{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Annual Planning Power Moves: How to Build a Stronger Practice in 2026","description":"Episode Summary In this strategic and energizing episode of Dental Drill Bits, Dana and Sandy unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of practice stability and growth, your annual planning session. Together, they walk through the questions, metrics, team conversations, and leadership decisions that set the tone for a productive, organized, and profitable new year. Sandy shares her trusted framework for evaluating practice performance, identifying bottlenecks, and turning missed opportunities into measurable goals. Dana breaks down how to communicate the importance of an annual planning meeting to your team\u2014even if you haven\u2019t done one in a few years. From KPI awareness and production forecasting to team agreements, CE planning, and SOP check-ins, this episode gives practices everything they need to create a clear, motivating roadmap for 2026. If you want to stop drifting into the new year and instead design it\u2014this episode is your guide. Show Notes In This Episode, You\u2019ll Learn: Why most practices drift into the new year unprepared\u2014and how to fix it The must-track KPIs for evaluating your year-end performance How to hold a productive annual planning meeting (without turning it into a gripe session) What your team really needs to contribute meaningful input How agreements, policies, and SOPs eliminate frustration and set expectations How to turn dropped statistics into 2026 wins Why tracking new patient sources matters more than ever How to anticipate \u201cslow\u201d months and outflow your way into a full schedule CE planning and skill inventories for every position The importance of setting daily and hourly production goals Updates your website and systems may be overdue for The role of communication in shaping team culture and patient experience Episode Sponsors Identity Dental Marketing Looking to stand out in a crowded market? Identity Dental Marketing builds brands that convert. \ud83d\udc49 www.IdentityDental.com Plan Forward The #1 membership plan platform for dental practices \u2014 simple, secure, and patient-friendly. \ud83d\udc49 www.PlanForward.io Mango Voice VoIP for dental practices that want fewer missed calls, better patient communication, and stronger scheduling. \ud83d\udc49 www.MangoVoice.com Episode Quotes Worth Sharing \u201cYour success or your lack of it depends 100 percent on what happens within your own four walls.\u201d \u201cAnnual planning isn\u2019t paperwork\u2014it\u2019s the heartbeat of a stable growing practice.\u201d \u201cYou can\u2019t improve what you're not aware of. Stats tell the truth.\u201d \u201cDirection beats intention every single time.\u201d Links & Resources Email Sandy for details on Front Desk Pro Virtual Training: sandy@classicpractice.com Follow us on Facebook: Dental Drill Bits Share this episode with your office manager, dentist, or colleague! ","author_name":"Dental Drill Bits with Sandy Pardue and Dana Pardue","author_url":"http:\/\/sandyparduedanasalisbury.libsyn.com\/podcast","html":"