When a Coaching Legend Drops Knowledge at 8 AM

So picture this: I’m sitting across from Susan Leckowicz at some coffee shop that probably charges $6 for a latte, and she’s telling me about her company Dental Coaches getting the URL dentalcoaches.com back in 2016. I’m thinking, “Okay, that’s cool, but we’re here to talk about AI, right?” Then this woman who’s been in dentistry for 25 years starts dropping knowledge about AI agents that made my coffee go cold because I was so focused on what she was saying.

Susan runs Dental Coaches, and if you haven’t heard of them, they’re basically practice growth wizards who travel all over the country helping dental practices get their act together. She’s seen it all – from practices missing calls to doctors struggling with case acceptance. But here’s the thing that got me excited: she’s figured out how to use AI to solve problems I’ve been watching practices struggle with for 15 years.

The Problem That Makes Me Want to Pull My Hair Out

Look, I’ve been doing dental marketing for 15 years, and there’s this one thing that drives me absolutely insane. Every practice I work with is bleeding potential patients through missed phone calls. We’re talking about a third of calls – that’s not a typo – a THIRD of all phone calls coming into dental practices just go to voicemail.

Picture this: Mrs. Johnson has a toothache at 7 PM. She calls your practice. Voicemail. She calls the practice down the street. They answer with an AI agent that schedules her for tomorrow morning. Guess who just lost a patient?

I’ve watched this cycle happen probably a thousand times. Practices invest thousands in marketing to get the phone to ring, then they miss the call because Sarah’s at lunch, or the team is with a patient, or it’s after hours. It’s like paying for traffic to your dental website and then having your website crash every third visitor.

The Moment Everything Clicked

Here’s what Susan said that really hit me: “How can a team take, you know, especially smaller teams, help relieve some of those phone calls that can take a lot of time, but oftentimes are patients just confirming the time of their appointment?”

Then she drops this bomb about AI agents handling phone calls, and I’m thinking, “Wait, you mean like a robot answering the phone?” But here’s where it gets interesting – she starts talking about training these AI agents just like you’d train a new team member. They can read your schedule, handle insurance questions, and even book appointments.

Trust me, I was skeptical. But then Susan tells me about practices using Annie AI (I actually had their CEO Connor on the podcast), and the numbers she shared made my jaw drop.

The Solution That Gave Me Chills

Then this woman shows me something I’ve never really considered. An AI agent isn’t just answering phones – it’s like having a 24/7 team member who never gets sick, never takes vacation, and never has a bad day.

Here’s how it works: You train the AI agent on everything a new employee would need to know. How do patients schedule? What insurance do you take? What’s your cancellation policy? The agent learns your practice’s personality, your scheduling system, and even your treatment philosophy.

But here’s the part that got me excited – the agent tells people it’s AI. No weird masquerading as human nonsense. Just straight up: “Hi, this is the AI assistant for Dr. Smith’s office. How can I help you?”

And it’s not just AI phone receptionists helping practices; AI tech is a game-changer in virtually every aspect of practice management. One of Susan’s clients had a teenage patient with six new cavities. Mom’s freaking out because they just went to the dentist six months ago. The doctor pulls up Pearl AI, shows the x-rays lighting up “like a Christmas tree,” and suddenly mom’s not questioning the diagnosis – she’s asking her daughter about her brushing habits.

The Numbers That Made My Jaw Drop

Here’s where things get real. Susan’s seeing:

• Dramatically higher case acceptance with AI diagnostic tools
• Zero missed calls for practices using AI phone agents
• Hours saved per week on copywriting using ChatGPT for patient communications
• Better patient communication because the messaging is more creative and engaging

Let’s break this down: if you’re missing a third of your calls, and each new patient is worth $1,500 over their lifetime, and you normally get 30 calls per week… you’re potentially losing $7,500 in lifetime value every single week. That’s insane, right?

Why This Changes Everything for Dental Practices

I’ve been watching AI slowly creep into dentistry, but this conversation with Susan made me realize we’re at a tipping point. Here’s what’s happening:

Patient expectations are shifting. People want convenience. They want to schedule at 9 PM on a Sunday. They want quick answers about their appointment time. An AI agent can handle all of that without making your team work overtime.

Case acceptance is improving. When you can show a patient their x-ray lighting up with AI detection, it’s not Dr. Smith vs. Dr. Jones down the street anymore. It’s technology backing up the diagnosis.

Marketing becomes more effective. Susan showed me how practices are using ChatGPT to create patient reactivation campaigns that actually sound fun and engaging instead of “You’re overdue for your cleaning.”

Staff stress decreases. When the AI agent handles routine calls, your team can focus on the patients in the chair instead of juggling the phone.

What This Means for Your Practice

I’m already talking to my MSP clients about this. The practices that adopt AI agents now are going to have a massive competitive advantage. While their competitors are missing calls and struggling with case acceptance, these practices are going to be capturing every opportunity and converting at higher rates.

Here’s the thing that really gets me: this isn’t some far-off future technology. Susan’s clients are using this stuff right now, today. And honestly, if you’re not at least exploring this, you’re already behind.

Ready to Stop Missing Calls?

Look, if you want to see what an AI agent can do for your practice, start simple. Susan recommends trying ChatGPT for your patient communications first – it’s free and you can see results immediately. Then explore tools like Annie AI for your phones and Pearl AI for diagnostics.

Trust me on this one – the practices that embrace this technology now are going to be the ones dominating their markets in 2025.

In This Episode:

Susan Leckowicz, Founder and CEO of Dental Coaches

Susan Leckowicz, founder and CEO of Dental Coaches, has over 30 years of experience in the dental industry. For the past 12 years she’s helped dental practices, creating customized plans to increase production and collections by working smarter, not harder.

Adrian Lefler, CEO and Co-founder of My Social Practice

Adrian Lefler, CEO of My Social Practice, is a seasoned expert in the dental marketing industry with 14 years of experience. He is widely recognized for his engaging and informative presentations. Based in Suncrest, Utah, Adrian shares his life with his wife, four children, and a lively mix of pets. My Social Practice is a leading dental marketing company, and Adrian is passionate about helping dental professionals succeed in this dynamic field.