You hired good people. You gave them a job description. Maybe you even told them to "go sit next to Jessica" for a few days.
But did you actually train them?
In the final episode of our Systems. Staff. Training. series, Dana and Sandy tackle the training gap inside dental practices and why expecting employees to "just know" how to do their jobs can be an expensive mistake.
Today's dental team is expected to do far more than answer phones and schedule appointments. They're handling insurance conversations, money, patient objections, unscheduled treatment, technology, scheduling, handoffs, and the overall patient experience. Those are sophisticated skills, and they have to be taught, practiced, and reinforced.
Sandy shares why written protocols, role-playing, repetition, and consistent expectations matter, plus the story of one dental assistant who was given the right training and transformed into an exceptional office manager.
They also discuss the overwhelming amount of continuing education available in dentistry. More training isn't always better. Your CE should align with your practice philosophy, reinforce your systems, address an actual skills gap, and give your team something you're prepared to implement when you get home.
In This Episode:
- Why "go sit next to Jessica" is not a training program
- The hidden cost of assuming employees "should already know"
- Why training needs written protocols and consistent systems
- How role-playing and repetition build confidence
Key Takeaways:
- Why your hiring process may be costing you great hygienists
- The biggest mistake practices make during hygienist interviews
- Why licensed professionals want to meet the doctor early in the hiring process
- How to remove unnecessary hiring roadblocks and move faster with confidence
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
📣 Identity Dental Marketing – Strategic, ethical, brand-aligned marketing that works.
📊 Practice by Numbers – A unified platform that brings performance, workflows, and insights into one system—creating accountability without pressure and helping practices make smarter, data-driven decisions.
📲 Join the Conversation!
Have you ever lost a great hygienist during the hiring process?
What's one change you could make this week to remove a roadblock for your next candidate?
Join the conversation in the Dental Drill Bits Facebook Group. We'd love to hear what's working in your practice—and what hiring lessons you've learned along the way.
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