at Texas Regional
Introducing the Leadership Perch faculty
Leadership Perch
@Texas Regional
Join us for two immersive days of leadership and management training designed for dental office managers, administrative practice leaders, and those aspiring to step into leadership roles.
Explore Leadership Perch
Continue the experience: Explore the Virtual Learning Series →
FRIDAY
Preventing Heart Attacks Before They Happen
What if we could live in a world where heart attacks were a thing of the past? It may sound impossible, but Dr. Jeffrey Boone believes we're closer than we think. Drawing from his groundbreaking work and new book, A World Without Heart Attacks, Dr. Boone challenges everything we thought we knew about heart disease and shares how a different approach to prevention could change the way we live, age, and protect the people we love.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
Coming soon.
About the SpeakerCLICK TO EXPAND
Named one of Men’s Health Magazine’s Top Doctors for Men in 2007 and listed as one of the 17 Top Cardiovascular Doctors in America, Dr. Boone has been a pioneer in the prevention of heart disease and stroke for the past three decades.
As an active clinician and researcher, he is an internationally recognized expert on the effects of mental stress on the heart. He has authored and co-authored numerous professional articles and books pertaining to preventive cardiology, cardiometabolic risk, and stress medicine.
As an international lecturer, Dr. Boone has spoken to tens of thousands of health care professionals throughout the world. His approach to the early detection and aggressive prevention of cardiovascular disease has been presented to audiences on four continents, in 12 countries, and in 47 states.
Dr. Boone’s unique clinical approach focuses on aggressive prevention of cardiovascular disease, including the evaluation of the cardiovascular consequences of mental stress, the early clinical use of the latest cardiac imaging techniques, and the advanced detection and treatment of cardiometabolic risk.
A lifelong athlete, Dr. Boone played basketball and tennis in college and completed three marathons. His latest passion is playing pickleball with his wife, Colette, in locations around the country and the world. When not traveling for work or recreation, he enjoys spending time with his eleven grandchildren.
Who We Are Is How We Lead
Leadership starts before we ever lead another person. It begins with understanding ourselves.
The way we communicate, make decisions, interact with others, and approach our work all shape how we lead. This foundational session helps participants look more closely at how they show up as leaders, how their natural style influences others, and where greater self-awareness can create stronger leadership.
The goal is not to define one “right” way to lead, but to help participants better understand who they are as leaders and where they have opportunities to grow.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
- Identify personal behavioral tendencies and strengths that influence leadership effectiveness.
- Recognize how individual behavioral styles can affect communication and interactions with others.
- Examine how stress, self-doubt, and overused strengths can create leadership blind spots.
- Increase awareness of the difference between leadership intent and the impact experienced by others.
About the SpeakerCLICK TO EXPAND
Geri Gottlieb is the founder and CEO of GG Practice Coaching & Development, a dental practice coach, communications expert, and speaker with more than three decades of experience in dental practice management and leadership development. After co-owning two periodontal practices with her husband, Dr. Bob Gottlieb, and serving as a lead coach with ACT Dental, she launched GGPC to help dental leaders strengthen leadership, team performance, patient care, and practice growth.
From Teammate to Leader — When the Relationship Changes
Moving into leadership changes more than your job title. It changes expectations, relationships, boundaries, and the way others experience you. One day you may be part of the team; the next, you are responsible for setting expectations, addressing performance, making decisions, and holding accountable the same people you once worked beside.
For some leaders, that transition happens from within. For others, it means stepping into an established team with its own history, loyalties, habits, and unwritten rules.
This practical workshop helps emerging leaders make the shift from contributor to trusted leader by strengthening the skills that matter most early in leadership: influence without authority, accountability, confidence, professional boundaries, and leadership presence.
Participants will explore how to build credibility without overrelying on title, hold others accountable without becoming controlling, establish healthy boundaries, navigate resistance, and develop the confidence and presence needed to lead people with greater experience, tenure, or technical expertise.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
Participants will be able to:
- Build influence and credibility without relying solely on authority or title.
- Hold team members accountable while maintaining trust and professionalism.
- Strengthen confidence when making decisions, setting expectations, and addressing difficult situations.
- Establish professional boundaries with former peers, friends, and established team members.
- Develop a stronger leadership presence that communicates clarity, consistency, and confidence.
- Shift from being responsible primarily for their own work to being responsible for the success and accountability of the team.
About the Speakers
Nannette Thorman brings more than 35 years of experience in dental practice management and leadership, helping practices strengthen leadership, improve systems, increase efficiency, and build more successful businesses.
Tiffany Dalton, MAADOM, is a former dental practice administrator, president of the Yellowstone Valley AADOM Chapter, and an Administrative Trainer & Support Specialist at GG Practice Coaching & Development. She is passionate about helping dental professionals find practical tools for personal and professional growth.
The Conversation Beneath the Conversation
At the highest levels of leadership, success is not only about knowing what to say—it is about developing the awareness to recognize what is not being said.
This interactive leadership experience helps participants recognize the verbal, nonverbal, and emotional cues that often go unnoticed in everyday conversations. Participants will explore how greater awareness, curiosity, and intentional listening can transform communication from a transaction into conversations that change behavior.
In a dental practice, this awareness helps uncover what may be preventing a patient from scheduling, accepting treatment, or taking the next step. The same skills help leaders more confidently navigate difficult team conversations, strengthen relationships, and improve practice outcomes.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
Participants will be able to:
- Recognize subtle verbal and nonverbal communication cues that reveal what patients and team members may not be saying.
- Use curiosity and intentional listening to uncover the real reasons behind hesitation, uncertainty, or resistance.
- Respond more confidently to conversations that might otherwise stall or remain unresolved.
- Connect stronger communication to improved scheduling, treatment acceptance, patient retention, team communication, and practice growth.
About the SpeakerCLICK TO EXPAND
Dee Dee Reid is a C-suite executive, high-performance business coach, business development strategist, and leadership consultant with more than 30 years of experience in business management, team training, and leadership development. Named one of Dental Products Report’s Top 25 Women in Dentistry, she helps professionals strengthen leadership, executive presence, communication, and business performance.
Cash Flow Metrics 101: Understanding the Numbers Behind the Practice
You do not have to be a financial expert to be a strong practice leader—but you do need to understand the numbers that help tell the story of the business.
In this session, we will introduce participants to the key cash flow metrics every dental leader should recognize and understand. Participants will explore what common financial reports and measurements mean, why they matter, and what they can reveal about the overall health of the practice.
The focus of this session is not on fixing the numbers or building financial systems. It is about developing financial awareness—giving leaders the language, confidence, and foundational knowledge they need to participate in meaningful conversations about practice performance.
This session builds the foundation. The virtual follow-up will take participants further into how leaders can use these numbers to identify opportunities, address concerns, and influence better outcomes.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
Participants will learn to:
- Identify the key cash flow metrics used in a dental practice.
- Recognize how the different numbers connect to the financial health of the practice.
- Understand the difference between production, collections, accounts receivable, adjustments, and other common financial measures.
- Understand why financial literacy is an important part of practice leadership.
About the SpeakerCLICK TO EXPAND
Teresa is a speaker and writer with over 20 years’ experience in healthcare. Her areas of expertise include revenue protection using proven accounts receivable and insurance methods; and helping doctors and managers establish solid management systems. A recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Dental Office Management, she understands the importance of continuing education.
She is the author of Moving Your Patients to Yes: Easy Insurance Conversations and a regular contributing author to the ADA’s CDT Companion Guide™. Teresa is a frequent contributor to multiple dental publications. She was a founding Trustee for the auxiliary-learning focused DALE Foundation. Teresa is a member of several organizations including Women in DSO and the National Association of Dental Plans.
She has been named one of the Top 25 Women in Dentistry by Dental Products Report Magazine and is recognized annually as a Leader in Consulting by Dentistry Today. She provided consulting assistance in the development of the American Dental Association's Guidelines for Practice Success™. Her podcasts “Nobody Told Me That!” and “Chew On This!” provide regular coding and management updates. Teresa received her Master’s Degree in Healthcare Management from Marymount University.
SATURDAY
Sleep 101 and Chronic Disease Risk
What if better sleep could be one of the most powerful tools for improving our long-term health? Dr. Kelsie Full explores the fascinating connection between sleep and overall well-being, including how the quality, quantity, and consistency of our sleep can influence our risk for chronic diseases. Discover why sleep matters far beyond simply feeling rested and how understanding our sleep habits can help support healthier, longer lives.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
Coming soon.
About the SpeakerCLICK TO EXPAND
Biography coming soon.
Who Am I When I Lead?
Friday helped participants better understand who they are as leaders—their strengths, tendencies, communication styles, and blind spots.
Saturday asks the next question:
This reflective workshop helps participants define what they stand for, how they want others to experience them, the values that should guide their decisions, and the behaviors they want to be known for as leaders.
Participants will also examine how those choices shape the culture around them. If dentistry is a team sport, leaders play a powerful role in determining how that team works together. Vision, Values, and the Ideal Team Player become more than concepts when leaders use them to guide what they model, celebrate, reinforce, correct, and tolerate every day.
The goal is to move beyond personality and self-awareness and begin intentionally building both a leadership reputation and the kind of team culture that reputation creates.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
Participants will be able to:
- Define the personal values and principles that guide their leadership.
- Identify how they want others to experience them as a leader.
- Examine how leadership behaviors shape team expectations, trust, accountability, and culture.
- Connect Vision, Values, and Ideal Team Player concepts to the way they lead their team.
- Identify the behaviors they want to model, celebrate, reinforce, correct, and no longer tolerate.
About the SpeakerCLICK TO EXPAND
Geri Gottlieb is founder and CEO of GG Practice Coaching & Development, a seasoned coach, communications expert, and speaker. With over three decades of experience in dental practice management and leadership development, she brings a unique blend of expertise to drive sustainable growth.
From owning two successful periodontal practices with her husband, Dr. Bob Gottlieb, to serving as a lead coach with ACT Dental Practice Management and motivational speaker Kirk Behrendt, to launching her own venture in 2019, Geri understands what it takes to build a thriving business from the ground up.
With certifications in Adult Learning, Behavioral Therapy, The Five Behaviors of a Team®, DiSC® Behavioral Assessments, and The Working Genius, Geri helps dental professionals bridge the gaps between clinical expertise, leadership, management, and ownership.
Know Where They Stand. Show Them Where They Can Go.
Too often, team members are hired, trained, and then expected to simply know how they are doing. Regular check-ins become inconsistent, expectations may shift without being clearly communicated, and formal evaluations happen without a clear structure for measuring progress.
In this interactive session, participants will learn how to create a more intentional approach to employee development by clarifying expectations, measuring progress, identifying strengths and growth opportunities, and creating clear next steps.
Participants will explore how to use practical scoring and development structures to better understand where a team member is today, where they need additional support, and what progress should look like over time. They will also begin applying the process to a current team member so they can take what they learn back to the practice and put it into action.
This session will lay the foundation for a future Leadership Perch virtual session, where participants will learn how clear expectations, performance measures, progress checkpoints, and ongoing development conversations are built into an effective onboarding process from day one.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
Participants will be able to:
- Establish clear performance and development expectations for team members.
- Use a practical scoring structure to measure competency and track progress over time.
- Identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for continued growth.
- Create meaningful development priorities and follow-up checkpoints.
- Understand how expectations, measurement, and ongoing development are built into the onboarding process from day one.
About the SpeakerCLICK TO EXPAND
About the Speaker
Kim Bates is Lead Coach with GG Practice Coaching & Development, where she has coached dental practices for seven years. With over 21 years in dentistry, her background includes 11 years as Practice Administrator for Implant & Periodontal Associates Northwest, leading both the Tri-Cities and Seattle locations. She is also a Human Resources Specialist and HR Consultant with Bent Ericksen & Associates. Kim combines her experience in practice leadership, HR, coaching, and systems to help teams strengthen accountability, develop their people, and build sustainable systems for success.
“YOUR MOVE”: A Leadership Panel
In this interactive session, panelists and attendees will work through real-life situations that office managers commonly face. The panel will share different approaches, perspectives, and practical ways to handle each challenge, with plenty of personality along the way. Attendees will have the opportunity to think through what they would do, compare their approach with experienced leaders, and gain new ideas they can use when navigating leadership challenges in their own practice.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify practical ways to respond to common leadership challenges.
- Compare different leadership approaches and apply new ideas to situations in their own practice.
It Is Your Circus, They Are Your Monkeys, Don't Go Bananas
Managing a dental office can sometimes feel like running a three-ring circus—and yes, those monkeys belong to you.
Tired of endless team tension or recurring operational headaches? This humorous yet hard-hitting session helps managers and leaders take control of the chaos using practical leadership tools, clearer boundaries, stronger expectations, and systems that reduce burnout and build buy-in from the team.
Participants will work through the realities of leading a team when personalities collide, expectations are unclear, accountability breaks down, or the same operational problems continue to surface.
Learning ObjectivesCLICK TO EXPAND
Participants will be able to:
- Identify common sources of workplace drama, tension, and operational stress.
- Establish clearer expectations and strengthen team accountability.
- Implement practical systems that simplify management and reduce recurring problems.
- Strengthen ownership and leadership throughout the team so responsibility does not rest on one person.
About the SpeakerCLICK TO EXPAND
Beverly Wilburn is a speaker, author, business advisor, and COO of a multi-million-dollar periodontal practice near Washington, D.C. Founder of Dental Spouses in Business® and a past AADOM Practice Administrator of the Year, she brings deep experience in practice operations, accountability, revenue growth, leadership, and team performance.