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Jessica Bryson has walked in nearly every pair of shoes within a practice—chairside, treatment coordinating, financial, marketing, and executive operations.

Her well-rounded experience gives her a unique perspective that informs her role as Director of Gaidge 360 Consulting, where she leads a team helping practices grow through intentional strategy, operational excellence, and meaningful implementation. Jessica oversees both the internal development and external partnerships of Gaidge 360 Consulting, matching the right consultants to the right practices and ensuring every engagement drives measurable results.

1. How did you end up as Director of Consulting for Gaidge?

    

   My career started in public relations, and at one point, I thought I might go into hygiene—but it just wasn’t a fit for me. I’m wired for strategy and systems, and early on, I realized I was drawn to the business side of orthodontics. I’ve held roles across every department—TC, lab, marketing, operations—and eventually managed everything from budgeting and overhead to long-term strategic planning.
    

   I first met Ryan Moynihan and Suzanne Wilson years ago through a focus study group, and I was drawn to their leadership style and the clarity of their vision. I saw a unique industry opportunity when Ryan joined MaryBeth Kirkpatrick, Founder of Gaidge and Gaidge 360 Consulting. MaryBeth was our practice consultant, and the opportunity to work and learn from her, Ryan, and Suzanne answered all my professional ortho dreams.  I proposed a hybrid role and was fortunate to work alongside MaryBeth, the true pioneer in this space.

    

   When I stepped into my current role, my goal was to carry on that legacy—to empower practices and teams by helping them understand why things work, not just what to do..

    

2. What’s your favorite part of being a consultant?

    

   There’s nothing like walking out of a practice and knowing you made a difference—whether it's improving systems, increasing production, or unlocking someone’s potential. Seeing the transformation in a team, watching people grow in confidence and capability. That's the real win. That’s why I do this.

    

3. …And the hardest?

    

   It’s tough when practices struggle with inefficiencies but are hesitant to adopt new technologies that could fix the issue. There are so many tools—LightForce is just one example—that remove barriers to better clinical outcomes and improved patient experiences. When a practice isn’t leveraging technology or is only using a fraction of its capabilities, it’s frustrating because I know how much better things could be. I’ve seen it!

    

4. What are the top reasons practices reach out to you?

    

   Staffing Challenges and Operational Efficiencies

    

   • The staffing landscape has shifted dramatically over the past few years. The days of 10–25 year team members are largely behind us, and most practices are now navigating higher turnover and shorter tenures. This has created an urgent need for stronger systems, cross-training protocols, and flexible staffing models, including remote positions like virtual financial coordinators. Practices reach out because they need guidance on how to build sustainable, efficient operations that don’t break every time the team changes.

      

   Growth in Sales, Production, and Profitability

    

   • Another major driver is the desire to increase starts, boost production, and improve overall profitability. Many practices are aware they’re leaving revenue on the table—whether through low conversion rates, poorly managed observation and pending exam pools, or inefficiencies in how treatment is presented. Others are working hard but not seeing the financial outcomes they expected. We help clarify growth goals, improve case acceptance, and fine-tune financial strategies to build lasting, scalable success.

      

   Scheduling Strategy and Clinical Efficiency

    

   • Many practices have adopted technology, but few are fully leveraging it—especially when it comes to scheduling, clinical templates, and doctor time. Practices reach out because they know their schedule could be smarter, but they don’t know how to fix it. We go beyond the surface to align doctor time, appointment types, and team workflows so the clinical side runs as efficiently as the front. When the schedule works, everything else starts to fall into place.

      

      

5. What’s the one thing that has to change before you leave a practice?

    

   We must be aligned on the next steps.

    

   I need to know that we’ve defined the goals and are on the same page about success. I can usually walk into a practice and, within the first hour, see what’s working and what isn’t—between the data, the team dynamics, and the culture. But this isn’t about walking in with a ‘cookbook.’ I want to help practices understand the why behind their processes, preserve what they do well, and then level up by aligning their goals with sustainable system.

    

6. What goes into creating an excellent and efficient schedule?

    

   It starts with the data—precisely, a clean foundation. That means reviewing statuses and procedure codes and ensuring the team is aligned with the relevant KPIs. From there, we build schedules that protect doctor time and ensure that every team member contributes effectively.

    

   Structure is everything. Without it, the schedule becomes a dumping ground and efficiency tanks. The clinic builds the schedule with intention; the admin team upholds it. We teach teams to protect the schedule like a revenue asset—because that’s exactly what it is..

    

7. What are ways you're helping practices grow revenue today in this environment ?

    

   First, we look at the basics: call-to-exam and exam-to-start. That’s where you can create revenue immediately. Then we help practices define what growth actually means. Do you want to hit $4 million working 10 days a month with three chairs?  Clarity matters.   

    

   Next, we zero in on team skills—especially around conversions. A lot of production is lost in the observation pool or with leads that never get properly followed up. Practices also overlook the value of segmentation: how are you pulling starts from pending exams, obs, recalls? Are you using your consult management tools effectively? You want 20–30% of starts to come from observations (depending on the life of your practice, referral sources, and how conservative the interceptive approach). It’s about tightening every leak in the funnel.

    

8. What’s with insurance being a focal point this year? 

    

   There’s a real lack of education around PPOs and billing strategy. Many practices are opting out of networks without understanding whether they’re actually profitable in or out. If you are in-network, complete regular audits to ensure you are maximizing your opportunities.  Proper fee schedule audits often reveal thousands of dollars left on the table.

    

   You have to understand your local market—your competition, employer plans, and how to position yourself. If you're the only practice out of network, that may create friction you have to overcome in a 40-minute exam. There’s no room for additional roadblocks to treatment acceptance. We must get innovative and strategic and equip our admin teams to have confident, value-driven conversations. I’m not advocating for jumping in-network, but I am advocating that you view this decision with data and local economics. 

    

9. What’s one thing practices can improve immediately?

    

   Modernize your receivables!

    

   Too many practices still wait 30 days to follow up on unpaid accounts—that’s far too long. We need to be in contact within days, sometimes minutes. Payment flexibility and speed and clarity in your collections process are essential. It's about protecting the bottom line without sacrificing the patient experience.

    

10. Parting advice for practices this year? 

     

    Don’t try to do it all yourself.

     

    Bring in an experienced consultant with an objective lens who can identify the things you don’t see. Whether it's us or someone else in the industry, a great consultant will help you reach your goals faster and better than you can alone. You don’t have to fix everything at once, but you do have to start.

My Take: Jessica’s depth of knowledge was immediately apparent in our conversation. Her ability to communicate complex insights in a manner that I could easily understand left me wanting to schedule more time with her. Our hour wasn’t enough. There’s a reason she’s the director for one of the industry’s top group of consultants.
 
Please take a minute and connect with her further at [email protected]