The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt copertina

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

Di: ACT Dental
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Welcome to The Best Practices Show, hosted by Kirk Behrendt, founder of ACT Dental (https://www.actdental.com/) and a leader in dental practice coaching. This podcast is your gateway to discovering the hidden gems and tactics used by the most successful dental practices worldwide. At ACT Dental, we have meticulously curated strategies that have consistently proven effective in elevating dental practices. Our podcast, The Best Practices Show, extends our commitment to sharing this wealth of knowledge. Each episode features interviews with renowned dental professionals and industry leaders who have made significant strides in their practices. They share their experiences, insights, and the challenges they've overcome, offering a unique perspective that you won't find anywhere else. Why should you listen to The Best Practices Show? Whether you're a seasoned dentist, a new practice owner, or somewhere in between, this podcast is tailored to inspire and educate. Our goal is not just to provide you with information but to transform the way you think about and run your dental practice. We delve into topics ranging from advanced clinical techniques and practice management to leadership skills and personal growth. Kirk Behrendt, a respected figure in the dental community, brings his vast experience and infectious enthusiasm to each episode, making complex topics both understandable and engaging. As the CEO of ACT Dental, Kirk has helped countless dental practices thrive by focusing on holistic development - professionally, personally, and within their community. Our commitment to authenticity and practical advice sets The Best Practices Show apart. We don't just talk about theories; we dive into real-life applications you can implement immediately in your practice. Our community-centric approach means we're always listening to our audience and constantly evolving our content to meet your needs. In addition to the invaluable insights from our guests, we also provide access to exclusive resources available through ACT Dental. These resources complement the podcast topics and give you a more comprehensive understanding and practical tools to apply in your practice. By subscribing to The Best Practices Show, you're not just gaining access to a podcast; you're joining a community of like-minded professionals committed to excellence in dentistry. So, are you ready to transform your practice and be the best version of yourself? Join us on this journey, and let's grow together. Hit subscribe and never miss an episode of The Best Practices Show – where we uncover the secrets to the success of the world's best dental practices, one episode at a time. Subscribe to The Best Practices Show on Apple Podcasts Join our community and start your journey towards a more innovative, more successful dental practice today!Copyright 2017-2025. All rights reserved. Economia
Episodi
  • 1049: How to Turn Core Values Into Daily Decision-Making Tools - Heather Crockett

    1049: How to Turn Core Values Into Daily Decision-Making Tools - Heather Crockett
    May 20 2026
    Core values sound simple until you try to use them to lead a team consistently, especially when things get busy or uncomfortable. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt explains how to turn core values into daily decision-making tools with Heather Crockett, coach at ACT Dental. You’ll learn how to make values behavioral and observable, build them into your communication rhythms, and use them as a practical filter for hiring, accountability, and tough leadership calls. Listen to Episode 1049 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Core values only work when they drive daily behavior, not when they’re just words on a wall.Values must be actionable and observable so the team can interpret and apply them consistently.“Core values without function” shows up as subjective interpretations, inconsistent culture, and leaders hesitating to hold people accountable.Make each value behavioral by defining what it means, documenting examples of how it shows up, and listing the results when it’s alive and well.Operationalize values by embedding them into hiring, onboarding, daily huddles, weekly team meetings, monthly check-ins, and quarterly planning.Use values as the decision-making filter for real-time issues like scheduling, finances, patient care, and team dynamics to reduce decision fatigue.Hire and evaluate people on two criteria: they get results and they fit your core values, using tools like a Right Person, Right Seat scorecard.Snippets:00:00 How to turn core values into daily decision-making tools.02:10 Why core values matter only if they drive behavior.03:10 Why vague values (like “excellence” or “integrity”) don’t work as daily tools.04:30 What “core values without function” looks like inside a practice.06:10 How to make values behavioral with definitions, examples, and outcomes.08:00 Using “anti-values” and standout team behaviors to clarify what you want.10:10 Putting core values into systems and communication rhythms.12:10 Using huddles and team meetings for value shout-outs and accountability.18:00 Using core values as a daily decision filter to reduce decision fatigue.22:10 Heather’s final takeaways on visibility, systems, and reflection.23:50 BPA tools mentioned: Identifying Core Values, bringing values alive, Right Person Right Seat scorecard.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Heather Crockett is a Lead Practice Coach who finds joy in not only improving practices but improving the lives of those she coaches as well. With over 20 years of combined experience in assisting, office management, and clinical dental hygiene, her awareness supports many aspects of the practice setting.Heather received her dental hygiene degree from the Utah College of Dental Hygiene in 2008. Networking in the dental community comes easy to her, and she loves to connect with like-minded colleagues on social media. Heather enjoys both attending and presenting continuing education to expand her knowledge and learn from her friends and colleagues.She enjoys hanging out with her husband, three sons, and their dog, Moki, scrolling through social media, watching football, and traveling.Resources mentioned in this episode:Identifying Your Core Values (exercise outline): https://www.actdental.com/hubfs/Identify%20Your%20Practices%20Core%20Values.pdfBPA tool on how to bring core values alive:https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/how-to-bring-your-core-values-aliveRight Person, Right Seat scorecard:https://www.actdental.com/blog/2-key-tools-for-accountability-successMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com
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    26 min
  • 1047: The PPO Trap: Why More Patients Can Mean Less Money - Miranda Beeson

    1047: The PPO Trap: Why More Patients Can Mean Less Money - Miranda Beeson
    May 15 2026
    When PPO write-offs climb, adding more patients can increase stress while decreasing profitability. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with Miranda Beeson, ACT’s Director of Education, to unpack “the PPO trap” and explain why more patients can mean less money. You’ll learn how to spot the effort gap, gather the right data before making insurance decisions, and shift the insurance mindset and language so your team can confidently support a more profitable model—whether that means going fully fee-for-service or reducing PPO exposure strategically. Listen to Episode 1047of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:More patients can increase production but still reduce profit when write-offs and effort gap widen.Practices should make PPO decisions with data—not emotion—by analyzing write-offs, plan mix, production, and procedure impact.Going fee-for-service must match your business model and requires leadership, team alignment, and consistent communication.If you’re not ready to go fully out-of-network, you can improve profitability by tracking write-offs per plan and participating selectively.Capacity matters: if you have holes in the schedule, it may not be the right time to drop plans aggressively.Teams must shift language from “coverage” to “benefits” and keep clinical recommendations separate from insurance limitations.Front office and team buy-in are critical, because inconsistent messaging and fear-based language will sabotage the transition.Snippets:00:00 More patients doesn’t automatically mean more profit—and why the effort gap matters.04:59 How write-offs have grown after COVID, including practices seeing 30–55%+.10:18 Why going fee-for-service isn’t just an insurance decision—it’s a business model and leadership decision.14:22 The key data to review before dropping a plan (patients, production, write-offs, procedures, attrition tolerance).18:40 How to participate strategically: track write-offs per plan, evaluate plan impact, and consider fee negotiation.22:29 How to identify “poor fit” plans and include admin team friction (appeals, phone time, denials) in the decision.28:05 The mindset shift: insurance as a benefit, not coverage—and why insurance shouldn’t drive diagnosis.31:53 Language that protects the health recommendation and reduces insurance-driven conversations.36:48 How to answer “Do you take my insurance?” without undermining value or confidence.38:10 First steps: confirm you bill full fees, know true write-offs, and clarify your practice model direction.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Miranda Beeson has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. She is enthusiastic about communication and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient interactions and practice dynamics. As a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches.Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University, and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time, and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.Resources mentioned in this episode:PPO Roadmap: https://www.actdental.com/free-resources/ppo-roadmap/\Say This Not That: https://www.actdental.com/hubfs/Say%20This%2C%20Not%20That%20-%20Fillable.pdfTo The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt/More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com
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    43 min
  • 1046: The 5 Keys To Case Acceptance - Dr. Jim McKee

    1046: The 5 Keys To Case Acceptance - Dr. Jim McKee
    May 13 2026
    When patients don’t accept treatment, most dentists assume it’s about money — but the real breakdown often happens earlier in the process. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Jim McKee to share the five questions that determine whether a patient will say yes and whether you should take the case. You’ll learn how to diagnose the real problem, frame expectations, evaluate timing and affordability, and build the kind of trust that prevents conflict in complex dentistry. Listen to Episode 1046 of The Best Practices Show!Main Takeaways:Case acceptance starts when the dentist clearly understands the problem and has a predictable solution.Patients say no when they understand the complaint but don’t understand the real diagnosis or why the proposed solution makes sense.Many declined treatment plans are a timing issue in the patient’s life, not a fee issue.Affordability often comes down to phasing treatment while clearly explaining the risks, changes, and potential added cost over time.Unrealistic expectations — clinical, financial, or both — are a leading cause of difficult cases and post-treatment conflict.Trust is built by accurate diagnosis, transparent expectation-setting, and having the clinical skills to manage complex problems.You should trust your “spider senses” and be willing to lose the case early rather than getting stuck in treatment you can’t deliver predictably.Snippets:00:00 Where the “five keys to case acceptance” came from.00:05 “Checkers vs. chess” patients and why Julie’s case changed the conversation.00:07 Why tooth-based solutions fail when the problem is skeletal or joint-based.00:11 Unrealistic expectations and the hidden mismatch between insurance and “perfect” dentistry.00:17 Why “too expensive” is often a timing issue, not the real reason patients delay.00:19 The money question: phasing complex cases without surprising patients later.00:25 The trust question and why sustaining practices are built on relationships, not volume.00:30 How to think through failure points before you start treatment.00:33 Why it’s better to lose up front than disappoint a patient mid-treatment.00:38 Where to learn more: online training, hands-on workshops, and a Chicago study club.Guest Bio/Guest Resources:Dr. Jim McKee is a restorative dentist and educator focused on occlusion, TMD, and restorative diagnosis. He is a member of the Spear Resident Faculty. He has maintained a private practice since 1984 in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he treats a wide variety of cases with a focus on predictable restorative dentistry. He is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and former president of the American Equilibration Society. He has lectured both nationally and internationally for over 25 years and directs several study clubs. Dr. McKee graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1980 and earned his dental degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in 1984.Guest Resources Mentioned:Online program through Phelan Dental Seminars: https://courses.phelandentalseminars.com/tmd-pdsAdvanced Occlusion Workshop at Spear Education : https://app.speareducation.com/events/workshops/advanced-occlusionMore Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpaUpcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.comSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com
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    41 min
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