Dental Drills Bits

What if your marketing isn’t the problem—but your expectations are? In this episode, Dana and Sandy welcome Grace Rizza, the powerhouse behind Identity Dental Marketing, to break down why most dental campaigns fall flat—and what actually works. From unethical agencies to underfunded ad budgets, Grace unpacks the truth most marketers won’t say out loud. If you've ever felt burned by a marketing agency, overwhelmed as a startup, or scared to go fee-for-service—this one’s for you. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Spot the difference between strategic marketing and expensive guesswork ✅ Avoid wasting thousands on low-quality leads and poor conversion ✅ Set realistic expectations for Google Ads and SEO ✅ Know when your marketing isn’t the problem—your front desk is ✅ Confidently budget and brand your way to sustainable growth

Hiring is never just about plugging a hole. It’s a strategic leadership move—and when rushed or mismanaged, it can quietly sabotage your entire practice. In Part 2 of the Hiring Series, Dana and Sandy dive deep into what happens between identifying a hiring need and getting the green light to bring someone on board. From pecking orders to prep work, leadership courage to legal compliance, they unpack everything you should have in place before you hit “post job ad.” They also share formulas and benchmarks to help you bring data—not just emotion—into your hiring decisions. Because the right people in the right seats don’t just ease stress... they build your business. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Calculate attrition rate and turnover cost ✅ Know when leadership is lagging—and how to step up ✅ Use team dynamics and KPIs to confirm true staffing needs ✅ Spot red flags in candidates and existing team members ✅ Make confident decisions about who to keep, who to lose, and when to act fast

A growing team sounds like success, but adding the wrong hire too soon can wreck morale, raise overhead, and increase chaos. In this kickoff to the Hiring Series, Dana and Sandy break down how to assess whether your practice truly needs to hire or if it’s time to get serious about systems, training, and communication first. They walk through real-world scenarios (yes, including a team walking out!) and offer tools to help you make strategic hiring decisions instead of emotional ones. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Recognize signs of burnout and bottlenecks ✅ Use patient flow (not just production) to assess staffing needs ✅ Perform a job analysis to refine roles before hiring ✅ Outsource strategically while maintaining quality ✅ Avoid hiring when your culture or patient satisfaction is already suffering

A dental team without effective meetings is like a GPS with no signal—lost, frustrated, and going in circles. In this episode, Dana and Sandy dive into the often-overlooked power of consistent, structured team meetings. From setting agendas and reviewing stats to celebrating birthdays and avoiding gum-chewing drama, they lay out the exact formula for turning “just another meeting” into a high-impact tool for team alignment, accountability, and growth. This episode is inspired by a post in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group (thanks, Heather!), and it answers all your questions about frequency, timing, food, and how to keep the meeting professional without turning it into a complaint fest. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Build consistency and trust through regular meetings ✅ Set a professional tone that encourages open communication ✅ Use stats to manage without micromanaging ✅ Create a clear agenda that respects everyone’s time ✅ Avoid common traps—like canceling because “one person’s out”

You can have the best marketing strategy in the world, but if your phone skills are lacking, patients will walk. In this episode, Dana and Sandy get real about what happens when dental teams unknowingly drive callers away with poor phone habits, disconnection, or defaulting to “no.” They walk through mystery shopper call examples, red-flag language to avoid, and the mindset shift every front desk team member needs to convert, not repel, new patients. This one’s packed with real talk, laugh-out-loud stories, and practical ways to be the cheerleader your practice needs. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Build rapport in the first 7 seconds of a call ✅ Ask the right questions during discovery ✅ Avoid “no” language and still set boundaries ✅ Take control of the appointment conversation ✅ End calls in a way that reduces broken appointments

We’re diving into a topic that separates struggling practices from high-performing ones—your front desk metrics. Dana and Sandy break down the most important KPIs your admin team should be tracking daily, weekly, and monthly. Spoiler alert: if you’re not measuring it, you can’t manage it! Whether you're brand new to tracking stats or need a refresh to re-energize your team, this episode gives you simple, actionable ways to bring structure and accountability to your schedule, collections, and patient flow. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Track leading and lagging indicators ✅ Set realistic goals that don’t overwhelm your team ✅ Empower employees to “own” their numbers ✅ Reduce cancellations and no-shows ✅ Create a consistent system for growth—without expensive software

Membership Plans That Work: What Compliance Really Looks Like Dental membership plans aren’t new—but compliance around them is becoming more critical than ever. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana are joined by Jane Levy, Co-founder and CEO of Plan Forward, to uncover how in-house dental plans can boost treatment acceptance, increase loyalty, and help practices navigate the complex world of legal compliance. They discuss real-world misconceptions, why membership plans aren’t just for fee-for-service practices, and how the right tools (and the right vendor) make all the difference. Jane also shares exciting KPIs from real clients and explains how Plan Forward’s intuitive software puts your membership program on autopilot. If you’ve been manually managing your plan—or wondering if one is worth the trouble—this conversation will change the way you look at in-house dental membership. In This Episode You’ll Learn How To: Boost Production: Find out how these plans can increase practice revenue b

We’re diving into a topic many practice managers quietly struggle with—what happens when your team feels more like friends than employees? Dana and Sandy tackle a heartfelt listener question: “How do I manage a team I’ve been friends with for years?” Whether you were promoted from within, or made the mistake of hiring a friend, this episode will help you maintain professionalism without sacrificing connection. You’ll learn how to: Lead with warmth while keeping your edge Set clear boundaries and expectations Avoid favoritism and cliques Stay approachable without losing authority Create protocols that do the talking for you

Vacation-Proofing Your Team Episode Description Taking time off as a dental professional shouldn't leave you stressed out or worried about what's happening back at the office. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy and Dana break down how to set your team up for success before you leave—so you can truly unplug. They cover real-world strategies to vacation-proof your practice, from setting department-specific goals to sending advance memos, and even encouraging team members to take ownership of their responsibilities. Plus, they tackle the big one: why showing trust in your team matters more than you might realize. If you’ve been nervous about stepping away—or if your last vacation didn’t go as smoothly as you hoped—this episode will give you the tools and mindset shifts you need to set your team (and yourself) up for a win. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why setting department-specific goals boosts accountability while you're away The simple but powerful memo every practice owner or manager should se

Gossip at Work: The Hidden Cost of Chatter Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury Gossip at Work: The Hidden Cost of Chatter 0:00 Episode Description Gossip may seem like harmless chatter, but it has the power to erode trust, damage morale, and derail productivity in your dental practice. In this episode, Sandy and Dana tackle the tough topic of workplace gossip—what it sounds like, why it spreads, and how to stop it before it takes a toll on your culture and your team. From NLRB rules to real-life consulting stories, they share practical ways to address negativity, encourage accountability, and build a team that thrives on trust. Plus, Dana delivers scripted verbal skills you can use right away to shut gossip down respectfully and effectively. Whether you're a practice owner, manager, or team member, this episode will help you foster a workplace where professionalism wins and gossip has no place. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why “friendly chatter” sometimes crosses the line into legal risk

When the economy starts to shake, most dental practices start to shrink. But Sandy says now is the time to lean in and level up—and she’s sharing exactly how to do it. In this episode, Dana and Sandy break down what it takes to recession-proof your practice before anything happens. From tightening your finances to training your team, maximizing re-care systems to building patient loyalty, this episode is your no-fluff guide to keeping treatment plans up—even when wallets are down. Whether you’re nervous about the future or just want to boost production now, this conversation will help you lead with confidence, stay consistent, and find opportunity where others see obstacles. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why mindset matters more than market trends The first two things to do when the economy dips How to avoid becoming your own worst enemy in front of the team The real cost of third-party re-care systems that leave you in the dark A simple report to pull that could reactivate hundreds of patients W

Episode Summary: This week, Sandy is fresh off an energizing Front Desk Pro seminar in Burbank, California—and she’s bringing the heat! Dana and Sandy dive deep into a topic that every dental practice owner and manager needs to master: employee one-on-ones. From handling raise requests to increasing team engagement and reducing turnover, this episode is packed with real-world strategies and scripted verbal skills you can use right away. Sandy shares how acknowledgment and structure transform the culture of a practice, while Dana brings in heartfelt reminders of how leadership impacts lives beyond the workplace. Whether you’re avoiding tough conversations or want to build a better team dynamic, this episode will give you the confidence (and language) to lead. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why repeat attendees at Front Desk Pro are proof that the system works What to say when a raise just isn’t feasible right now The verbal skill every manager needs when a team member feels unappreciated How to handle

Want to retain great employees and build a team that runs like a dream? It all starts with one-on-one conversations that count. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury share how regular one-on-one meetings can transform your culture, boost accountability, and keep your team growing in the right direction. They break down the timing, tools, and tone of a successful one-on-one—plus how to turn them into growth opportunities, not gripe sessions. If you want more engagement and less drama in your dental office, start here. What You’ll Learn: How to set up meaningful one-on-ones with your team Why these meetings are more powerful than traditional reviews How to use self-evaluation tools to start real conversations What to document and track before each meeting How one-on-ones can reduce turnover and improve morale The role of emotional deposits and team development in retention Real Results in Action: Sandy and Dana discuss what happens when one-on-ones are done right—fr

Is your hygiene schedule disappearing before your eyes? You’re not imagining it! No-shows, last-minute cancellations, and poor confirmation strategies can leave your hygiene team scrambling and your bottom line suffering. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue Salisbury break down why hygiene schedules fall apart—and how to fix it for good! From smarter pre-scheduling to foolproof confirmation techniques, they’re sharing real-world solutions to keep your chairs full and your patients accountable. What You’ll Learn: ✅ The #1 reason why hygiene schedules collapse before your eyes  ✅ How pre-scheduling the wrong patients is hurting your practice  ✅ A foolproof confirmation system that actually works  ✅ The perfect balance of texts, calls, emails & postcards for max confirmations  ✅ Why new patient time slots should be set in stone (and how to protect them!)  ✅ The morning huddle strategy that prevents no-shows before they happen  Real Results in Action:

Episode Description Unexpected call-outs can throw your dental practice into chaos—but they don’t have to! In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue Salisbury break down how to create an attendance culture that keeps your team accountable without being rigid. They’ll share real-world strategies for managing sick calls, setting clear attendance policies, and keeping your team engaged. What You’ll Learn: ✅ How to prevent a culture of absenteeism from spreading in your practice

Hiring is one thing—but the interview process is where you make or break your chances of getting the right person. In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury share expert strategies to help you conduct interviews with confidence, ask the right questions, and avoid costly hiring mistakes. What you’ll learn: ✅ The difference between situational vs. behavioral interview questions—and why both matter

Finding the Right Candidate Hiring the right person for your dental practice can feel like searching for a unicorn—but it doesn’t have to be! In this episode of Dental Drill Bits, Sandy Pardue and Dana Salisbury dive deep into how to attract and hire top talent for your dental practice without the frustration. What you’ll learn: ✅ Why a strong job ad is your first (and biggest) hiring tool ✍️ ✅ How to attract working professionals instead of job hoppers

Front Desk Chaos to Clarity Episode Description: In this episode of The Dental Drill Bits Podcast, Sandy and Dana tackle one of the biggest front desk challenges in dental practices—how to maintain consistency and organization when multiple team members rotate through the same position.

Episode Title: Do You Really Need an Office Manager? Episode Description: In this episode of The Dental Drill Bits Podcast, Sandy and Dana tackle one of the most common dilemmas for dental practice owners—Do you really need an office manager?