12 minute read
The Authentic Blueprint for Dental Practice Success
An Interview with Dr. Amy Wenninghoff (Roots Dental, Lincoln, NE) and Sara Hansen (Productive Dentist Academy)
Opening up a dental practice from scratch can feel overwhelming for any dentist. The journey from conceptualizing the practice to welcoming the first patient involves countless steps and decisions that can seem daunting. Every detail - from finding the right location and securing financing to office space design and equipment purchases - requires careful consideration. On top of that, you have to build a competent team that backs your vision, while you navigate regulatory requirements.
It’s a lot to handle.
One critical aspect that is often overlooked in this process is marketing. Effective and authentic marketing is not just about tactics or attracting new patients but about generating the kind of patients you want to see in your practice - those who align with your values and clinical approach. Authentic marketing helps establish a genuine connection with potential patients, making them feel understood and valued before they walk through your doors. It’s about telling your story and showcasing what makes your practice unique, ensuring that the patients who choose you are a good fit for your practice. And sometimes, the best way to achieve a marketing strategy that brings those patients through your door requires a little outside help.
In this special interview*, Dental Entrepreneur explores these topics with Dr. Amy Wenninghoff, a successful dentist in Lincoln, Nebraska, who has recently navigated the complexities of starting her own practice - Roots Dental; and Productive Dentist Academy Marketing Consultant Sara Hansen, who has been instrumental in helping Dr. Wenninghoff attract the right patients through proven authentic marketing strategies.
With PDA’s help, Dr. Wenninghoff’s patient value in her practice increased from $744 in 2023 to $888 in 2024, marking a 19.35 percent increase. Additionally, her production per patient skyrocketed from $791 in 2023 to $1,358 in 2024 (a remarkable 71.1% increase). Her digital advertising ROI also saw a significant 50% improvement moving from 4:1 in 2023 to 6:1 in 2024. Together, Sara and Dr. Amy share their insights and experiences in building a thriving dental practice from the ground up.
DR. AMY WENNINGHOFF, YOU HAD 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A DENTIST, AND AFTER ALL THAT TIME WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO FINALLY OPEN YOUR OWN DENTAL PRACTICE?
Dr. Amy Wenninghoff: I knew I wanted to do a startup. Every six months, I would get this feeling I needed to do something different and on my own. I started creating an office in my head - and it was lovely. Finally, my husband said, “This is a really nice office you’re running in your head, Amy. Maybe it’s time you start to take a step forward and create what you’ve been dreaming about.” The cards fell in the right place. We found a great location that’s close to my house. Everything began pointing me in the direction of starting my own practice. Even the name, “Roots Dental,” came about because I’ve always enjoyed gardening. My favorite flower is even in the logo of my practice.
WHERE IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING YOUR PRACTICE DID YOU START WORKING WITH PRODUCTIVE DENTIST ACADEMY (PDA)?
Dr. Amy: I heard of PDA through online communities during my startup research. They kept coming up as a top consulting group in dentistry, known for helping clinicians grow authentically and improve patient experiences. They focus heavily on patient communication, bridging the gap between learning and patient care. Surrounding myself with dentists from PDA felt right - they have such an abundance mindset. Before starting my practice, I interviewed them on marketing and loved their approach. Then once I got through equipment purchases and construction, I had enough budget to reach back out to start working with them.
THAT’S WHEN YOU STARTED WORKING WITH SARA HANSEN. SARA, TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AT PDA AND CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR AUTHENTIC MARKETING PHILOSOPHY?
Sara Hansen: I come from dentistry. I started 26 years ago as a dental assistant, and worked my way through every role in the practice except dentist, and I fell in love with the profession. After 18 years in dental offices, I turned to consulting, and I love it. When it comes to marketing, I believe in leading from experience. After learning my authentic “why” - or, what I was put on this Earth to do - I fell in love with marketing. I love that I get to tell doctors’ stories through marketing; it’s not just promotions but the “why” behind each dental practice.
For Dr. Amy, her “why” is in building relationships. She loved science, and getting into health care was something she wanted to do with it, but the way she’s found success is through creating strong relationships with patients who wanted her guidance on their dental journey. Like many of the doctors we serve, our marketing approach is comprehensive. We provide internal and external marketing. As a fractional CMO, I love that I get to collaborate with dentists like Dr. Amy to define goals, and bridge gaps through marketing. One year out, and we are already shifting Dr. Amy’s marketing because she’s so focused on her message. She doesn’t have a back-door problem because she’s creating loyal patients.
Dr. Amy: Starting out, setting up systems was overwhelming, especially how my team and I interact with new patients, and also ask them to invite their friends and family to come see us. It was really nice to know I could offload this training onto Sara and know that my team was learning how to do those things well. That has really shown. We have a lot of patients coming in from referrals, friends, and family, and through our online reviews. That was another big part of our training: asking for reviews.
Sara: With Dr. Amy and her team, we spent time discussing referrals and what they mean, and then we determined the best way for them to obtain those referrals, which came in the way of Google reviews.
Dr. Amy: We reached 100 Google reviews shortly after Roots Dental’s first anniversary. We earned every review. We owe it to Sara’s guidance in asking for them, and that’s made a huge difference in our growth.
Sara: Marketing is all about building trust and delivering an experience the patient expects. Yes, we market externally for brand awareness and to get messaging out that says, “We’re open, and we’d love to see you.” But the moment the phone rings, the external marketing job stops, and we hand the baton to the dental team. From there we ask questions like: How were the patients treated on the phone? Do you have financial options? Do you have open availability? Are patients waiting months to get in? Are they treated with kindness? It’s the practice’s job to keep that patient journey going and deliver expectations on the messaging we’re putting out in the market. We believe marketing is from the inside out. Dr. Amy’s website reads, “Let us care for you,” and her team shows that care by building relationships with their patients through active listening. There is no patient they don’t try to find a solution for.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU, DR. AMY? WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR ROOTS DENTAL?
Dr. Amy: I have goals, but I’m also incredibly flexible. My guiding vision is crucial to staying focused, especially in the startup phase. Initially, it was about exceptional patient care. I love interacting with patients and ensuring top-quality care through ongoing education. At first, it was just me building a strong foundation. Now, with my team excelling, I’m excited about potentially mentoring another dentist in the future. The focus remains on excellent care in a friendly environment.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU GET INTO YOUR OWN PRACTICE, YOUR HEAD IS DOWN, AND YOU’RE WORKING REALLY HARD. YOU DON’T SEE WHAT IS EVEN POSSIBLE SOMETIMES UNTIL SOMEBODY SEES IT IN YOU. AND THEN THEY CAN HELP DEVELOP THAT. IS THAT PART OF THE JOB, SARA, WHEN YOU’RE WORKING WITH THEM?
Sara: As entrepreneurs, trust is crucial. Amy had to trust me with all the risk on her shoulders. She trusted the process, and focused on her values and patient care. She said, “This is who I am, this is how I want to practice dentistry,” and everything else formed around that. So now, one year in, she has grown tremendously. Her external advertising has grown 50% from 2023 to 2024, and her production per patient has grown 70%.
Dr. Amy is getting the kind of patients she’s always wanted. These are patients who are invested in making a difference in their smile and oral health. They don’t have to afford $20,000 in treatment, they’re looking for a different kind of dentistry where they and Dr. Amy can walk along that journey together. I owe Dr. Amy so much gratitude because it’s about trusting the process, growing together, and building what she wants. Every dentist is capable of achieving this if you build the foundation correctly. I’m really proud of her for the risk she took, but also for this amazing reward that she’s starting to see.
Dr. Amy: I told Sara the other day that within the last month, more new patients have sought us out because of some of the video content we’ve put out. It’s just me talking to a patient who might be anxious, and saying things like, “Hey, it’s OK to come in. We’re not going to judge you, we’re here for you, and we want to help you.” Several patients have come in because of those videos. It’s cool because when they come in I already have a little rapport with them before I start with that patient. They’ve already decided this is the dentist for me before they’ve even met me. This strategy is just so authentic. It doesn’t feel salesy. It’s not outside my realm of comfort. So for patients to seek me out because I am who I am is really cool. I never thought that would be possible, so I have a lot of gratitude to Sara and I’m glad I trusted the process.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A NEW PRACTICE OWNER WHO WANTS TO ACHIEVE SIMILAR SUCCESS, DR. AMY?
Dr. Amy: Start. You just have to start, and let things come to you as they happen. If you never start, it’s only going to live in your head. This practice of mine, I could have started five years earlier. Believe in yourself and know that you don’t have all the answers. That’s where help like PDA comes in. Surround yourself with people who can help you if you don’t know what you’re doing next. Be vulnerable and be able to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” You don’t have to have all the answers, and you don’t have to have a perfect plan.
But you do have to start if you want something like this. And if you have started and you’re overwhelmed, write it all down on paper. A lot of times we focus on things that aren’t that important yet, but it’s taking up space in your head. Take time to prioritize and organize; I think it makes you a lot more efficient. And then delegate where you can delegate. You might have 300 things in your head, and you cannot possibly do every single one of them. That’s where things like coaching and having an external team help you with marketing can help. It’s been helpful to take that weight off my shoulders so I can focus on things that I’m much more equipped to do in my office.
SARA, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER DENTAL PROFESSIONALS LOOKING TO BOOST THEIR MARKETING EFFORTS? WHAT CAN THEY DO?
Sara: Dentists wear many hats and it can be very overwhelming. Taking off some of those hats and bringing in people who can help support you gives you more time to focus on the business where you need to focus. There are so many people out there who can take some of that weight off as entrepreneurs. Also, look internally. Does the doctor ever listen in on phone calls? How are patients treated? Has your team earned the right to ask for referrals and reviews? How many past-due appointments are there? How much do you have in unscheduled treatment? Those are all things that help boost production within the practice to help with patient flow, and it’s something you don’t have to pay extra for. There’s a lot of opportunities inside the practice.
It’s no secret that many dental practices struggle to attract patients and stand out from the crowd. Sara Hansen is a marketing consultant at productive dentist academy whose expertise lies in crafting authentic marketing plans that boosts growth, connects with communities, and transforms practices. Through a tailored strategy, practices are able to establish themselves as a local authority — turning their practice into a patient magnet that’s booked and busy.
Dr. Amy has been a practicing dentist for the past 12 years. In 2023, she started her own thriving practice, Roots Dental, where she loves getting to know her patients and helping them achieve their goals. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her family.
