Jami Stockard, MAADOM, is the Director of Operations at Access Dental Services, LP, in Missouri, a growing company with seven current locations. She has worked in dentistry for over 19 years, starting as a chairside dental assistant and then a practice manager.
For more content by and for dental office managers, visit AADOM at https://www.dentalmanagers.com.
Managing a multi-location dental practice comes with unique challenges—ensuring consistency, maintaining clear communication, and keeping every team aligned. With different locations operating independently, it’s easy for disconnects to form, leading to inefficiencies, miscommunication, and variations in patient care.
One of the most effective ways we have found to bridge this gap is through a weekly practice manager meeting. Every Friday, our team of Practice Managers meet via Zoom. This dedicated time for collaboration, problem-solving, and sharing successes ensures that all locations remain aligned while empowering managers to lead their teams with clarity and confidence.
Why Weekly Practice Manager Meetings Matter
A strong leadership team requires consistent and transparent communication. Without regular check-ins, locations may experience:
• Inconsistent patient experiences across offices
• Gaps in operational efficiency and problem-solving
• Lack of accountability in meeting practice-wide goals
• Delayed implementation of new policies or initiatives
A structured weekly practice manager meeting serves as a central hub for communication, keeping all locations informed, engaged, and moving in the same direction.
How to Structure a Weekly Practice Manager Meeting
For these meetings to be effective, they need to be organized, time-efficient, and action-oriented. We meet with our team every Friday at 8:30 AM via Zoom, with two hosts leading the meeting. Here’s an ideal agenda for a 1-hour weekly meeting:
1. Welcome & Quick Check-In
Checking in with each Practice Manager on their location (20 Minutes)
• Personal check-ins: “How’s everyone’s week going?”
• One win from each location or call-out: “What’s something positive from your office this week?” or “Who would you like to call out for living our core values?”
This not only boosts morale but also encourages knowledge-sharing of best practices across locations. Many times, locations call out someone from another sister location, and this creates unity.
2. Key Metrics & Performance Review (10 Minutes)
Our newest PMS is amazing at providing us with analytics at our fingertips. We like to talk numbers and offer KPIs that are clear and simple. Our data-driven discussions keep the team focused on measurable success. Many times, we speak about the following KPIs:
• Production & collections (Are we meeting revenue goals?)
• New patient numbers & retention rates (Are we growing and maintaining our patient base?)
• Treatment plan acceptance rates (Are providers effectively communicating value to patients?)
• No-shows & cancellations (Are we minimizing schedule gaps, and is our scheduling system being used?)
• Online reviews & patient feedback (Are we delivering a consistent, high-quality experience?)
Tracking these KPIs allows our managers to identify trends, troubleshoot issues, and share strategies that are working well in different locations.
3. Operational Updates & Problem-Solving (10-15 Minutes)
This is the time to discuss challenges or concerns affecting multiple locations, such as:
• Staffing shortages or scheduling conflicts
• Equipment issues
• Patient complaints or recurring feedback themes
• Insurance or billing roadblocks
We encourage managers to share solutions and collaborate on best practices to create consistency across all offices. We have made several changes to our systems based on conversations during this weekly meeting.
4. Training & Development Focus (5-10 Minutes)
Use this time to align on team training priorities for the week. Topics might include:
• Improving patient communication
• Enhancing front desk efficiency
• Compliance updates (OSHA, HIPAA)
• Technology or software improvements
By ensuring all locations focus on the same training topics, our practice maintains our systems in place and provides clarity on expectations.
5. Action Items & Communication Plan (5 Minutes)
End the meeting with clear takeaways and next steps:
• Summarize key decisions and initiatives.
• Assign responsibilities for follow-up tasks.
• Discuss how each manager will communicate updates to their respective teams.
Reinforce the expectation that all managers cascade information down to their teams so that every employee, from the front desk to the clinical team, remains informed and aligned. We send a follow-up meeting recap email after each weekly meeting. This email is a great way for the Practice Manager to communicate team updates on Monday.
Final Thought
A well-structured weekly practice manager meeting is the foundation of strong leadership, clear communication, and a cohesive multi-location dental practice. By fostering open dialogue, tracking performance, and sharing successes, these meetings create a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement, leading to better patient experiences and stronger business growth.
