182. Managing Demand, Staffing Shortages & Holding the Line

About this episode

Dr. Sully discusses managing staffing shortages and demand in dental practices through strategic scheduling and leadership.

Dr. Sully breaks down a real hygienist loss and reframes it as a supply-and-demand issue. He shares how intentional scheduling, reducing demand, protecting new patient blocks, and disciplined leadership help practices grow under pressure. Key Takeaways:• Staffing issues are demand problems in disguise• Choices drive outcomes• Not every recall or patient should be automatic• Priority scheduling protects growth• Leadership means holding the line @0:00 Resetting for 2026 & goal pressure@7:30 Losing a hygienist: the real issue@10:30 Reducing demand strategically@15:30 Confirmation & priority scheduling@20:30 Leadership under pressure Who is Dr. Sully Sullivan? Dr. Sully is a fourth-generation dentist from Nashville, Tn. After receiving his doctorate of dental surgery from the University of Tennessee, he moved back to Nashville to practice with his father. By continuing to invest in his education through adult orthodontics, soft tissue grafting, dental implants, third molar extractions, and obstructive sleep apnea, he helped double his practice in just 24 months. As a millennial, he truly believes in working smarter not harder, which has led him to utilize technology to not only…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Sully Sullivan

Topics covered

• staffing shortages
• demand management
• leadership
• scheduling
• patient care

Keywords

• staffing issues
• demand problems
• priority scheduling
• leadership
• patient blocks

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Millennial Dentist, University of Tennessee

Places: Nashville, Tn

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