What does it actually take to make a patient say, "I'm really glad you didn't try to sell me anything today"? The answer has very little to do with your handpiece or your composite, and everything to do with how your practice makes people feel.
Dr. Lori Trost is a full-time clinician whose Columbia, Illinois practice centers on esthetic dentistry with a wellness-focused approach to patient care. A sought-after lecturer across North America, clinical evaluator for numerous dental manufacturers, and prolific author of professional dental articles, Dr. Trost is a member of the ADA, ASDA, and AGD, serves as a board member of the AACO, and is a recipient of the prestigious Shils Foundation Award from the ADA for Entrepreneurial Spirit and Leadership. She was also named one of the "Top 25 Women in Dentistry" by Dental Products Report. Her decades of clinical experience and her nationally acclaimed course on patient experience make her one of the most credible voices on this topic in dentistry today.
In this episode, Dr. Trost breaks down what it truly means to create an exceptional patient experience — and why so many practices, even those with veteran clinicians, are falling short. Drawing on the response to a standing-room-only lecture she delivered to over 1,000 attendees, she reveals the three pain points that resonated most deeply and explains how practices can address them systematically. This conversation is a candid, practical look at the cultural and operational gaps that quietly erode patient trust, retention, and referrals.
Episode Highlights:
- Research shows patients who wait more than 10 minutes in a reception area become disengaged, turn to their phones, and are significantly more likely to leave negative reviews. Software that tracks patient check-in time can help front desk teams intervene before frustration builds, and moving patients promptly is one of the simplest and most overlooked retention strategies in practice management.
- Only 35% of dental offices conduct a morning huddle, despite it being one of the most powerful tools for aligning a team before the clinical day begins. Practices that skip this daily communication ritual are more prone to in-office chaos, miscommunication between clinical and administrative staff, and patients who leave without understanding what happens next in their care.
- Patients who are not oriented to the value of their visit before they reach the front desk are more likely to question fees, dispute charges, and disengage from treatment planning. Building clear verbal handoffs between the operatory and the front desk — including scripted language to describe clinical findings like cracked teeth — is a trainable, systems-based solution that directly impacts case acceptance and perceived practice value.
- Phone distraction in the operatory is not just a behavioral nuisance — studies from major universities confirm that the mere presence of a phone reduces a patient's ability to retain health information. Practices that implement a phone-off policy during appointments report stronger patient engagement, fewer safety concerns during active procedures, and more meaningful clinical conversations.
- Leadership gaps are among the most commonly reported pain points in dental teams, yet many practice owners either avoid the leadership role or conflate being liked with being effective. Defining a clear leadership style early — including during the hiring process — and investing in leadership development through courses and reading reduces team dysfunction, lowers staff turnover, and creates a practice culture where doing excellent work is the norm rather than the exception.
Perfect for: General dentists, practice owners, dental office managers, treatment coordinators, and any clinical team member who wants to understand how practice culture and patient communication directly impact retention, referrals, and long-term practice success.
If you've ever lost a patient not because of your clinical work but because of how they felt walking out the door, this episode will show you exactly what to change.
