can be taught. - Make sure they’re aligned with your mission - Repeat "we have no internal enemies" at every meeting 💼 How to manage - Set crystal-clear expectations upfront - Hold regular check-ins and quarterly deep dives - Recognize excellence publicly ⭐️ How to lead - Provide clear direction without micromanaging - Give your team the tools they need to succeed - Take regular clarity breaks to maintain perspective - Act with the greater good in mind 3. BUILD A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL BUSINESS 🌀 Build a lead generation machine - Don't rely on insurance or hope patients find you. Find them. - Develop your personal brand consistently - Be authentically yourself - no corporate dentist persona - Study innovators outside dentistry for fresh ideas 💻 Implement strong systems - Document every process as standard operating procedures - Use these SOPs for seamless onboarding - Continuously improve your systems - Cross-train team members to build an army of generalists ✨ Elevate patient experience - Keep up with rising consumer expectations - Offer preventative care that patients actually want - Provide virtual check-up options - Partner with virtual specialists through Two Front to give patients comprehensive care under one roof Want to completely transform your practice through the simplest systems? Join my newsletter for weekly insights on building a modern, profitable practice:

“Do we really need another meeting?” If you’ve ever said (or thought) this in your dental practice—trust me, you’re not alone. As a fractional COO working across dozens of dental offices, I’ve seen firsthand how weekly meetings can feel like just another calendar block... unless you structure them with purpose, accountability, and rhythm. 🧠 The truth? Great dental practices don’t just run—they’re run on intention. Let me tell you about one practice I worked with last year: They had the classic symptoms: • Admin team running 100mph without direction • Clinical team unaware of scheduling changes • Leadership only “met” when something was on fire Morale was low. Communication was reactive. And everyone felt like they were operating in silos. So we did ONE thing that changed everything: 👉 We implemented a 90-day operating system powered by weekly team meetings. Here’s how we made it work: 🗓 1. Weekly Leadership Meeting Every Monday morning. Focus: KPIs, barriers, projects, and progress toward quarterly goals. 🪥 2. Weekly Clinical Team Huddle Set expectations for the week—cases, protocols, patient experience, equipment needs. 📞 3. Weekly Admin Sync From phones to billing to scheduling, this keeps operations tight and consistent. 📆 4. Quarterly Planning (Every 90 Days) We set 3-5 priorities. Assign owners. Add timelines. Track progress weekly. These aren’t meetings for the sake of meetings. They’re built around accountability, alignment, and ownership. No more guessing who’s doing what—or when. The results? ✅ Improved efficiency ✅ Empowered team members ✅ Stronger culture ✅ Clear progress every 90 days ✨ A practice that feels like it’s working with you, not against you. If your meetings feel like a waste of time, it’s not the meeting—it’s the lack of structure. Want to run a smoother, more aligned practice? Start with your calendar. Let’s live (and lead) in a 90-day world. #DentalLeadership #FractionalCOO #PracticeRhythm #DentalOperations #MeetingCadence #EOS #AccountabilityInAction #TeamAlignment