When a patient cancels last-minute, what’s your first response?

If your go-to line is “That’s OK,” it might be time for a reset.

Welcome to the very first edition of AADOM’s brand-new Power Bites series—quick, power-packed videos designed to help you strengthen your leadership skills, build a stronger team, and tackle everyday practice challenges with confidence. Each video is under five minutes and comes with a downloadable Power Sheet to help you share what you’ve learned and take action right away.

In this kick-off video, AADOM’s Executive VP Penny Reed dives into one of the most common (and costly) habits in dental offices: reflexively saying “That’s OK” when a patient cancels on short notice.

But is it really OK?

This Power Bite introduces a fun, memorable way to interrupt your own reaction and shift into curiosity instead of compliance. With a playful nod to iconic characters like Mrs. Doubtfire or Julia Childs, Penny shows you how to break the pattern, reset the tone, and lead the conversation with confidence.

Why it matters? Because how you handle cancellations affects your schedule, production—and your practice culture.

You’ll learn:

• Why “That’s OK” sends the wrong message (even if you mean well)

• How to build a simple script that supports your patients and your practice

• A quick, quirky thought pattern interrupt you won’t forget (seriously—just try it!)

Don’t forget your Power Sheet! 

Use it to role-play with your team, reflect on your own habits, and start shifting your language right away.

Power Bites are included with your AADOM membership and available anytime on eCampus. Look for a new one in your inbox each week—and start powering up your practice, one bite at a time.

Power Bites are quick, power-packed leadership videos created by AADOM specifically for busy dental office managers. Each video is under three minutes and delivers expert tips, motivational insights, or practical strategies you can use right away to lead your team and grow your practice.

Every Power Bite also comes with a downloadable Power Sheet—a simple worksheet to help you share the concept with your team, spark discussion, and put the idea into action.

In this Power Bite, AADOM’s Penny Reed shares the EARR Method—a simple, effective way to handle short-notice patient cancellations with empathy and confidence. Learn how to stop saying “That’s OK” and start leading the conversation with a structure that protects your schedule and sets healthy boundaries.

DISTINCTIONcast

Expert dental management knowledge from AADOM Distinction holders.  30 minutes of "cut to the chase" content for immediate and impactful education, ideas, and support for dental managers and administrators.

Approved for .5 CEU, AADOM is an AGD Pace Approved Provider (can be used towards AADOM Designations)

From the front lines to regional leadership—this session is your roadmap to rising in dental practice management. Brandi Williams, MAADOM shares her personal journey from Office Manager to Regional Manager, delivering actionable strategies to help you take the next step in your career with clarity and confidence. 

In this empowering presentation, you’ll learn how to:

• Cultivate the leadership skills that inspire high-performing teams 
• Transition your mindset from doer to strategic leader 
• Leverage operations and key metrics to drive practice growth 
• Build mentorship connections that unlock career opportunities

Whether you’re aspiring to grow within your current role or ready to level up to regional management, this session will help you lead with purpose, data, and direction. 

Bonus: Get Brandi’s favorite resources for leadership development, mentorship, and operational excellence.

Approved for 1 CEU, AADOM is an AGD PACE Approved Provider (can be used towards AADOM Designations)

As an office manager, you’re the go-to person when unexpected challenges arise—including severe weather that forces your practice to close. Making the right call and handling the aftermath requires quick thinking, clear communication, and a solid understanding of pay policies and workplace expectations. In this webinar, we’ll walk through how to effectively manage office closures, address employee concerns about pay and time off, and navigate tricky remote work requests. You will learn what an ideal inclement weather handbook policy should include and connect that with other benefit options for inclement weather, such as PTO, sick leave, and unemployment. By the end, you'll feel confident in your ability to keep your team informed, compliant, and prepared when the forecast takes a turn for the worse.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Understand how to handle employee pay during closures, including wage and hour laws for exempt and non-exempt employees
• Gain insight into benefit options during weather events, including PTO, sick leave, and unemployment claims
• Learn how to navigate remote work requests, ensuring fairness and compliance when determining whether employees can work from home during a closure

Approved for 1 CEU, AADOM is an AGD PACE Approved Provider (can be used towards AADOM Designations)

Join Dr. Martin Mendelson for a transformative 60-minute webinar designed to empower dental professionals and leaders with the mindset and strategies needed to thrive. With his signature blend of motivational insight and practical advice, Dr. Mendelson will guide you to embrace your journey with clarity and purpose.

Whether you want to strengthen your leadership, improve your goal setting, or navigate everyday challenges with confidence, this session is for you.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Harness the power of optimism to fuel meaningful goals
• Turn challenges into opportunities through resilience
• Set and achieve goals with clarity and intention
• Celebrate wins to drive future success

Approved for 1 CEU, AADOM is an AGD PACE Approved Provider (can be used towards AADOM Designations)

Understanding our patients' perspectives can often feel like deciphering a mystery. Their decision-making processes regarding oral care products and treatments are influenced by various factors; including personal beliefs, experiences, and the information they receive. By identifying the key drivers behind their choices, office managers can enhance their effectiveness in providing person-centered care. By implementing a deeper understanding of our patients, effective communication strategies, and evidence-based recommendations, dental professionals can significantly improve the quality of care provided. This approach not only enhances patient outcomes but also strengthens the relationships we build with our patients, fostering loyalty and trust. As champions of prevention, we have the power to make a meaningful impact on our patients' oral health journey.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Understand the various factors influencing patients' decision-making processes regarding oral care products and treatments, including personal beliefs, past experiences, and the information they receive.
• Identify and articulate the key drivers behind patients' choices in oral care, enabling dental professionals to tailor their approaches to meet individual patient needs.
• Implement effective communication strategies that facilitate open dialogue with patients, ensuring their concerns and preferences are understood and addressed. Recognize the importance of building strong, trusting relationships with patients and explore strategies for fostering loyalty and trust in the dental care setting.
• Support evidence-based recommendations in clinical practice to enhance the effectiveness of care provided to patients, thereby improving oral health outcomes. Embrace the role of dental professionals as champions of prevention, understanding how proactive measures can significantly impact patients' oral health journeys and overall well-being.
• Assess how a deeper understanding of patient perspectives and effective communication influences patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment plans, and overall health outcomes.

Approved for 1 CEU, AADOM is an AGD PACE Approved Provider (can be used towards AADOM Designations)

With rising interest rates, inflation, bank failures, and economic concerns, how do you keep your team, your practice, your patients and your case acceptance on track for growth? GROW your practice in today’s market despite economic trends and concerns.

Discover the keys to THRIVE in today’s economy, including:

• 3 changes you need to make NOW in how your practice operates
• WORDS you MUST eliminate from your patient communication vocabulary
• New strategies for financial arrangements that fit today’s consumer mindset
• What every team must do today to GROW in today’s economy
• Addressing your patients’ biggest money concerns

Approved for 1 CEU, AADOM is an AGD PACE Approved Provider (can be used towards AADOM Designations)

Struggling to find and keep great dental assistants? You’re not alone. Most dental practices need to fill at least one dental assisting position each year, and many struggle to do so. The solution? Becoming the workplace every assistant wants to join.

In this one-hour session, we’ll share insights on how to make your practice a top workplace for the dental assistants you want to hire and keep. You’ll leave this session armed with tips that you can apply immediately. These strategies are based on research and real-world experience.

What you’ll learn:

• Why hiring dental assistants is so challenging – and how to fix it
• What dental assistants value most in a job and an employer
• How to write a compelling job ad that gets results
• Real-world strategies with proven success
• The critical elements of your hiring and retention strategy

With the right approach, your practice can stand out as the place every dental assistant wants to work. Join us to learn how!

Course Learning Objectives: By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:

• Describe the factors contributing to challenges with hiring dental assistants
• List the job factors that matter most to dental assistants
• Explain what dental practices can do to stand out as a top workplace
• Develop job ads that attract dental assistants to apply
• Calculate dental assistant compensation as part of a hiring and retention strategy

Approved for 1 CEU, AADOM is an AGD PACE Approved Provider (can be used towards AADOM Designations)

Get ready to discover what happens when the unstoppable duo—dentist and office manager—join forces to ignite practice growth and inspire team excellence. In this lively, interactive session, you’ll learn high-impact communication tactics, visionary leadership approaches, and next-level strategies to harmonize clinical expertise and administrative savvy. Walk away with the tools and insights to reshape your practice culture, elevate patient experiences, and supercharge productivity—proving that when the front and back office unite, the possibilities are limitless.

Course Learning Objectives:

• Strengthen Collaboration - Identify and implement high-impact communication tactics that foster seamless teamwork between clinical and administrative roles.
• Elevate Leadership - Apply visionary leadership approaches that unite the dentist and office manager, creating an inspiring, goal-driven environment.
• Boost Practice Culture - Utilize proven strategies to reshape and energize the practice culture, encouraging engagement, loyalty, and excellence across the team.
• Enhance Patient Experience - Develop tactics for delivering consistently exceptional patient care by synchronizing front-office processes with clinical expertise.
• Maximize Productivity - Employ innovative tools and frameworks to streamline operations, optimize workflows, and propel practice growth.