My teams have supported offices through periods of rapid growth, staffing transitions, insurance challenges meetings, the hygienist who seems increasingly rushed despite maintaining the same patient schedule, the office

I used to think being an Office Manager was the ultimate goal, but I soon realized that being a servant As a dental office leader, it is important to remember that the success of the practice depends on the Here are three ways you can be a servant leader in a dental office: Encourage open communication: A key Dentistry Support LLC TM provides remote support for dental offices nationwide. We serve the needs of any size dental office including those with Spanish-speaking needs on both the

Herman, CEO of Dentistry Support® Abstract In 2025, one of the most common frustrations among dental offices Declining Margins The American Dental Association (ADA, 2025) reports that nearly 61 percent of dental offices Whether your office uses in-house billing or a third-party company, these systems ensure resilience even The Integrity Factor: Staying Even When It Hurts Every thriving dental office eventually faces moments claim followed up, and every patient ledger balanced is an act of service that reflects on the entire office

Before you even allow a patient to set foot in the dental office, make sure you understand what their Create a guide for your front office team to audit and ensure you aren't leaving out important procedures Many dental offices are using outdated ADA forms on the digital side because they simply don't know to Anticipated collections should be shared with the dental office by the admin team at your dental office Dentistry Support ® provides remote support for dental offices nationwide.

Hours to Your Week Let’s be honest: you don’t have time to run a training academy inside your dental office

Her insurance benefits hadn’t been verified properly, resulting in an unexpected amount due that the office

When a practice leader’s internal narrative is frantic, the entire office feels it.

Historically, insurance verification has often been viewed as an administrative responsibility delegated to front-office

By Sarah Herman, CEO of Dentistry Support® | No Silver Spoons Podcast Let’s talk about something most dental leaders don’t say out loud. If you’ve been in business long enough — even if you run a great practice — you’ve had at least one moment where something didn’t go the way you wanted. A patient left unhappy. A review came through that didn’t feel fair. A team member dropped the ball. Or a situation unfolded where, looking back, you would have handled it differently. and when those moments happen, most people go into one of two modes: They either shut down and take it personally…or they brush it off and try to move on as quickly as possible. But neither of those actually helps you grow. The Reality of Leading a Dental Practice Dentistry is one of the most human businesses you can be in. You are not just managing systems — you are managing: People Emotions Expectations Health Finances Communication And all of those things are constantly shifting. Which means this: Even if you are doing a lot right… things will still go wrong sometimes. Not because your practice is broken. But because you’re working with real people in real situations. The Misconception That Holds Leaders Back There’s this quiet belief in dentistry that good practices don’t make mistakes. That strong leaders don’t have unhappy patients. That successful businesses don’t get negative feedback. That if you’re doing things “right,” everything should run smoothly. But that’s not reality. And honestly — when people claim that, it should raise a red flag. Because one of two things is happening: Either they’re not paying attention …or they’re not being fully honest. Why Mistakes Are Actually Data One of the biggest shifts you can make as a leader is this: Stop seeing mistakes as proof that something is wrong with your business —and start seeing them as information about where your business can improve. For example: A billing issue isn’t just a mistake — it’s a signal that something in your process needs tightening. A patient complaint isn’t just frustration — it’s insight into how your communication is being received. A bad review isn’t just criticism — it’s a data point about expectations, experience, or consistency. That doesn’t mean every piece of feedback is correct. But it does mean: 👉 There is always something you can learn from it. What Strong Dental Leaders Do Differently The difference between practices that grow and practices that stay stuck is not perfection. It’s how they respond when something doesn’t go as planned. Strong leaders: Don’t panic when something goes wrong Don’t ignore issues hoping they disappear Don’t make everything personal Instead, they slow things down and ask better questions. They Ask: “What Actually Happened?” Before reacting emotionally, they get clear on the situation. Not assumptions. Not opinions. Facts. Because you can’t improve something you don’t understand. They Ask: “Where Did the Process Break?” Instead of jumping straight to blaming a person, they look at the system. Was there a gap in communication? Was something unclear? Was there a missed step? Because most problems don’t start with people — they start with processes. They Ask: “What Needs to Change Going Forward?” This is where growth actually happens. Not in the moment of frustration — but in the adjustment that follows. Do we need clearer expectations? Better training? Stronger follow-up? More consistency? That’s where improvement lives. The Role of Reviews in Dental Practice Growth Let’s talk specifically about reviews for a minute. Because this is one of the most emotionally charged areas for practice owners. A single negative review can feel louder than dozens of positive ones. And there’s actually a reason for that. Psychological research shows that humans naturally focus more on negative information than positive — it’s called negativity bias . Which means one bad experience can feel bigger than it actually is. But here’s the leadership shift: Instead of asking, “Why did this happen to us?” Ask, “What can this teach us?” Because reviews — even difficult ones — help you see your practice from the outside. And that perspective is valuable. Why Avoiding Mistakes Actually Slows Growth This might sound counterintuitive, but it’s important: If your goal is to avoid mistakes entirely, you will limit your growth. Because: You’ll hesitate to make decisions You’ll avoid necessary changes You’ll delay improvement And in dentistry , where things are constantly evolving — that creates more problems over time. The Leadership Standard: Go First This is where leadership becomes very real. Because your team is watching how you respond. If you get defensive — they get quiet. If you avoid issues — they avoid accountability. If you overreact — they start hiding mistakes. But if you stay steady, honest, and focused on solutions… They learn to do the same. And this is what it means to go first. Not to be perfect . Not to always get it right. But to model what it looks like to: Take ownership Stay grounded Learn quickly And move forward How This Applies to Your Dental Practice Right Now If you’re reading this and thinking: “We’ve had a few situations like this lately…” That’s not a sign that your practice is failing. It’s a sign that your practice is growing. Because growth exposes gaps and gaps give you direction. So instead of trying to avoid those moments, ask: What is this showing me about my systems? Where do we need more clarity? What would make this easier next time? That’s how strong practices evolve. Where Support Becomes Necessary At a certain point, you can’t fix everything internally. Not because you’re not capable — but because you’re already carrying a lot. And in dental practices, the pressure points are usually the same: Billing Eligibility Phones When those areas are inconsistent, everything feels heavier and when they’re strong, everything feels more manageable. That’s where structured support can make a real difference — not by replacing your team, but by reinforcing the systems your team depends on. Continue This Conversation This blog is meant to give you a framework — something to think through and apply. But in Episode 118 of No Silver Spoons , I go deeper into this idea of: What it actually means for leaders to go first. Not just in business — but in mindset, communication, and growth. We talk about: Why sharing hard experiences matters How to handle criticism without shutting down What strong leadership looks like in real life And how to build a team that operates the same way 👉 The episode releases Monday. If this topic resonated with you, that conversation will take it further. Final Thought You don’t need to run a perfect dental practice to be a strong leader. You need to be aware, you need to be honest. and you need to be willing to improve. Because the practices that grow the most aren’t the ones that avoid mistakes. They’re the ones that learn from them. Reference Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001).Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5 (4), 323–370. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.5.4.323 Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth . John Wiley & Sons. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ . Bantam Books. Kohn, L. T., Corrigan, J. M., & Donaldson, M. S. (Eds.). (2000). To err is human: Building a safer health system . National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/9728 Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization  (Rev. ed.). Doubleday. Levinson, W., Roter, D. L., Mullooly, J. P., Dull, V. T., & Frankel, R. M. (1997).Physician–patient communication: The relationship with malpractice claims among primary care physicians and surgeons. JAMA, 277 (7), 553–559. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1997.03540310051034 Disclaimer: To learn more about Sarah Beth Herman, the author of all free training content you can read her bio here .  These materials are intended to provide helpful information to dentists and dental team members. They are in no way a substitute for actual professional advice based on your unique facts and circumstances. This content is not intended or offered, nor should it be taken, as legal or other professional advice.  You should always consult with your own professional advisors (e.g. attorney, accountant, or insurance carrier). To the extent, Dentistry Support ®has included links to any third-party website (s), Dentistry Support ® intends no endorsement of their content and implies no affiliation with the organizations that provide their content. Further, Dentistry Support ® makes no representations or warranties about the information provided on those sites. You can view our privacy policy and terms and conditions by clicking those pages in the footer of our website

Prior to such adjustments taking effect, dental offices may wish to use CDT code “D1999 - unspecified So, it is advisable to dental office to pre-collect from everyone when possible. Remote admin support Many of employees will be scared about working in the office. Remote support is a huge component to the continued success of your office. Cheers to the mass re-open of dental offices. We are rooting for you every step of the way.

This free training was created for dental practice owners, office managers, and leadership teams who

This page will include both advice for Dental Offices, Employees and Patients. You can also visit our latest blog on specific details of what you can do if your office is still seeing Patients You may find your dental office is closed. They will reopen. Dental Offices First, we are so sad you had to close but we completely understand your reasoning. If your office is closed, now is the perfect time so we can prepare your office for excellence when you