Six Ways Dentists Break Trust with Their Dental Team

Insights from Kirk Behrendt and Ariel Juday, ACT Dental

Trust isn’t just a feel-good concept—it’s the foundation of every successful dental practice. Without it, dental team morale plummets, communication stalls, and even patients sense when it is missing, manifesting as an uncomfortable atmosphere, rushed appointments, or a general lack of cohesion that can lead to patient churn and negative reviews.

On Episode 843 of the Best Practices Show Podcast, ACT Dental Founder Kirk Behrendt and ACT Coach Ariel Juday break down the six most common ways dentists erode trust. They also discuss how to avoid these missteps and regain trust with new behaviors.

“It takes a lifetime to build trust and a moment to lose it,” says Kirk Behrendt. “And regaining trust is an uphill battle.” There are six key ways dentists create a disconnect between themselves and their teams. “Often it is totally unintentional,” he says. “We have to be on our guard to avoid this. Intentionally act to build greater trust. You want to bank it, so when you inadvertently injure trust, recovery is possible.”

 “Your team wants to believe in you. Give them a reason to. Embrace these strategies, and watch your practice transform from the inside out.”—Ariel Juday, ACT Dental Coach

1. Failing to Keep Your Word

According to Ariel Juday, failing to keep your word is the most common and damaging trust breaker. Dentists frequently make promises in the moment, then get pulled into the whirlwind of a busy practice and fail to follow through.

Kirk adds, “You start to become that uncle who says he’s going to do everything but never does anything. Eventually, people stop listening.”

The solution? Set realistic priorities. Rather than making off-the-cuff commitments, set one to two clear priorities each quarter and build systems for follow-through. These priorities should align with overarching practice goals, which may be identified through team input. 

“You can only deliver on one to two priorities per quarter,” says Ariel. “When ideas come up, run them through a filter: Does this fit the current priority? If not, park it for later.”

Effective systems for follow-through include using shared task management software, delegating specific actions with clear deadlines, scheduling dedicated time to execute those actions, and regular feedback meetings to review progress. This disciplined approach to execution isn't just a cornerstone of strong dental team management; it's a direct path to building unwavering trust.

2. Lack of Transparency

Holding back information—even with the best of intentions—creates confusion and distrust. “Sometimes leaders withhold details because they don’t want to worry their team,” Ariel Juday notes. “But once you know something will impact them, don’t delay in sharing it.”

Transparently sharing information about practice performance, strategic shifts, or upcoming challenges, while maintaining necessary confidentiality around individual HR matters, can empower your team and foster a sense of shared purpose.

Kirk Behrendt emphasizes the importance of consistency in how information is delivered. “The way you cascade information matters,” he says. “Team meetings create a neutral ground where everyone hears the same message from the same voice.”

He also recommends using a function accountability chart (FAC) so everyone knows who is responsible for what. “That kind of clarity builds trust. No side conversations, no confusion. Transparency like this is critical to leadership in dental practices.”

3. Playing Favorites

Favoritism—whether real or perceived—can tank dental staff morale. “Even something as simple as bringing coffee for some but not all can be read as favoritism,” Ariel Juday says.

Kirk Behrendt points to another form of favoritism: devoting energy to toxic high-performers. “In my early career, I gave all my energy to people who were good at what they did but terrible for team culture. That false favoritism eroded trust with my best team members.”

The fix is fairness and consistency, grounded in the practice’s core values. “You don’t have to treat everyone the same,” Ariel Juday explains. “You have to treat them with the same level of respect.” 

This means consistently addressing performance issues, regardless of someone's likability or productivity, and acknowledging the different needs and preferred learning styles of team members when providing training. If a core value is "Team Collaboration," then behaviors that undermine this value, regardless of who exhibits them, must be consistently addressed.

“Systematize appreciation,” adds Kirk. Put birthdays on the calendar. Create a budget for recognition and add “appreciation time” or “employee recognition” as regular line items on your team meeting agendas. A regimen for frequent appreciation fosters a healthy practice culture, office morale, and strong dental team retention. “Systemized appreciation is still genuine—it just doesn’t depend on memory,” says Kirk. 

4. Ignoring Feedback

When leaders dismiss dental team feedback—or fail to acknowledge it—team members feel like their voices don’t matter. “Leaders take feedback seriously,” Ariel Juday says, “If you don’t follow up, your team assumes you didn’t listen.”

Kirk Behrendt advocates for structured one-on-one check-ins, not just reactive responses to complaints. “Proactive feedback is a game-changer,” he says. He also recommends consistent use of feedback forms to create a safe space for feedback and tracking measured results over time. A rating scale from low to high enables respondents to indicate their level of satisfaction, agreement, frequency, or performance along a spectrum from a "low" point (e.g., very dissatisfied, strongly disagree, never, poor) to a "high" point (e.g., very satisfied, strongly agree, always, excellent).

ACT Dental utilizes feedback tools such as the Practice Health Score and the “1-3-1” system (one problem, three possible solutions, and one recommended solution). This structured approach forces clear problem definition, encourages critical thinking for solutions, and leads to a decisive path forward, making team members feel more valued, heard, and engaged. 

“When you put a system like that in place,” says Kirk, “half the complaints go away because they require real thought. It changes the conversation.”

“Feedback without action is a broken promise,” Ariel Juday adds. “Track it, follow through, and at team meetings, be clear about what changes came from team input. These feedback loops enhance dental team management at every level.”

5. Avoiding Accountability

No one likes to admit they made a mistake—but owning up is essential. “It’s okay to say, ‘I dropped the ball. I apologize,’” says Ariel Juday. “When leaders show vulnerability, it permits team members to do the same.”

“Accountability also means being specific,” says Kirk Behrendt. “Accountability requires accounting. Set a deadline. Name what’s going to happen and when.”

When leaders avoid blame and instead model accountability, they do more than just mend fractured relationships; they cultivate a bedrock of psychological safety. In such an environment, individuals aren't paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes or being singled out. Instead, they feel secure enough to take calculated risks, openly admit errors, seek help, and grow both personally and professionally, knowing that their vulnerability will be met with support rather than judgment. This foundational trust transforms a workplace into a dynamic space for continuous learning and innovation.

6. Overpromising and Underdelivering

Overcommitting—especially without a plan—inevitably leads to disappointment. “We don’t do this intentionally,” says Ariel Juday. “But without structure, we say yes too often.”

The fix? Flip the script. “Underpromise and overdeliver,” Kirk Behrendt urges. “It’s better to do something well next month than to promise everything this week and deliver nothing.”

ACT Dental encourages teams to align commitments with quarterly goals and use tools like calendars and checklists to stay accountable. “Don’t leave it to memory,” says Ariel. “Plan for success.”

The Takeaway: Trust is Built on Systems and Small Moments

As Kirk Behrendt puts it, “Trust isn’t built on one big gesture. It’s built quarter by quarter, conversation by conversation, and system by system.”

By addressing these six trust-breaking behaviors—failing to follow through, withholding information, playing favorites, dismissing feedback, avoiding accountability, and overpromising—dental leaders can foster a healthier and more resilient dental practice culture.

“Your team wants to believe in you,” says Ariel Juday. “Give them a reason to. Embrace these strategies, and watch your practice transform from the inside out.”