by Dr. Richard Madow
The only dental podcast that features live mystery shopper calls to dental practices, The Dental Practice Fixers is the podcast for dentists and team members who want to provide a better patient experience, improve their customer service skills, book more new patients, increase treatment acceptance, and enjoy dentistry more! On each episode Dr. Richard Madow provides easy-to-implement practice growth strategies, and then calls actual dental offices posing as a potential new patient. The results are sometimes shocking, often hilarious, and always a great learning opportunity. You can reach Dr. Rich at his personal email address: [email protected]
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
7/11/2020
Email Addresses
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Phone Numbers
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April 25, 2025
What do patients really want when it comes to treatment options? Do they want freedom OF choice or freedom FROM choice? Find out in the very important episode of The Dental Practice Fixers podcast for dentists and team members.<br /> <br /> And then of course we do our mystery shopper calls!! Don't miss it!<br /> Key Takeaways:<br /> Patients don't want lots of treatment options — they want clarity and confidence.Too many choices cause confusion and lead to patients delaying or avoiding treatment. Dentists should guide patients decisively.<br /> <br /> <br /> Freedom from choice is powerful:Patients appreciate it when you confidently recommend the best treatment, rather than overwhelming them with multiple options.<br /> <br /> <br /> Decision Paralysis is real:Offering even two or three treatment choices can lead patients to freeze up and not make any decision — just like the host struggling to buy shoes online.<br /> <br /> <br /> Be confident and direct:Look the patient in the eye and clearly say:"I know exactly what the problem is, and this is how we’re going to fix it."<br /> <br /> <br /> Offer doing nothing as an option (carefully):You can mention doing nothing as a choice, but you must clearly explain the negative consequences (things will get worse and more expensive).<br /> <br /> <br /> Simplify financial discussions:Combine clear treatment recommendations with easy-to-understand financing options to remove money as a barrier.<br /> <br /> <br /> Mystery Shopper Calls: Lessons for Front Desk Teams:<br /> Many dental front desk teams are losing new patients on the phone because:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> They don’t know basic fees.<br /> <br /> <br /> They don’t guide the caller to schedule an appointment.<br /> <br /> <br /> They waste time without securing the visit.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Every phone call from a potential new patient must end with an enthusiastic offer to schedule the appointment — otherwise, you lose opportunities.<br /> <br /> <br /> Here are some very important and easy ways to help enhance your practice and your life!<br /> 1 – Sign up for our e-newsletter. It’s filled with up-to-date practice building tips, event announcements, and more! <a href="https://qs103.infusionsoft.app/app/form/newsletteroptin">madow.com/newsletter</a><br /> <br /> When you sign up for the newsletter, you are automatically enrolled in our drawings for your own personal Dental Practice Fixers coffee mug!!<br /> <br /> 2 - Download our special free report, "The Dirty Dozen: HOW TO ANSWER THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT PATIENTS ASK!" <a href="https://qs103.infusionsoft.app/app/form/dirty-dozen?cookieSearchStarted=true&cookieUUID=54cd16e8-e225-4625-9b32-249ddea0ab22">madow.com/ask</a><br /> <br /> 3 – Schedule time on Dr. Rich’s personal calendar to discuss any practice issues or ways to improve! (This is for practice-owning dentists only!) <a href="https://calendly.com/rich-103/chat-with-dr-rich-madow?">madow.com/calendar</a><br /> <br /> 4 – Save money every single month on autopilot by paying a low, flat, monthly fee for credit card processing! Stop wasting money, and lower your overhead with one call! <a href="https://get.staxpayments.com/lp/madow/">madow.com/save</a><br /> <br /> 5 – Get the absolute most for your dental scrap with Southern Dental Refining. Deal directly with the owner, cut out middlemen and salespeople, and get some real mailbox money! <a href="https://madow-center.lpages.co/southern-dental-refining/"> madow.com/gold</a><br /> <br /> 6 –Boost your practice with SimplyClear aligners from OrthoBrain. Skip the middlemen and work directly with US-based orthodontists for top-notch care. Make your patients smile and watch your practice thrive! <a href="http://madow.com/ortho" target="_blank" rel="noopener">madow.com/ortho</a> <br /> <br /> 7 – Attract the perfect new patients with Simpl...
April 12, 2025
There's a dirty little secret about dental podcasts, and it's just one of the many things that Dr. Richard Madow reveals on this episode of The Dental Practice Fixers.<br /> <br /> Then we go to our mystery shopper calls and figure out the best way to answer the question "why isn't fluoride treatment covered by my insurance?" So much great stuff here - give it a listen!!<br /> Key Takeaways:<br /> Money-Saving Tips for Dentists<br /> <br /> * Credit Card Processing: Switch to Stax for flat monthly fees and eliminate overage charges. Dr. Madow claims tens of thousands saved.<br /> * Dental Scrap: Sell dental scrap to Southern Dental Refining for high returns due to gold prices being at an all-time high. Some practices have received up to $10,000.<br /> <br /> Handling Inherited Patients from a Retiring Dentist<br /> <br /> * Avoid criticizing the previous dentist, even if their care was substandard.<br /> * When asked “Why didn’t Dr. Jones tell me this?”, redirect the conversation to current findings and focus on today’s diagnosis and care plan.<br /> * Use relatable language—explain like you’re speaking to a smart fifth grader (but don’t say that out loud!).<br /> <br /> Getting Your Team On Board with Change<br /> <br /> * Start with the “Why” – Explain the benefits for both team and patients.<br /> * Involve the Team – Ask for input before announcing changes.<br /> * Start Small – Introduce changes gradually.<br /> * Positive Challenge – Challenge your team in ways that make their jobs easier or more meaningful.<br /> * Lead by Example – Your consistency and belief in the change will influence your team.<br /> <br /> Patient Experience Tip<br /> <br /> * Don’t allow cleaning crews to begin while patients are still in chairs. It sends a message that the day is over and the patient is an afterthought.<br /> * Use the restaurant analogy: no one likes to feel rushed out while they’re still eating.<br /> <br /> The “Dirty” Truth About Dental Podcast Rankings<br /> <br /> * Most “Top 25” podcast lists are biased and based on mutual votes rather than actual listenership.<br /> * Many so-called top dental podcasts have barely any real audience.<br /> * Dental Practice Fixers ranks in the top 2.5% of all podcasts, not just dental ones—based on real download and engagement data.<br /> <br /> Mystery Shopper Calls: Lessons for Front Desk Teams<br /> <br /> * Always invite the caller to schedule an appointment—especially if they ask, “Are you taking new patients?”<br /> * Don’t let fluoride cost or insurance questions go unanswered or unaddressed.<br /> * Instead of saying “I don’t know,” offer confident, patient-focused language like: “We recommend fluoride because it helps protect your teeth, even if it’s not covered. Let’s get you scheduled to talk about what’s best for your smile.”<br /> * Never make insurance the first topic of conversation—it puts up an unnecessary barrier.<br /> <br /> Here are some very important and easy ways to help enhance your practice and your life!<br /> 1 – Sign up for our e-newsletter. It’s filled with up-to-date practice building tips, event announcements, and more! <a href="https://qs103.infusionsoft.app/app/form/newsletteroptin">madow.com/newsletter</a><br /> <br /> When you sign up for the newsletter, you are automatically enrolled in our drawings for your own personal Dental Practice Fixers coffee mug!!<br /> <br /> 2 - Download our special free report, "The Dirty Dozen: HOW TO ANSWER THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT PATIENTS ASK!" <a href="https://qs103.infusionsoft.app/app/form/dirty-dozen?cookieSearchStarted=true&cookieUUID=54cd16e8-e225-4625-9b32-249ddea0ab22">madow.com/ask</a><br /> <br /> 3 – Schedule time on Dr. Rich’s personal calendar to discuss any practice issues or ways to improve! (This is for practice-owning dentists only!) <a href="https://calendly.com/rich-103/chat-with-dr-rich-madow?
March 29, 2025
Are you turning patients off by telling them what you DON'T do instead of what you CAN do? On this episode of The Dental Practice Fixers podcast, Dr. Richard Madow shares a story that shows what NOT to do at your practice!<br /> And then we do some mystery shopper calls about clear aligners. Don't make this mistake!!!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Key Takeaways:<br /> Too many dental practices reflexively say “we don’t…” when patients request something. Instead of rejecting requests, practices should reframe the conversation positively and offer options that meet patient needs.<br /> <br /> <br /> “We Don’t Serve Coffee Here” Moment:Dr. Madow shares a story from a local restaurant that refused to serve coffee, despite many customers asking for it. This sparked the core message:➤ If people keep asking for something, why aren’t you offering it?<br /> <br /> <br /> Give People What They Want:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> In dental practices, saying "we don't do cleanings on the first visit" or "we don't accept that insurance" may be clinically valid or policy-driven—but it turns potential patients away.<br /> <br /> <br /> Instead of hard “no’s,” offer honest alternatives or better framing.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Reevaluate Office Policies:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Dr. Maddow changed his own policy of "no cleanings on first visits" after realizing it cost him many new patients.<br /> <br /> <br /> Compromise where you can to balance clinical integrity and patient experience.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Avoid Default Negative Language:Reframe:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “We don’t have Saturday hours” → “Would weekday evenings work for you?”<br /> <br /> <br /> “We don’t take your insurance” → “We’re an unrestricted provider and happy to explain how that works.”<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Mystery Shopper Calls = Missed Opportunities:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Many practices failed to invite the caller in—even when the caller clearly expressed interest in orthodontics.<br /> <br /> <br /> Office staff didn’t know what the practice offered or didn’t offer it confidently.<br /> <br /> <br /> Some gave vague or incorrect explanations, or simply didn’t attempt to convert the call into an appointment.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Website and Phone Staff Alignment:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> If your website says you offer Invisalign, but your team says you don’t—or doesn’t know—you have a big credibility problem.<br /> <br /> <br /> Train your team and audit your website regularly.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Always Offer Options:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Even when treatment is needed, patients deserve choices—doing nothing is still technically an option.<br /> <br /> <br /> Present all choices honestly but help them see why one option is best.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Energy and Enthusiasm Matter:<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Enthusiastic team members who confidently explain treatment options and invite patients to come in can dramatically increase conversions.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Here are some very important and easy ways to help enhance your practice and your life!<br /> 1 – Sign up for our e-newsletter. It’s filled with up-to-date practice building tips, event announcements, and more! <a href="https://qs103.infusionsoft.app/app/form/newsletteroptin">madow.com/newsletter</a><br /> <br /> When you sign up for the newsletter, you are automatically enrolled in our drawings for your own personal Dental Practice Fixers coffee mug!!<br /> <br /> 2 - Download our special free report, "The Dirty Dozen: HOW TO ANSWER THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT PATIENTS ASK!" <a href="https://qs103.infusionsoft.app/app/form/dirty-dozen?cookieSearchStarted=true&cookieUUID=54cd16e8-e225-4625-9b32-249ddea0a...
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