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

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.

42 : Fear, Friction, and the Fix: How to Actually Implement Technology in Your Practice

Fear, Friction, and the Fix: How to Actually Implement Technology in Your Practice Dental AI implementation is one of the most misunderstood challenges in modern practice growth. Buying the technology is the easy part. Getting your team to actually use it is where most dental practices quietly fail. EPISODE OVERVIEW Most dental practices have a closet, or a spare operatory, full of technology that was never implemented. In this episode, practice consultant Laci Phillips Newland joins host Adrian Lefler to dig into why that keeps happening and what to do about it. They cover the real reasons dental teams resist AI and new software, why fear of job replacement runs deeper than most doctors realize, and what a genuine change management process looks like in a dental practice. If you have ever bought a tool at a conference and watched it die on the shelf, this episode will explain exactly why and show you a better way forward. ABOUT LACI PHILLIPS NEWLAND LACI PHILLIPS NEWLAND is a dental practice consultant who has worked in and around dentistry since 1992. She started as a chairside assistant and has spent her career helping practice owners and their teams bridge the gap between buying exciting technology and actually changing how the practice runs. She specializes in communication, change management, leadership development, and building systems that stick. Laci works with practices of all sizes and is known for her no-drama, conversation-first approach to building high-performing dental teams. COMPANIES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED My Social Practice https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com [https://mysocialpractice.com] Florida Probe https://floridaprobe.comhttps://floridaprobe.com [https://floridaprobe.com] Practice Dynamics: https://practicedynamics.net/ CareCredit https://carecredit.comhttps://carecredit.com [https://carecredit.com] ADDITIONAL EDUCATION * https://info.mysocialpractice.com/bridging-the-gap-ebook [https://info.mysocialpractice.com/bridging-the-gap-ebook] * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/02/new-patient-journey-2026/ [https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/02/new-patient-journey-2026/] * https://mysocialpractice.com/2026/02/dental-ai-vendor/ CONTACT INFO Guest: Laci Phillips Newland Website: https://practicedynamics.net/ [https://practicedynamics.net/] Email: laci.phillips@practicedynamics.net Host: Dental Marketing expert Adrian Lefler Website: https://mysocialpractice.comhttps://mysocialpractice.com/dental-marketing-expert/ Phone: 877-316-7516 👍 Subscribe for more on dental marketing, AI in dentistry, and practice growth. #DentalAI #DentalTechnology #ArtificialIntelligenceInDentistry #DentalPracticeGrowth #DentalTeam #DentalMarketing #DentalConsulting TERMS & TRANSLATIONS (For Show Notes) Dental AI Implementation The process of introducing AI tools into a practice and getting the team to actually use them. Most practices struggle not with the technology but with the human side, including communication, role changes, and team anxiety. Change Management A structured approach to transitioning a team from one way of working to another. In dentistry, this means preparing the team before a purchase, not after. Team Buy-In When dental team members genuinely support a new system rather than just tolerating it. Without buy-in, technology gets adopted in name only and eventually abandoned. AI Receptionist A software tool that answers incoming calls, responds to patient inquiries, and handles scheduling for calls that would otherwise go to voicemail. It works alongside human staff rather than replacing them. Implementation Specialist A designated team member responsible for planning and rolling out new technology in an organized way. They anticipate obstacles before launch and document processes so nothing falls through the cracks. WIG (Wildly Important Goal) A framework that challenges a practice to identify one defining goal for the year, then build quarterly objectives around it. Too many goals produce too little progress. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) Measurable data points that tell a practice whether it is on track. Common dental KPIs include new patient counts, treatment acceptance rates, and accounts receivable aging. AR (Accounts Receivable) The total amount owed to the practice by patients and insurance. AI tools like automated billing reminders and text-to-pay are designed to keep AR low. Text to Pay A feature that sends patients a payment link via text. Patients pay faster this way than through paper statements, which reduces AR and speeds up collections. Florida Probe A clinical device that records probing depths, bleeding, and furcation data directly into practice management software as the hygienist works. It faced the same team resistance when introduced in the late 1990s that modern AI tools face today. Law of Diminishing Returns In goal setting, the principle that too many goals reduce the likelihood of achieving any of them. Practices do better by focusing on one major priority at a time.