Three Smart Ways to Attract and Retain Dental Talent

In our last post, we dug into the numbers behind the dental hiring crisis, and the impact is clear: staffing shortages are costing practices time, money, and patient trust. But solving the problem takes more than help-wanted ads. Recruiting and retention challenges are often rooted in culture, not just compensation.

If you’re still trying to recruit the way you did five years ago, it’s time for a refresh. Here are some ways to build a workplace where the right people want to work and stay.

1. Invest in Your People

  • Competitive Pay & Incentives:
    Compensation still tops the list of reasons dental professionals leave or stay. Benchmark your pay regularly against industry averages, and don’t wait for an exit interview to find out what’s missing. Use “stay interviews” to proactively address concerns and reward loyalty.
  • Smarter Scheduling & Burnout Prevention:
    Burnout is one of the biggest threats to retention. Offer scheduling options like staggered shifts or four-day workweeks, and support staff well-being with perks like wellness app reimbursements or occasional in-office stress relief (like chair massages) during peak periods.
  • Empowering Practice Culture:
    Recognition should be more than a shout-out; it should be a strategy. Build a culture where feedback is mutual, wins are celebrated across roles, and everyone feels connected to the success of the practice. When people feel heard and empowered, they stay engaged.

2. Foster Growth & Development

  • Mentorship that Builds Belonging:
    New hires don’t just need training, they need connection. Mentorship shortens ramp-up time, strengthens culture, and keeps both new and seasoned employees invested in each other’s success.
  • Career Progression with Purpose:
    Create clearly defined growth paths for all roles, from admin to clinical. When employees understand how they can advance within your practice, they’re more likely to commit long-term and bring their best to the role.
  • Commitment to Learning:
    Support CE credits, certifications, and in-house training. Team members who have opportunities to grow their skills are more motivated, more effective, and more likely to stay. Development shouldn’t be optional, it should be expected.

3. Prioritize Work-Life Balance

  • Flexible Work Models:
    A modern dental team expects more than a 9-to-5 mindset. Offer flexible scheduling wherever possible to help your staff manage their time and energy and to create a workplace that adapts to their lives, not the other way around.
  • Support Mental Well-Being:
    From mental health days to EAPs, well-being initiatives are no longer “nice to have,” they’re essential. Encourage open communication about stress and support your team in meaningful, stigma-free ways.
  • Culture of Recognition & Respect:
    Appreciation drives engagement. Make recognition a shared responsibility across your team with peer shout-outs, milestone celebrations, and leadership modeling what it means to value every role. Recognition isn’t fluff, it’s fuel for retention.

Final Takeaway

Treat your team as your most important asset, because they are! A culture centered around growth, wellness, and flexibility doesn’t just attract staff, it keeps them and boosts productivity, patient care, and your bottom line.

Podcast Recap: Dental Marketing ROI & Google’s Best Practices

In this episode of Beyond Bitewings, Ash sits down with David Herman, founder of Web Marketing for Dentists, to dive into the nuances of dental marketing. The conversation explores how marketing can go beyond vanity metrics and instead focus on attracting the right patients, supporting practice goals, and generating a measurable return on investment.

David emphasizes that dental marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all. While some providers cast a wide net using generic ads or basic websites, truly effective campaigns reflect a practice’s unique strengths, services, and patient base. For example, different messaging is needed for marketing emergency care versus implants or Invisalign. Patients are often driven by urgency or emotion and understanding that dynamic is key to designing outreach that resonates.

Another focus of the conversation is the importance of data. While many dental professionals view marketing as a necessary expense, David encourages practices to treat it like an investment, one that should deliver trackable results. He explains how to tie leads back to production, giving practice owners the information they need to make smarter decisions about their marketing budgets and strategy.

The episode also touches on the most common pitfalls that practices – particularly newer ones – tend to face. From slow-loading websites and underdeveloped content to inconsistent follow-up processes, these issues can derail even the best campaigns. David offers practical advice on how to audit and improve a practice’s digital presence, emphasizing that simple, foundational changes often yield the biggest returns.

Throughout the conversation, one theme stands out: good marketing starts with knowing who you are and what kind of patients you want to serve. Whether you provide general dental care, or specialize in cosmetic dentistry, full-arch restorations, or TMJ treatment, building a marketing plan that reflects your values and capabilities is what ultimately creates trust and drives results.

The Dental Hiring Crisis: What the Numbers Are Really Saying

From revenue losses to patient delays, staffing shortages are hurting practices more than you think. Across the dental profession, hiring and retention challenges are more than just a passing phase; they’ve become a chronic pain point. Whether you’re struggling to fill a front desk role or losing seasoned billing specialists, the numbers reveal a tough truth: staffing gaps are directly impacting profitability, patient experience, and clinical efficiency.

The Data Doesn’t Lie

  • 38% of dental practices report administrative understaffing, with front desk roles remaining vacant for more than 47 days on average. This obviously causes major disruptions in scheduling and billing.
  • Billing specialists are turning over at more than 2x the normal rate, affecting collections and cash flow.
  • 45% of practices can’t fill hygiene appointments consistently, resulting in an average lost production of more than $4,000 per week.
  • One-third of practices have dental assistant vacancies, which often means reduced provider productivity and longer appointment times.

What’s Driving the Crisis?

A combination of factors is fueling the shortage, from pandemic-related career shifts and burnout to wage competition with other healthcare roles. Many potential hires now seek better compensation, clearer career paths, and a workplace culture that values work-life balance. And practices that haven’t evolved their recruiting and retention strategies are falling behind.

When a front desk coordinator leaves, it’s not just a lost employee, it’s hours of rescheduling, delayed claims, and stressed-out staff. Multiply that by multiple roles, and you’ve got a major practice disruption.

Beyond the Numbers: Real Consequences

These aren’t just operational annoyances; they’re measurable threats:

  • Revenue Loss from unfilled chairs and delayed claims.
  • Reputation Risk as patient wait times grow and service falters.
  • Team Burnout when remaining staff are asked to carry too much weight.

What’s Next?

The staffing crisis isn’t going away, but it is solvable. In our next post, we’ll explore some proven strategies to help you attract and retain the right team, and why solving your staffing challenges starts with building a workplace where people want to stay.

Why Windows 10’s End-of-Life Matters for Dental Practices 

Microsoft will officially stop supporting Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, which means no more security fixes, feature updates, or technical support. For dental practices handling sensitive patient data, this isn’t just a technical update, it’s a compliance and cybersecurity red flag.

Unsupported = Non-Compliant with HIPAA

HIPAA’s Security Rule mandates that ePHI be protected using supported and monitored software systems. After October 2025, Windows 10 will be unsupported, making systems non-compliant. This places practices at risk of fines, patient data loss, and reputational harm.

Escalating Security Risks

Without updates, any new vulnerabilities in Windows 10 remain open doors for cyberattacks, ransomware, malware, or data breaches, and healthcare practices are prime targets. A single breach can cost a dental practice a minimum of $429 per compromised record, and the average cost of a data breach in the healthcare industry (which, of course, includes dental practices), is just shy of $11million. A dental data breach isn’t just messy, it can bankrupt and shutter your practice.

Compatibility & Operational Disruptions

Post-End-Of-Life (EOL), new dental software, patient portals, or billing systems may be incompatible with outdated systems. You are very likely to see unexpected bugs, crashes, or performance issues, impacting day-to-day patient care and practice efficiency.

What Dental Practices Should Do Now

  • Inventory & Assess
    • Identify which computers are running Windows 10, and whether they meet Windows 11 hardware requirements (most PCs made since 2019 do). 
  • Choose Your Upgrade Path
    • In-place upgrades to Windows 11 for those that qualify.
    • Full hardware replacements for older machines.
    • Extended Security Updates (ESU) are available post-EOL, but they’re costly and not a long-term solution.
  • Plan & Execute
    • Schedule upgrades ahead of time to avoid last-minute scramble.
    • Back up data carefully and ensure patient info is safe.
    • Train your team on Windows 11 and consider bringing in an IT partner to manage migration smoothly and securely.
  • Verify Compliance & Cybersecurity
    • Post-upgrade, run a HIPAA risk assessment and update your policies to reflect the change in IT infrastructure. Make sure your setup continues addressing ePHI security.

Bottom Line for Dental Practices

If your practice is still on Windows 10, now is the time to act. Upgrading is essential for compliance, cybersecurity, and operational reliability. Don’t wait for a breach – or a compliance violation – to remind you. 

It’s Time to Do Some Mid-Year Tax Planning 

As the summer heats up, it’s not just a good time for vacations, it’s also the perfect time to check in on your dental practice’s financial health. Mid-year tax planning can help you avoid surprises at year-end and give you time to make strategic decisions that impact your bottom line.

Look at the Numbers Now, Not in December

Too often, dentists wait until the end of the year – or worse, tax season – to review their financial performance. But by now, you’ve got six months of data that can tell a meaningful story about how the rest of the year might unfold. Are collections on track? Are expenses creeping up? Did you invest in new equipment or hire additional staff?

This is the time to sit down and compare your actual year-to-date performance against your projections. If you’re tracking ahead, it may be a good time to consider purchasing equipment, increasing retirement plan contributions, or planning charitable donations. If you’re falling behind, you still have time to course-correct.

Estimate Your Tax Liability

Based on your current earnings, we can help you estimate what your tax liability might look like by year-end. This can be a critical step in determining whether to adjust your quarterly tax payments to avoid underpayment penalties or whether there’s room to invest more in your practice or your future.

Take Advantage of Tax-Saving Opportunities

Mid-year planning allows time to explore tax-saving strategies tailored to your practice. These might include:

  • Section 179 deductions for equipment purchases
  • Maximizing retirement contributions through a 401(k), SEP IRA, or defined benefit plan
  • Health savings accounts (HSAs) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
  • Reviewing entity structure to determine if it’s still the most tax-efficient option
  • Hiring family members for legitimate business roles to reduce taxable income

Evaluate Overhead and Profit Margins

Often our dental clients are so focused on patient care that they don’t realize how much their overhead is eating into profits. Mid-year is a good time to review vendor contracts, supply costs, and staffing efficiency. Small tweaks now can lead to big savings by year-end.

Don’t Go It Alone

Tax laws change frequently, and every practice is unique. The best way to take advantage of mid-year planning is to reach out to us to gain a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities specific to your field.

Let’s Plan Ahead Together

Mid-year is more than just a checkpoint, it’s a chance to proactively manage your practice’s financial success. If you haven’t yet scheduled a mid-year review, now is the time. Your future self – and your bottom line – will thank you.

What Dentists Should Know About Proposed Senate Tax Changes

In May, we wrote about what dental practice owners should know about the tax bill. Now a new round of tax proposals is making its way through the Senate that include some significant shifts that could impact both your personal finances and how you manage your dental practice. While these proposals are still under debate and will continue to evolve, it’s worth taking a look at a few areas that may affect dentists more directly than others.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the key provisions and what they could mean for you:

  1. State and Local Tax (SALT) Deductions Could Shrink: The proposed Senate version would lower the cap on SALT deductions to $10,000, a significant reduction from the $40,000 limit in the House bill. This change could limit deductions for dentists with higher incomes, significant property taxes, or multiple real estate holdings. If you typically itemize deductions, this is a key detail to factor into your tax planning.
  2. Changes to Business Tax Breaks May Help Practices That Invest: The Senate’s proposal includes some long-term benefits for business owners. If you’ve recently invested – or are planning to invest – in new equipment or technology for your practice, the proposed extension of 100% bonus depreciation could continue to be a helpful tool. The plan also preserves full deductions for research and development expenses and depreciation calculations based on more favorable interest expensing rules. Practices looking to expand or modernize may find these updates particularly beneficial.
  3. Medicaid Shifts Could Affect Patient Access: While Medicaid likely isn’t a huge part of the revenue stream for most dental practices, any policy changes that reduce access to care could indirectly affect volume in practices that serve low-income families. The proposed Senate revisions call for stricter work requirements for families receiving Medicaid, especially for parents with older children. Practices offering Medicaid or CHIP-covered services should monitor how this plays out at the state level.
  4. Bonus Standard Deductions for Seniors: If you’re approaching retirement, the Senate proposal includes a larger standard deduction for seniors, rising to $6,000. This could create a modest benefit for older dental professionals still practicing or taking retirement distributions.
  5. Adjustments to the Child Tax Credit: The Senate version also slightly bumps up the child tax credit and makes it permanent, which may help younger dentists with families. While the increase isn’t dramatic, it does provide some predictability compared to temporary measures in previous years.
  6. Be Mindful of New Payment Processing Taxes: Although not highlighted in the Senate bill, changes to how foreign investors and certain processing systems are taxed may eventually affect credit card fees and payment processors, services many practices rely on. Now is a good time to talk to your payment vendor to understand how these shifts may trickle down.

Planning Now Can Save Later

While these tax proposals are still subject to change, they offer a glimpse into where federal fiscal policy is headed. As a dental practice owner or administrator, staying ahead of these developments can help you avoid surprises, especially when it comes to deductions and business investment decisions.

Have questions about how these changes might impact your tax strategy this year or next? Our team specializes in supporting dental professionals. Let’s talk about how we can keep your practice financially strong and future-ready.

Podcast Recap: How Payment Systems Can Boost Dental Practice Profitability and Patient Loyalty

On a recent episode of Beyond Bitewings, the Edwards & Associates team explores two increasingly important financial strategies for dental practices: streamlining payment processing and building effective in-house membership plans. Guest Mandy Meline from Pay Proudly brings nearly two decades of experience in dental operations, shares real-world insights and practical steps practices can take to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Key Takeaways for Dental Practices:

1. Rethink Payment Processing for Efficiency
Manual entry errors, inconsistent reporting, and clunky systems can make reconciling payments a daily headache. Integrated payment platforms that work with your practice management system can reduce mistakes, save staff time, and improve cash flow visibility. Features like card vaulting (securely storing patient card information for future use) and recurring payments are now standard and expected by patients.

2. In-House Membership Plans Are a Smart Move
Third-party membership program platforms can come with high fees and limited flexibility. Bringing your membership plan in-house allows more control, better margins, and a more personalized patient experience. Practices considering this option should look for tools that allow for automatic payments, easy plan management, and clear reporting.

3. Surcharge Models Are Gaining Ground
With rising operating costs, more dental practices are opting to pass along credit card processing fees to patients. While this isn’t the right fit for everyone, it’s becoming more common – and accepted by patients – especially when presented with transparency and alternative payment options like debit or HSA cards.

4. Know What You’re Paying
Many practice owners don’t fully understand their credit card processing fees. Reviewing your monthly statements and doing a true cost comparison is worth the effort. You may be paying more than you think – money that could go toward staffing, technology, or reinvestment in the practice.

5. Support Matters
Whatever system you use, be sure it comes with reliable, accessible support. A responsive team that understands the dental industry can make a huge difference when issues arise or questions come up.

This episode is a helpful listen for any dental practice owner thinking about improving financial systems or building more predictable, recurring revenue streams.

Fewer Fires, More Focus: How We Keep Your Practice Protected

As a dental practice owner, you’re no stranger to the value of prevention. When patients maintain healthy habits and visit regularly, emergencies become rare—and that’s the goal. The same goes for your finances.

When things are running smoothly, it might seem like nothing is happening behind the scenes. But that smooth operation is exactly the point. At our firm, silence doesn’t mean inaction. It means your practice is protected, your finances are in order, and our team is doing the hard work behind the curtain so you can focus on your patients.

Here’s what that looks like in action:

We Prevent Problems Before They Start: You might not see the errors we catch or the issues we steer you away from, but they’re there. Like identifying a bookkeeping discrepancy that could have raised red flags in a future sale. Or adjusting cash flow projections to keep payroll on track during a seasonal dip in collections.

We Deliver Expertise, Not Just Tasks: A tax return is just a deliverable. What you’re really getting is decades of experience, guiding you through complex decisions, flagging risks early, and helping you pay less in taxes, legally and strategically.

We Tie Our Value to Your Outcomes: You’re not investing in hours; you’re investing in outcomes. Think clean financials that boost your practice’s value, proactive strategies that save you thousands, and peace of mind knowing you’re always a step ahead.

We Tell the Stories That Matter: Behind every clean balance sheet is a story, of a penalty avoided, a growth opportunity realized, or a financial pitfall sidestepped. We’ll be sharing more of these stories in our blog and on social media, because your wins are worth celebrating.

We Keep You in the Loop (Even When There’s No Fire to Put Out) Consider periodic check-ins or value recaps. Whether it’s a mid-year review or a year-end summary, we’ll highlight what we’ve done, what’s coming next, and what we’re watching on your behalf.

Your success is our business. And we’re proud to be the invisible engine helping your practice grow stronger, more resilient, and more valuable every day.

Podcast Recap: Is Buying a Dental Practice Still Worth It?

The dream of owning a dental practice has long been considered a natural next step after a few years in the profession. But in today’s saturated markets, evolving business models, and shifting generational expectations, the question has become more complex: is it still worth buying a practice? In a recent episode of the Beyond Bitewings podcast, the Edwards & Associates team dive into this timely question to unpack the realities dentists face today.

While the idea of starting a dental practice used to be a clear goal, especially in the years following dental school, things have changed. Urban areas are increasingly saturated, reimbursement rates are shrinking, and private equity-backed Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) have created intense competition with their ability to scale and offer robust benefits. Ash points out that the business landscape has shifted so dramatically that simply saying “yes” to a startup is no longer responsible without asking important follow-up questions about location, demographics, business model, and support structure.

One of the major distinctions discussed is between starting a brand-new practice and buying an existing one. Established practices already have what Ash calls “battle scars,” proof of what works and what doesn’t, along with a built-in patient base and revenue stream. Startups, by contrast, are entering the battlefield fresh, requiring owners to wear the right “armor” from day one, especially in competitive locations. That’s why advisors emphasize deep research, professional guidance, and self-awareness before diving into ownership.

Even if the financials check out, new owners often face unexpected cultural challenges when acquiring practices with long-standing staff or outdated procedures. On the flip side, owning a startup allows full control over systems and culture but comes with greater risk and slower ramp-up. Finding that balance – and understanding whether you’re truly wired to be both a clinician and a business owner – is critical to making the right decision.

The conversation also explored how DSOs affect the market not just for hiring but also for buying and selling practices. While they may present appealing offers with high earnings multiples, sellers need to look closely at the structure of these deals. Payouts are often spread out over time and contingent on maintaining specific financial performance, which may not work for every seller’s timeline or goals.

Beyond startups and acquisitions, the team discussed alternative paths to ownership, such as earning equity within a growing group practice or working under an owner who offers a stake as part of long-term employment. These options may offer more stability while still allowing entrepreneurial-minded dentists to build wealth and influence.

Ultimately, practice ownership can still be a fulfilling and financially smart move, but it’s not for everyone. With burnout on the rise, the key is understanding your own goals, values, and risk tolerance before taking the plunge. Whether you’re eyeing a startup or an acquisition, the decision needs to be intentional, strategic, and well-supported. As always, the team at Edwards & Associates is here to help you navigate that journey.

What Dental Practice Owners Should Know About the Latest Tax Bill

A new tax bill making its way through the House Ways and Means Committee could significantly impact dental practice owners.  While nothing is finalized yet, understanding what’s in the bill and what could change is the first step toward preparing for potential impacts in 2026 and beyond.

Here are some of the proposed highlights most relevant to dental practice owners:

  1. Enhanced Pass-Through Deduction: The bill would increase the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction from 20% to 23% and make it permanent. This would reduce taxable income for dental practices structured as S corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships.
  2. Increased Standard Deduction and Child Tax Credit: The standard deduction would be temporarily increased by $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for married couples. In addition, the Child Tax Credit would rise to $2,500 per child, offering additional relief for dental professionals with families.
  3. Adjusted SALT Deduction Cap: The state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap would increase from $10,000 to $30,000, phasing out gradually for incomes above $400,000. For homeowners, especially those whose property taxes exceed $10,000, this change could allow for significantly greater deductibility.
  4. Elimination of Taxes on Tips and Overtime Pay: The bill would exempt tip income and overtime pay from federal income taxes in certain industries. While not directly applicable to most dental practice owners, it could influence compensation structures for support staff.
  5. Extended Bonus Depreciation and Interest Deductions: The bill extends 100% bonus depreciation and allows amortization and depreciation to be included in interest deduction calculations through 2029, making capital investment in technology or equipment more financially viable.
  6. Changes to Personal Deductions: The proposal would make permanent several itemized deduction limitations (such as on mortgage interest and casualty losses), eliminate personal exemptions, and simplify deduction structures.
  7. Rollback of Clean Energy Incentives: Provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act would be scaled back or phased out. Dental practices considering green upgrades, like solar panels or energy-efficient systems, may need to reassess their cost-benefit analysis under a new tax environment.
  8. End of IRS Direct File Program: The legislation would terminate the current IRS Direct File system and replace it with a public-private partnership, returning most free filing options to private software providers.

Preparing Your Dental Practice

The proposed tax bill is still in its early stages, and no immediate action is required. However, staying informed now can help you respond effectively if the legislation advances in its current form. If the bill passes as written, dental practice owners may need to:

  • Reassess business structure: Changes to the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction could make it worthwhile to review whether your current entity type, such as an S corp or sole proprietorship, is still the best fit.
  • Revisit compensation strategies: While the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime pay may not directly apply to dental practices, it could influence how you approach payroll, especially for administrative and support staff.
  • Consider the timing of future investments, especially for equipment or sustainable upgrades that may lose tax advantages.
  • Reach out to us with questions: Once legislation is finalized, we can help you understand the full impact on both your business and personal finances and identify opportunities to optimize your tax strategy.

What’s Next?

The bill still needs to pass the full House and then move through the Senate, where key provisions could be revised or removed. In short, the final version could look significantly different. That said, with the 2017 tax cuts set to expire after 2025, action on tax legislation is expected before year-end.

For now, the best course of action is to stay informed and prepare to plan ahead should the bill advance. As with any proposed legislation, details remain in flux, and this particular bill seems to be evolving almost weekly. We will do our best to keep you informed as updates are made public and the bill continues its journey through Congress and, potentially, to the President’s desk for final approval later this year.

If it moves forward, we’ll be here to help you understand the specifics and make proactive decisions for your dental practice.

Why Accounting Tech Matters and How It Benefits Your Dental Practice

Smart software helps us serve your practice faster, more accurately, and with better insight.

As a dentist, you rely on advanced tools, digital imaging, practice management systems, secure portals, to diagnose, treat, and manage your patients efficiently. We do the same on the accounting side. Behind every timely tax return, clear financial report, and helpful planning conversation is a thoughtfully chosen tech stack that enables us to support your dental practice better and faster.

Small accounting firms like ours invest heavily in software to deliver the level of service you expect. According to the 2024 Rosenberg Survey, on average smaller accounting firms like ours spend 3.5% of their revenue on IT and software. That can translate to more than $5,800 per employee, per year because doing the job right requires the right tools. And just like you, we invest where it matters.

Here’s a glimpse of what that looks like in action:

  • For tax preparation: We use Lacerte and SurePrep to prepare, review, and file returns quickly and accurately.
  • For planning: Money Tree helps us provide personalized financial planning tailored to your long-term goals.
  • For business property tax filings: Torqueware helps streamline this often-overlooked area, especially important for practices with high-value equipment.
  • For bookkeeping and payroll: QuickBooks Online (QBO) remains our go-to platform for day-to-day accounting support.
  • For client communication and security: We use Wolters Kluwer for document storage, billing, project tracking, and secure file sharing. LastPass protects all logins and client data, while Canopy gives us instant access to IRS transcripts when needed.
  • For customer service and marketing: HubSpot helps us stay in touch with our clients and provide helpful resources throughout the year.
  • For collaboration and efficiency: Microsoft Office and Adobe are part of our daily toolkit, helping us work smarter, not just harder.
  • For industry-specific advice: We purchase a nationwide dental fee report each year, which shows us percentile-based fee benchmarks by ZIP code. This helps us advise you on pricing adjustments to remain competitive and profitable.

We don’t choose technology for the bells and whistles; we choose it to help you run a better, more informed, and more profitable dental practice. Our systems eliminate redundant tasks, reduce the chance of errors, and give you a more complete financial picture, all while saving time and increasing responsiveness.

This is why our clients often tell us it feels like they’ve gained an internal finance team without the overhead when working with Edwards & Associates. We believe dental practice owners  deserve high-level support that fits their size and budget, and we make sure every dollar invested in your accounting works as hard as you do.