47 : Earned Media for Dentists: The Link-Building Strategy That Builds Your Reputation and Rankings

47 : Earned Media for Dentists: The Link-Building Strategy That Builds Your Reputation and Rankings

Most dentists focus on blog posts and ads to build authority online, but Google and AI systems increasingly decide who to recommend based on who other trusted sources vouch for. In this episode, digital PR expert Chris Panteli breaks down how dentists can earn media coverage in publications like Forbes, Healthline, and People Magazine, and why that matters more than ever in the age of AI search. EPISODE OVERVIEW Chris Panteli, founder of Linkify.io, joins Adrian Lefler to explain how earned media and digital PR are reshaping dental authority building online. From backlinks to brand mentions, Chris walks through why Google and large language models like ChatGPT and Gemini rely on third-party trust signals to decide which dentists to recommend. Whether you are a solo practice owner wanting local recognition or a DSO building national brand awareness, this episode covers practical strategies for landing your name in trusted publications, what tier one placements actually do for your website, and why a dentist in a small market can realistically get quoted in the New York Times. ABOUT CHRIS PANTELI Chris Panteli is the founder of Linkify.io, a digital PR agency specializing in earned media and authority building. After building his own personal finance website and earning placements in major publications through journalist outreach, Chris turned that skill into a full-service agency. Linkify offers two core services: SEO Digital PR, focused on earning authoritative backlinks, and Authority PR, focused on building brand visibility across Google, LLMs, and national media. DENTAL AI AND TECH COMPANIES MENTIONED Linkify - https://www.linkifi.io/ Linkify Free Cheat Sheet - https://go.linkifi.io/press-coverage-cheat-sheet-page HARO (Help a Reporter Out) - https://www.helpareporter.com [https://www.helpareporter.com] Source of Sources - https://www.sourceofsources.com [https://www.sourceofsources.com] Quoted - https://quoted.news [https://quoted.news] Response Source - https://www.responsesource.com [https://www.responsesource.com] SEMrush - https://www.semrush.com [https://www.semrush.com] Ahrefs - https://ahrefs.com [https://ahrefs.com] ChatGPT - https://chat.openai.com [https://chat.openai.com] Perplexity - https://www.perplexity.ai [https://www.perplexity.ai] Claude - https://claude.ai [https://claude.ai] Gemini - https://gemini.google.com [https://gemini.google.com] Grok - https://x.ai [https://x.ai] ADDITIONAL EDUCATION * https://mysocialpractice.com/2025/06/seo-for-dentists/ * https://mysocialpractice.com/2025/11/marketing-for-dentists/ * https://mysocialpractice.com/2025/12/dental-brand-mentions/ CONTACT INFO Guest: Chris Panteli Website: https://linkify.iolinkifi.io Host: Adrian Lefler Website: https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com [https://mysocialpractice.com] Phone: 877-316-7516 👍 Subscribe for more on dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and practice growth. #DentalMarketing #DigitalPR #AIinDentistry #Dentistry #DentalPracticeGrowth #EarnedMedia #DentalSEO TERMS & TRANSLATIONS (For Show Notes) Earned Media Coverage or mentions a business receives because of genuine credibility, not paid placement. For dental practices, this means getting quoted in a publication like Healthline because a journalist found your expertise valuable. Backlink A link from another website pointing to your website. A backlink from a trusted source like the American Dental Association signals to Google that your dental practice is credible and worth ranking. LLM (Large Language Model) The technology behind AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. These systems understand conversational language and are increasingly where patients turn to find dental recommendations. Digital PR A strategy that uses journalist outreach to earn trusted links and brand mentions. For dental practices, this means pitching expert commentary to journalists covering health topics so the practice becomes a cited authority online. Tier One Publication A media outlet recognized for high traffic and strong editorial standards, such as Forbes, Healthline, the New York Times, or the Guardian. A mention or link from a tier one publication carries far more authority than one from a lesser-known site. HARO (Help a Reporter Out) A free platform where journalists post requests for expert commentary. Dentists can monitor these requests and pitch their expertise to earn quotes in national publications at no cost. AI Overview Google's AI-generated answer appearing at the top of certain search result pages. These summaries pull from trusted sources, and dental practices with strong earned media coverage are more likely to be cited. Brand Entity How Google and AI systems identify and understand a business as a distinct, trustworthy presence online. For a dental practice, this includes consistent information across the website, social profiles, and third-party mentions so AI systems recognize and trust who you are.

46 : From Tool to Habit: What It Actually Takes to Make AI Work in a Dental Practice

Most dental AI tools don't fail because of bad technology. They fail because of a people problem that no one in dental tech is talking about. Jennifer Derse is here to explain what is really going on and what dental leaders need to do differently. EPISODE OVERVIEW When a dental practice invests in AI or new technology and sees little to no return, the instinct is to blame the software. But Jennifer Derse says the problem is almost always behavioral. Implementation fails when teams lack buy-in tied to purpose, when leaders underestimate how people respond to change, and when identity gets fused to old protocols. In this episode, Adrian and Jen cover the neuroscience of change, the shame cycle that blocks clinical growth, why micro cash incentives fall short of building real habits, and what it takes to make AI in dentistry actually stick. If your practice is struggling to get any new tool or workflow to land, this conversation will shift how you think about leadership. ABOUT JENNIFER DERSE JENNIFER DERSE is a dentist, co-founder of Aspire Dental, and clinical consultant with over two decades of experience building and systematizing dental support organizations. After helping grow Aspire Dental from one location to 39 practices, she transitioned into full-time coaching focused on helping practice owners improve clinical systems, team performance, and operational leadership. She is a Kois Center mentor with deep expertise in cosmetic and restorative dentistry. COMPANIES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED Espire Dental: https://www.espiredental.com/ Kois Center: https://www.koiscenter.com [https://www.koiscenter.com] Drive by Dan Pink: https://www.danpink.com/books/drive [https://www.danpink.com/books/drive] Mindset by Carol Dweck: https://www.mindsetonline.com [https://www.mindsetonline.com] Think Again by Adam Grant: https://adamgrant.net/book/think-again [https://adamgrant.net/book/think-again] Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits [https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits] Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com [https://brenebrown.com] The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt: https://anxiousgeneration.com [https://anxiousgeneration.com] DISC Profile: https://www.discprofile.com [https://www.discprofile.com] ADDITIONAL EDUCATION * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/03/authentic-marketing-for-dentists/ * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/02/dental-ai-vendor/ * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/01/questions-dental-marketing-company/ CONTACT INFO Guest: Jennifer Derse Website: [Coaching website TBD, verify before publishing] Host: Adrian Lefler Website: https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com [https://mysocialpractice.com] Phone: 877-316-7516 👍 Subscribe for more on dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and practice growth. #DentalAI #AIinDentistry #DentalLeadership #DentalPracticeGrowth #DentalConsulting #Dentistry #DentalTeam TERMS & TRANSLATIONS (For Show Notes) Implementation Gap The space between purchasing a new tool and actually using it in daily practice. In dentistry, this is almost always a people problem, not a software problem. Behavior Change Shifting how a dental team performs routine tasks. Unlike a software update, this requires intentional leadership, repetition, and buy-in tied to patient care outcomes. Shame Cycle A pattern where a doctor or team member resists change because it feels like admitting past methods were wrong. Common when introducing perio programs or AI diagnostics for the first time. Perio Program A structured system for identifying, staging, grading, and treating periodontal disease. A healthy practice typically treats 30 to 40 percent of hygiene patients for some level of perio. Ratios near 5 percent usually signal underdiagnosis. Staging and Grading The clinical classification system for periodontal disease. Staging measures severity; grading assesses progression risk. Practices not using it may be missing disease that AI would catch. DISC Profile A behavioral assessment tool that helps dental leaders understand how to communicate with and coach different team members based on their default behavior style. Approval Addiction When a clinician avoids presenting a difficult diagnosis out of fear of the patient's reaction. In perio, this means AI flags disease the hygienist sees but never raises. Fixed vs. Growth Mindset A fixed mindset treats current protocols as unchangeable. A growth mindset stays open to new clinical evidence and feedback. The difference often determines whether coaching and new technology succeed or stall.

45 : Culture by Design: The Leadership Framework Behind High-Performing Dental Practices

Culture by Design: The Leadership Framework Behind High-Performing Dental Practices Most dentists blame their team when a new software rollout quietly dies. But after working with thousands of practices over 30 years, Stuart Anderson says the real problem almost always starts at the top. In this episode, we dig into what "culture by design" actually means, why dental practices struggle to adopt new technology and AI, and the one thing a practice can do to make sure change sticks. EPISODE OVERVIEW If your dental practice has ever invested in new software, a new AI tool, or a new system, only to watch it quietly disappear within a few months, this episode is for you. Stuart Anderson, a leadership coach and consultant with the Crown Council and its sister company TOPS (Total Patient Services), joins host Adrian Lefler to break down the concept of "culture by design." The conversation covers how a written culture guide gives a team shared expectations, how to pick a champion for new initiatives, why trying to implement too many things at once kills momentum, and how the most financially successful Crown Council practices have built a repeatable model for growth. Whether you're a solo dentist or running a multi-location group, the framework Stuart lays out will change how you think about leading your team through any kind of change, including AI adoption. ABOUT STUART ANDERSON STUART ANDERSON is a dental practice consultant and leadership coach at the Crown Council, one of dentistry's most respected professional membership organizations. Through the Crown Council and its consulting arm TOPS (Total Patient Services), Stuart has spent his career helping dental teams build what he calls "culture by design," a systematic, intentional approach to defining how a practice treats patients, handles challenges, adopts technology, and grows. Stuart has worked with thousands of dental practices across the country and is a passionate advocate for dentistry as a profession that can genuinely change lives. COMPANIES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED Crown Council: https://crowncouncil.org [https://crowncouncil.org] TOPS (Total Patient Services): https://www.totalpatientservice.com Smiles for Life Foundation: https://smilesforlife.org [https://smilesforlife.org] UltraDent: https://ultradent.com [https://ultradent.com] My Social Practice: https://mysocialpractice.com [https://mysocialpractice.com] ADDITIONAL EDUCATION * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/03/ai-search-shift-dental-marketing/ * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/03/authentic-marketing-for-dentists/ * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/03/dental-ai-seo-authority/ CONTACT INFO Guest: Stuart Anderson Website: https://crowncouncil.orghttps://crowncouncil.org [https://crowncouncil.org] Host: Adrian Lefler: https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com/dental-marketing-expert/ Phone: 877-316-7516 👍 Subscribe for more on dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and practice growth. #DentalPractice #DentalLeadership #DentalTeam #DentalAI #DentalPracticeGrowth #Dentistry #DentalMarketing TERMS & TRANSLATIONS (For Show Notes) Culture by Design An intentional, written approach to defining how a dental practice operates. Instead of letting the loudest voice set the tone, the team creates a shared document outlining how to treat patients, handle conflict, and adopt change. Culture Guide A written document the team builds together that replaces vague expectations with specific agreed-upon standards, covering everything from arrival time to how problems get raised and resolved. Culture Champion The team member assigned ownership of a specific new initiative. Without a champion, new tools stall because no one is actually responsible for making them succeed. Entropy (in practice management) The natural drift toward disorder when standards aren't reinforced. Expectations erode gradually, and new technology initiatives lose momentum the same way a curfew gets pushed later and later when no one follows up. SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) A documented, step-by-step process for how a task or workflow gets handled. When implementing new technology, an SOP defines who does what and when. Without one, new tools get launched but never consistently used. Smiles for Life A four-month charitable campaign where Crown Council member practices donate whitening proceeds to children's charities. UltraDent donates all whitening supplies. It doubles as one of dentistry's most consistent new patient generators. Reactive vs. Proactive Practice Culture A reactive practice waits until a problem forces change. A proactive practice has systems in place so that new technology and AI tools are absorbed smoothly rather than treated as disruptions.

44 : Why Dental AI Rollouts Stall Before They Start (It's Not the Technology)

Most dental practices assume AI implementation failures come down to the software. They don't. The real obstacle is the team sitting in your operatory every day and the psychology driving their resistance. In this episode of the Byte-Sized Podcast, Adrian Lefler sits down with Julieanne O'Connor and Michael Keeter of Influential Dental to unpack why AI in dentistry keeps stalling out at the human level and what practice owners can do about it right now. EPISODE OVERVIEW This episode breaks down why dental teams resist leveraging AI implementation. A pattern that is almost universal in dental practices. We discuss how leaders consistently miss the warning signs, and what a different approach to buy-in and change management actually looks like. Julieanne and Michael walk through the neuroscience of resistance, why money alone never motivates lasting adoption, how to identify who on your team will adapt and who won't, and what separates practices that have truly cracked AI adoption from those falling behind. If your practice has purchased an AI tool that never got off the ground, or if you are about to introduce one, this episode is required listening. ABOUT Julieanne O'CONNOR AND MICHAEL KEETER Julieanne O'CONNOR is a mindset and influence coach whose work is grounded in neuroscience and practical psychology. She has spent years in the dental space coaching high achievers and elite dental teams. MICHAEL KEETER brings nearly two decades of clinical and dental industry experience to the implementation side of team development. Together they co-founded Influential Dental, a personal and professional development company that works with high-performing dentists, group owners, and DSOs across the country. They also publish Influence, the only lifestyle and mindset magazine in the dental space. Both will be speaking at the Medical and Dental AI Summit. COMPANIES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED Influential Dental – https://influentialdentists.com/ My Social Practice -- https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com [https://mysocialpractice.com] Medical and Dental AI Summit -- https://top100doc.com/london/ ADDITIONAL EDUCATION * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/02/ai-search-recommended-byte-sized/ * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/02/new-patient-journey-2026/ * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/02/dental-ai-vendor/ CONTACT INFO Guests: Julieanne O'Connor and Michael Keeter Website: https://influentialdental.comhttps://influentialdental.com [https://influentialdental.com] (flag: verify before publishing) Host: Adrian Lefler Website: https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com [https://mysocialpractice.com] Phone: 877-316-7516 👍 Subscribe for more on dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and practice growth. #DentalAI #AIinDentistry #DentalPracticeGrowth #DentalTeamTraining #DentalMarketing #ArtificialIntelligenceInDentistry #DentalLeadership TERMS & TRANSLATIONS (For Show Notes) Emotional Buy-In The psychological commitment a team member has to a new process or tool. A team member may use a new AI tool because they were told to, but without emotional buy-in they will drag their feet or quietly undermine the rollout. Change Management A structured approach to transitioning a team from a current way of working to a new one. For dental practices adopting AI, this means addressing the human side of the shift, not just installing software and hoping people figure it out. Resistance The visible or hidden pushback a dental team shows when asked to adopt new technology. It can look like missed deadlines, excuses, silence, or complaints. Resistance is almost always rooted in fear or unclear expectations, not laziness. Ceiling of Comfort The invisible upper limit a person sets on their own potential without realizing it. Team members operating under this ceiling resist AI adoption not because they cannot learn, but because stretching beyond a familiar role feels unsafe. Self-Selection When a team member voluntarily steps back from a role because the evolving expectations no longer fit them. In a healthy dental practice culture, good change management leads struggling team members to self-select out rather than being terminated. Turnover Cost The full financial and operational cost of losing a team member, including recruiting, onboarding, training, and the drop in team morale. In dental practices, this figure is commonly estimated between $80,000 and $100,000 per lost employee.

43 : The Membership Plan Trap: Why Going Out of Network Without a Real Strategy Is Killing Practices

Most dental practices assume a membership plan is the key to dropping insurance. But launching one without the right strategy can actually shrink your practice, hurt your valuation, and frustrate your team. EPISODE OVERVIEW In this episode, Adrian Lefler sits down with Paul Lowry of Dental Menu to unpack why most practices misfire when they drop insurance and add a membership program. Paul shares data from a 250,000-patient study showing 88% of cash pay patients leave within five years, and explains why retention is the real driver of long-term profitability. You'll learn the three things every practice needs before dropping a single insurance plan, why your hygiene department is your "farm," and why the way most software records membership payments is quietly damaging your books, your provider pay, and your practice valuation. ABOUT PAUL LOWRY PAUL LOWRY is the founder of Dental Menu, one of the most operationally sophisticated dental membership plan platforms in dentistry. Paul spent years doing external marketing for practices starting in 2008, tracking what actually happened to cash pay versus insurance patients over time. That research led him to build a platform that helps practices launch, manage, and financially optimize in-house membership plans with full software integration, team training, and incentive systems. DENTAL AND TECH COMPANIES MENTIONED * Dental Menu - https://dentalmenu.comhttps://dentalmenu.com [https://dentalmenu.com] * My Social Practice - https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com [https://mysocialpractice.com] * TeamCare - https://teamcaredental.comhttps://teamcaredental.com [https://teamcaredental.com] CONTACT INFO Guest: Paul Lowry | Dental Menu | https://dentalmenu.comhttps://dentalmenu.com [https://dentalmenu.com] Host: Adrian Lefler | https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com [https://mysocialpractice.com] | 877-316-7516 👍 Subscribe for more on dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and practice growth. #DentalMembershipPlan #DentalMarketing #GoOutOfNetwork #DentalPracticeGrowth #Dentistry #DentalBusiness #FeeForService TERMS & TRANSLATIONS (For Show Notes) Membership Plan A subscription program a practice offers uninsured patients covering preventive care for a flat monthly fee. The practice sets its own terms and keeps all the revenue. In-Network vs. Out-of-Network In-network means accepting reduced insurance reimbursement rates. Out-of-network means dropping those contracts to collect closer to full fees, with the tradeoff of potential patient loss. Recurring Revenue Income that arrives on a predictable schedule regardless of whether a patient comes in that month. Unlike fee-for-service dentistry, membership revenue kept coming in even during COVID shutdowns. Breakage Revenue the practice keeps when a membership patient pays their subscription but doesn't use all included benefits. Insurance companies profit from this constantly. A membership plan gives that same advantage to the practice. Cash Pay Patient A patient with no insurance who pays out of pocket. Data in this episode shows only 12% remain active after five years without a membership plan. PPO A dental insurance arrangement where the practice accepts reduced fees in exchange for being listed as a preferred provider. UCR Fees A practice's published full-price rates before insurance adjustments. Out-of-network practices collect closer to UCR per patient. Hygiene-Driven Restorative Regular hygiene visits generate restorative treatment discovery. If hygiene is all PPO patients, restorative revenue will be too. Production vs. Collection Production is services delivered; collection is what is actually received. Membership plan payments can throw these out of alignment, skewing provider compensation and analytics. Write-Off An accounting entry reducing what a patient owes. Incorrectly recorded membership benefits appear as write-offs, distorting KPIs and provider bonuses. Practice Valuation What a practice is worth at sale. Membership plan accounting errors can create hidden liabilities that hurt the final number. DSO A company managing or owning multiple dental practices, referenced here in the context of competitive pricing pressure on independent practices.