837: Are You Playing Checkers or Chess With Patients? – Dr. Jim McKee

The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

If dentistry were a game, it’s checkers and chess. But how do you know when a case is one or the other? To help you win no matter which game you're playing, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Jim McKee, founder of Chicago Study Club, to share how to distinguish simple from complex cases so you can increase treatment success. Stop playing chess with the rules of checkers! To learn how to master the game you're playing, listen to Episode 837 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Dr. McKee:

• Send Dr. McKee an email: [e-mail]
• Join Dr. McKee on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.mckee.104
• Register for Dr. McKee’s Occlusion in Everyday Practice seminar (April 11-12, 2025): https://campus.speareducation.com/in-person-seminars/occlusion-in-everyday-practice/details/syllabus
• Register for Dr. McKee’s Advanced Occlusion workshop: https://campus.speareducation.com/workshops/advanced-occlusion/details/syllabus
• Register for Dr. McKee’s occlusion seminar: https://campus.speareducation.com/seminars/demystifying-occlusion-1/details/syllabus
• Register for Dr. McKee’s TMD Online course: https://courses.phelandentalseminars.com/tmd-pds
• Learn about Chicago Study Club: https://chicagostudyclub.com

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 837: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos

Main Takeaways:

• Know whether your cases are like checkers or chess. Is it simple or more complex?
• Learn how to give patients realistic expectations when discussing treatment.
• Become a physician of the masticatory system, not just a tooth carpenter.
• Develop your occlusion and TMD skill sets to boost practice growth.
• No one wants to do TMD and occlusion. So, be the one to do it!
• Occlusion and TMD are in more demand than you realize.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

0:55 Playing chess versus playing checkers.

5:51 Frame your patients’ expectations.

10:00 Learn about occlusion and TMD.

16:44 Don't play chess with the rules of checkers.

23:26 Change how you talk to patients.

29:03 The fastest way to boost your practice.

32:04 Occlusion and TMD isn't as difficult as you think.

36:43 Final thoughts.

39:30 Dr. McKee’s future courses and Chicago Study Club.

Dr. Jim McKee Bio:

Dr. Jim McKee is a member of the Spear Resident Faculty. He has maintained a private practice since 1984 in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he treats a wide variety of cases with a focus on predictable restorative dentistry. He is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and former president of the American Equilibration Society. He has lectured both nationally and internationally for over 25 years and directs several study clubs. Dr. McKee graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1980 and earned his dental degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in 1984.

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836: 3 Reasons to Stop Adding Chairs – Christina Byrne

Growth can be exciting. But bigger isn't always better! To explain why you should think twice before adding more chairs, Kirk Behrendt brings back Christina Byrne, ACT’s director of operations, with advice for maximizing the chairs, patients, and time that you already have. Get better, not bigger! To learn the right questions to ask yourself before trying to expand, listen to Episode 836 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Christina:

• Send Christina an email: [e-mail]
• Send Gina an email: [e-mail]
• Email the ACT Team for their free resources: [e-mail]

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 836: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Download ACT’s GAPs At a Glace resource: https://23476641.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/23476641/47%20The%20Financial%20GAPs%20at%20a%20Glance%20-%2005.pdf
• Download ACT’s PPO Roadmap resource: https://23476641.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/23476641/ACT%20Dental%20PPO%20Roadmap.pdf

Main Takeaways:

• Bigger isn't necessarily better for your practice.
• Understand and correct your practice’s inefficiencies.
• Start by maximizing the use of chairs you already have.
• Stick to your blocked schedule to keep your hours profitable.
• Reactivating existing patients is easier than attracting new ones.
• Put a system in place to increase your date-of-service collections.
• Be clear about why you want to expand. What are your motivations?
• Avoid unnecessary overhead expenses. What is the cost of expansion?

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

0:41 Why this is an important topic.

7:38 Maximize the utilization of chairs you have.

10:07 Honor your blocked scheduling.

10:43 Figure out how to reactivate patients.

11:35 Have everyone be accountable to their schedules.

13:35 Track hygiene reappointment percentage.

14:58 Know exactly what you're writing off.

17:13 Collect at least 99% of net production.

19:32 Give people grace when changing your systems.

20:24 Avoid unnecessary overhead expenses.

22:32 Expand for the right reasons.

22:56 Think about the tangible and intangible costs of expansion.

26:34 Final takeaways.

Christina Byrne Bio:

Christina Byrne has been involved in dentistry since 1985. Over the years, she has held many positions on the dental team, including dental assistant, business office, and dental hygienist. Christina’s extensive knowledge of the front office and clinical procedures is a great asset, and she loves to impart her knowledge to guide dental teams do the best they can to achieve a Better Practice, Better Life!