A full day of industry leaders delivering empowering education to help you level up your skills.
Debi Carr | ALL Levels
Denise Williams-Jones | Intermediate
Dr. Natasha Guess | Intermediate
Joanne Miles | ALL Levels
Kindness Is Not Weakness: The Power of KIND Leadership
Bonnie Thompson
Kindness and accountability are not opposites. Yet many leaders have been conditioned to believe that effective feedback must be tough, direct, or even uncomfortable to create results. In reality, how feedback is delivered can influence trust, confidence, performance, retention, and workplace culture.
In this interactive course, attendees will explore how to lead with kindness without sacrificing expectations or accountability. Using the KIND Leadership framework, participants will learn to Know Your People, Influence with Intention, Navigate Difficult Conversations, and Demonstrate Kindness with Accountability.
Through relatable dental practice scenarios, discussion, and practical application, attendees will examine how communication styles, leadership behaviors, and emotional responses affect the way feedback is received. Participants will learn strategies for addressing performance concerns, conflict, boundaries, and difficult conversations with greater clarity, empathy, and respect.
Kind leadership does not mean avoiding uncomfortable conversations or lowering the bar. It means creating an environment where people can receive honest feedback, understand expectations, maintain their dignity, and have the opportunity to grow.
Because kindness isn't weakness. It takes strength to tell someone the truth, courage to hold them accountable, and leadership to do both without diminishing the person standing in front of you.
Learning Objectives
- K - Know Your People: Recognize individual communication styles, motivations, strengths, and leadership needs.
- I - Influence with Intention: Examine how a leader's words, behaviors, reactions, and consistency influence trust, engagement, and workplace culture.
- N - Navigate Difficult Conversations: Develop strategies for addressing conflict, performance concerns, boundaries, and accountability with clarity and respect.
- D - Demonstrate Kindness with Accountability: Learn how compassion and high expectations can coexist to create stronger people, stronger teams, and healthier workplace cultures.
Speaker
Bonnie Thompson
Bonnie Thompson is a dental operations executive, leadership mentor, and speaker with more than 35 years of experience in dentistry. Her career has spanned nearly every role within a dental practice, from dental assisting and office management to Chief Operating Officer. Recognized as one of the Top Operations Leaders in Group Dentistry in 2025, Bonnie is passionate about developing confident leaders, strengthening workplace culture, and proving that kindness is not weakness when paired with clarity, accountability, and courage.
Preauthorizations: Are They Just Predenials in Disguise?
Brenda J. McNulty
DSO FACTS and Root and Vine Specialty Dental Consulting
“But you told me my insurance approved it!” If you’ve worked in a dental office long enough, chances are you’ve heard those words. Predeterminations and preauthorizations can be valuable tools, but they can also create a false sense of security for both patients and dental teams. An estimate of benefits today does not always equal payment when the claim is processed tomorrow.
In this practical, interactive course, we’ll take the confusion out of dental preauthorizations and predeterminations and examine what they really tell us—and, just as importantly, what they don’t.
Attendees will explore common reasons an anticipated insurance benefit may change, including eligibility, annual maximums, deductibles, frequency limitations, alternate benefits, plan exclusions, coordination of benefits, and other provisions that can affect final payment.
But understanding the insurance side is only half the battle. How your team communicates this information can be the difference between an informed patient and an angry one. We’ll discuss how to set realistic expectations without overwhelming patients with insurance jargon or unintentionally guaranteeing benefits. Through real-world scenarios, attendees will practice language for presenting estimates, discussing patient responsibility, responding when insurance pays differently than expected, and handling the inevitable “But you said it was covered!” conversation.
Office managers and practice administrators will also learn how to create consistent processes for documenting benefit information, communicating estimates, collecting patient portions, and training the entire team to deliver the same message.
Attendees will leave with practical strategies, communication tools, and systems they can immediately implement to reduce insurance misunderstandings, protect practice revenue, and create a better experience for both patients and team members.
Because “preauthorized” and “paid” are not always the same thing.
Learning Objectives
- Differentiate between preauthorizations, predeterminations, benefit estimates, and guarantees of payment.
- Identify common reasons final insurance payments differ from anticipated benefits.
- Apply patient-friendly language that sets realistic expectations and reduces insurance misunderstandings.
- Implement consistent office systems for documenting
Speaker
Brenda J. McNulty
DSO FACTS and Root and Vine Specialty Dental Consulting
Brenda McNulty is a nationally sought-after dental consultant, speaker, and owner of DSO FACTS and Root and Vine Specialty Dental Consulting. With more than 33 years of experience in clinical and business operations, she helps practices build stronger systems, develop confident leaders, and create cultures of accountability. Brenda is known for blending practical strategies, humor, and real-world experience into engaging sessions that inspire immediate action. She has presented at major dental conferences nationwide, is a 2026 Denobi award winner for her outstanding contributions in the field of dentistry and is the author of Smile On.
Creating a Culture that Counts
Carrie Webber
President & Owner - The Jameson Group
How do we successfully attract and keep a high performing team? By creating a work culture that allows them to thrive! In your fast paced dental practice, culture isn't just about soft skills—it directly dictates patient retention, clinical efficiency, and profit margins. A "culture that counts" anchors daily operations around shared accountability, a clear vision and clear core values.
Learning Objectives
- The six key pillars to creating a healthy practice culture.
- The top issues in team’s today and how to overcome them.
- Hiring and onboarding that sets employees up for success.
- How to successfully set expectations and establish your vision for your practice and team performance.
- Critical Communication Skills for leading and developing your team.
Speaker
Carrie Webber
President & Owner - The Jameson Group
Carrie Webber is president and owner of The Jameson Group, a dental management coaching & marketing firm that works with dental practices nationwide to help dentists and teams become more productive, more profitable and ultimately more fulfilled in their practicing lives. Carrie is a contributing author to several publications and blogs on the topics of dental management, leadership, marketing, customer service and business development as well as a popular speaker at dental meetings nationwide. She is a member of the Speaking Consulting Network and has been named a Leader in CE by Dentistry Today for the past seven years. For more information on Webber and her company, The Jameson Group, visit jmsn.com.
HIPAA & Cybersecurity for Dental Office Managers: Protecting Your Practice Every Day
Debi Carr
DK Carr and Associates LLC
Office managers play a critical role in protecting patient information and keeping the practice compliant.
This practical course provides a step-by-step approach to managing HIPAA Security Rule requirements while reducing the risk of cyberattacks, ransomware, and costly data breaches.
Participants will learn how to identify risks, work effectively with IT vendors, document required security activities, and build a culture of security throughout the practice. Using real-world dental scenarios and current OCR enforcement trends, attendees will leave with practical tools they can implement immediately.
Learning Objectives
- Understanding of the HIPAA Security Rule
- Review of the current cyber threat landscape
- Introduction of the Cyber Security Framework and how it meets HIPAA compliance.
Speaker
Debi Carr
DK Carr and Associates LLC
Debi Carr is recognized as a leader in Cyber Security and Compliance, a Speaker and a Consultant. Having over 30 years in healthcare and technology, she assists healthcare entities in obtaining and maintaining cyber security and HIPAA Security Rule compliance in their practices and assists doctors navigate through a ransomware and other cyber-attacks. Debi holds several internationally recognized certifications including a HealthCare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner by ISC2 as well as being certified by HIMSS as a Certified Associate Healthcare Information and Management Systems and is a member of AADOM, ADMC, HIMSS, ISC2, ISSAC, InfraGard, NSCHBC, and Women of Cyber Security.
Leading From Every Seat: How Dental Teams Strengthen, Support, and Unite for Practice Success
Denise Williams-Jones, RDA
Next Level to Success
A five-star dental practice is built on more than skill; it is built on a team that knows how to lead from where they are. Whether at the front, in the operatory, or supporting behind the scenes, every team member plays a vital role in shaping the patient experience, the culture, and the overall success of the practice.
This course empowers the entire dental team to step into leadership, strengthen collaboration, and create a unified environment where everyone feels valued and essential. Participants will explore what it means to lead without a title, elevate their professional presence, and take ownership of the impact they make each day. The course also addresses the mindset shift required to move beyond “just my job” thinking and into a deeper understanding of how each role influences patient trust, team morale, and the practice’s bottom line.
Through interactive discussion and workshop-style activities, attendees will learn practical strategies to support one another, elevate the patient experience, and cultivate a team-centered culture where unity, respect, and shared purpose drive daily success.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the leadership potential within every role and apply strategies to strengthen unity across the entire dental team.
- Demonstrate behaviors that support a team-centered culture, including accountability, respect, and shared ownership of the patient experience.
- Clarify the value and impact of each position front and back and understand how excellence plays a role in practice growth and patient loyalty.
- Apply mindset shifts that elevate professional presence, moving beyond “just my job” thinking to a deeper sense of purpose and contribution.
- Strengthen team cohesion through practical techniques that support collaboration, reduce friction, and create a more positive daily environment.
- Enhance patient interactions through authentic connection, reinforcing trust and long-term relationships with practice
Speaker
Denise Williams-Jones, RDA
Next Level to Success
Denise Williams-Jones, RDA, is a Customer Service Culture Consultant with a thriving business built around coaching, speaking, and hosting business wellness retreats, both inside and outside the dental industry. She started in the dental field in 1995, working in some of the top dental offices in Southern California, with roles including chairside assistant, inventory, and supply manager, team trainer, scheduling coordinator, financial coordinator, marketing liaison, community outreach, and front office lead.
Her work centers on creating a healthy culture, empowering team members, building leadership skills, implementing effective systems, and investing in the team so everyone grows together. She also helps professionals and organizations transform themselves from uncertain speakers into confident, compelling communicators who lead with clarity, purpose, and presence. And at the heart of it all is self-care because you can only give your best when you are your best.
She is passionate about customer service, team culture, and creating environments where people feel supported, organized, and empowered. Because when training begins in a structured yet warm space, results follow naturally.
Denise has designed continuing education courses for the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS). She is a member of Speaking Consulting Network, having served as their ambassador for one year and won the 2020 Spotlight on Speaking competition, also held by Speaking Consulting Network. She consulted for the American Dental Association Dental Team Hub Advisory Group for Practice Management. Denise is also an Align Practice Management speaker for North America.
Through consulting, coaching, speaking, and retreats, she helps organizations and individuals improve relationships and communication with their team members, define core values, empower leadership, and foster the right culture with their clients, all while raising their bottom line.
What Happens Between the Policy and the Patient? Why Compliance Lives in the Workflow, Not the Binder
Dr. Natasha Guess, DLP, MSL, BS, CHC, CHPC, AIP-HC
Guess Compliance
Every dental practice has policies. The challenge is making sure those policies are consistently reflected in the way work is performed every day.
From scheduling appointments and verifying insurance to documenting treatment, communicating with patients, processing payments, and responding to records requests, every step in the patient journey depends on consistent operational processes. When those processes vary from one team member to another, compliance risk increases, patient experiences become inconsistent, and practice performance suffers.
This session introduces dental office managers and practice administrators to the Operational Compliance Framework, a practical framework that helps practices bridge the gap between written policies and the way work is performed every day. Rather than treating compliance as a separate administrative responsibility, attendees will learn how to recognize operational gaps before they become compliance issues, strengthen accountability across the team, improve workflow consistency, and create systems that support both patient care and regulatory expectations.
Participants will leave with practical strategies and a structured roadmap they can immediately use to evaluate their own workflows, identify opportunities for improvement, and build a practice where compliance becomes part of daily operations rather than another responsibility added to an already busy day.
Learning Objectives
- Identify workflow inconsistencies that increase compliance risk in a dental practice.
- Evaluate daily operations using the Operational Compliance Framework to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Apply practical strategies to strengthen accountability, workflow consistency, and team communication.
- Develop an action plan to improve one high-risk operational process that can be implemented.
Speaker
Dr. Natasha Guess, DLP, MSL, BS, CHC, CHPC, AIP-HC
Guess Compliance
Dr. Natasha Guess, DLP, MSL, BS, CHC, CHPC, AIP-HC is the founder of Guess Compliance Consulting LLC, where she works with small and mid-size healthcare organizations across the United States and Canada to build practical, defensible compliance systems that function inside real operational environments.
With more than a decade of experience in healthcare and regulatory compliance, Dr. Guess specializes in translating complex federal and provincial regulations into clear operational structures that support growth, reduce risk, and protect patient information. She holds dual certifications in Healthcare Compliance and Healthcare Privacy Compliance, and recently earned the AIP-HC designation as an AI Professional in Healthcare Compliance, reflecting her expertise at the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare governance.
Her work spans HIPAA privacy and security compliance, Canadian frameworks including PHIPA and PIPEDA, business associate and vendor oversight, risk assessments, audit readiness, AI governance advisory, and operational compliance for growing healthcare teams. She works closely with organizations to evaluate how patient information moves through their systems, identify compliance gaps, and strengthen safeguards across workflows, workforce practices, and technology platforms.
Dr. Guess is the host of Guess What? Compliance Can Be Simple! A podcast built for practice managers and healthcare leaders who need practical compliance guidance without legal jargon. She has been featured as a guest on the Medcurity Podcast and has upcoming appearances on several other healthcare podcasts and is a recognized voice in healthcare compliance for independent and group practices.
She is known for a clear, practical, and non-fear-based approach that allows healthcare organizations to meet regulatory expectations while remaining focused on patient care.
Leading Together: The Doctor–Office Manager Partnership That Drives Practice Growth
Joanne Miles, DAADOM, RDA
Senior Investment Grade Practice Business Advisor - Productive Dentist Academy
The most successful dental practices aren't built by great doctors or exceptional office managers alone, they're built through a strong leadership partnership between the two.
When doctors and office managers operate with shared expectations, mutual trust, clearly defined roles, and consistent communication, the entire practice benefits. Team accountability improves. Decisions are made with greater confidence. Change is implemented more effectively. Most importantly, the practice is positioned for sustainable growth.
Unfortunately, many leadership teams unintentionally work in parallel rather than in partnership.
Misaligned priorities, unclear responsibilities, and inconsistent communication often create frustration, slow decision-making, and place unnecessary stress on the entire team.
In this engaging and practical session, participants will discover the essential elements of a highperforming Doctor–Office Manager partnership and learn how to create a leadership model built on trust, accountability, shared ownership, and strategic alignment. Through real-world examples and actionable tools, attendees will leave with a framework they can immediately apply to strengthen their leadership relationship, elevate team performance, and drive long-term practice success.
Learning Objectives
- Define the distinct yet complementary leadership roles of the doctor and office manager within a high-performing practice.
- Identify common sources of misalignment that create frustration, reduce accountability, and hinder practice growth.
- Apply communication strategies that strengthen trust, improve decision-making, and create greater leadership alignment.
- Develop clear expectations, ownership, and accountability between the doctor and office manager to support consistent leadership.
- Evaluate opportunities to transition from reactive daily management to proactive strategic leadership.
- Create an action plan to strengthen the Doctor–Office Manager partnership and improve team engagement, operational performance, and practice growth.
Speaker
Joanne Miles, DAADOM, RDA
Senior Investment Grade Practice Business Advisor - Productive Dentist Academy
Joanne Miles is a dynamic force in dental practice growth, often described as the “Swiss Army knife of dentistry” for her versatile expertise and innovative solutions. With decades of experience helping practices nationwide, Joanne has mastered the art of guiding dental teams toward success, whether they’re launching a start-up or scaling a multi-practice organization.
Joanne is passionate about transforming dental practices by focusing on the pillars of success: team engagement, patient experience, leadership development, and operational excellence. Her proven methods empower dentists and their teams to grow with confidence, staying aligned with their core values and purpose.
A champion for elevating others, Joanne believes that the most successful practices thrive not only on numbers but on meaningful connections and a commitment to excellence.
Beyond Unled: Turning Potential Into Performance
Tito Albino, EFDA, DAADOM
Recognizing that our team members aren’t necessarily lazy, but may be lacking effective leadership, is only the beginning. The real challenge is understanding what to do next.
In this engaging and interactive continuation of They’re Not Lazy, They’re Unled, attendees will move beyond identifying leadership challenges and learn how to address them through practical coaching techniques, meaningful communication, and consistent accountability.
At the heart of this course is the U.N.L.E.D. Leadership Framework, a five-step approach designed to help dental leaders turn everyday workplace frustrations into opportunities for employee development, stronger relationships, and improved team performance.
Introducing the U.N.L.E.D. Leadership Framework
Throughout the presentation, attendees will explore and apply five essential leadership principles:
U — Understand Before You Assume
Learn to identify the root causes of disengagement and underperformance rather than immediately labeling employees as lazy, difficult, or unmotivated.
N — Name the Expectation
Discover how to eliminate confusion by establishing clear, measurable expectations that create alignment and ownership.
L — Link Behavior to Impact
Learn how to help team members understand the connection between their individual actions, patient experiences, team dynamics, and overall practice success.
E — Equip Them to Succeed
Explore practical coaching, mentorship, communication, and development strategies that give employees the tools and confidence to meet expectations.
D — Drive Accountability
Learn to establish consistent accountability without micromanagement, creating a culture where team members take responsibility for their performance and professional growth.
Rather than simply presenting these concepts, we will break down each component through relatable dental practice scenarios, interactive exercises, and practical applications.
Learning Objectives
- Identify underlying performance barriers by using the U.N.L.E.D. Leadership Framework to distinguish between employee skill gaps, unclear expectations, disengagement, and leadership breakdowns.
- Implement effective coaching and communication strategies that establish clear expectations, connect individual behaviors to practice outcomes, and equip employees with the support necessary to succeed.
- Apply practical accountability techniques that encourage employee ownership, improve team performance, and foster a sustainable culture of engagement and professional development.
Speaker
Tito Albino, EFDA, DAADOM
Tito Albino’s journey from humble beginnings in North Philadelphia to a respected leader in dental practice management is rooted in resilience, passion, and perseverance. Beginning his career as a medical assistant, Tito soon discovered his passion for dentistry and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. Over the past 16 years, he has served in clinical and administrative roles across community health centers, corporate dentistry, university faculty practices, and private practice. His experience as a dental assistant, clinical coordinator, and office manager helped him discover his true passion: leading teams, creating strong practice cultures, and supporting exceptional patient care.
In 2024, Tito was named AADOM Office Manager of the Year. In 2026, he achieved Diplomate status (DAADOM), reflecting his continued commitment to education, leadership, and the dental practice management profession. Known for building thriving teams, streamlining systems, and encouraging professional growth, Tito brings practical experience and a personal approach to helping others lead with confidence and purpose.
Beyond dentistry, Tito is the founder and owner of Urban Raíces by Plant Papi, established in 2024. Through this venture, he celebrates his Puerto Rican heritage while sharing his love of plants and community. Caring for plants has also deepened his understanding of dental leadership: growth takes patience, consistent care, and an environment suited to individual needs. He brings those lessons into the practice, recognizing that each team member needs different support to thrive. Whether managing a practice, speaking to fellow leaders, or growing his business, Tito remains grounded in the importance of connection, creating opportunities, and lifting others as he grows.
The 12 Muscle Groups of a High-Performing Dental Practice
Kelley Johnson
Core Dental Solutions LLC
After more than two decades inside dental practices, I've learned that struggling offices rarely have just one problem. What appears to be an insurance issue is often a communication issue. What looks like poor collections usually begins with treatment planning. Staff turnover often has less to do with people in some cases and more to do with unclear systems and inconsistent leadership. This course at a minimum makes it easy to know what you are dealing with in your practice and what to do about it.
The mistake I see practices make over and over is treating symptoms instead of diagnosing the root cause.
That realization led me to develop the 12 Muscle Groups of Practice Management —a framework built from years of working alongside doctors, office managers, and teams through ownership transitions, staffing shortages, financial challenges, rapid growth, technology conversions, and operational turnarounds.
I don't walk into an office looking for what's broken. I evaluate how every operational muscle is functioning and, more importantly, how each one supports—or weakens—the next. Just like the human body, when one muscle group compensates for another, the entire system eventually feels the strain. I've watched exceptional employees burn out because they were carrying the weight of weak systems. I've seen offices blame insurance companies when the real issue was inconsistent financial protocols or sticking to the protocols altogether. I've worked with practices convinced they needed more patients when the data showed they were simply losing opportunities they already had.
The strongest practices I've worked with don't succeed because they have fewer problems. They succeed because every operational muscle has a clear purpose, an owner, measurable expectations, and systems that continue working even when key team members are absent.
In this interactive session, I'll show attendees exactly how I evaluate a practice using the same framework I use during consulting engagements. Participants will identify which muscle groups are limiting their practice's growth, understand how weaknesses in one area create problems somewhere else, and learn how to prioritize improvements that create momentum instead of overwhelm.
Learning Objectives
- Evaluate their practice using the 12 Muscle Groups framework to identify the operational weaknesses that are limiting performance.
- Recognize how challenges in scheduling, insurance, collections, leadership, communication, patient experience, and accountability are interconnected rather than isolated issues.
- Prioritize improvements based on operational impact instead of urgency, creating meaningful change without overwhelming their team.
- Develop a focused 90-day action plan using proven strategies and real-world consulting insights.
- Attendees won't leave with a list of generic ideas—they'll leave thinking differently about how a practice functions. They'll have a practical assessment tool, a new lens for solving problems, and a roadmap they can begin implementing as soon as they return to their office.
Speaker
Kelley Johnson
Core Dental Solutions LLC
Kelley Johnson is the Founder and CEO of Core Dental Solutions LLC, where she helps dental practices strengthen operations, improve profitability, and build high-performing teams. With more than 25 years of experience in dental practice management, technology, and consulting, Kelley has guided more than 500 practices through operational challenges, growth, and change. She is the creator of the 12 Muscle Groups™ of Practice Management and The Practice MRI™, two proprietary frameworks that help leaders diagnose root causes and build lasting systems. Kelley is known for delivering practical, engaging education that attendees can implement immediately in their own practices.
