JERRY BURNS

Owner of Burns Dentistry and Five Steps to Yes

Dr. Jerry Burns is the owner and founder of Burns Aesthetic and General Dentistry and the creator of a structured treatment communication framework designed to help dental teams consistently increase case acceptance. Since graduating from Indiana University School of Dentistry in 1998, Dr. Burns has built a reputation for combining advanced clinical dentistry with proven communication systems that help patients make confident decisions about their care.

Committed to providing the highest level of treatment, Dr. Burns continually invests in advanced clinical education, emerging procedures, and leadership development. His dedication to professional growth has allowed him to stay at the forefront of modern dentistry while building a practice known for both clinical excellence and patient trust.

Early in his career, Dr. Burns followed the traditional path of ambitious dentists by heavily investing in continuing education, advanced procedures, and clinical training. Despite doing everything “right” on paper, he discovered a challenge that many dentists quietly face; patients were not consistently saying yes to treatment they clearly needed.

Some months were strong. Others unpredictable and stressful. The problem was not the quality of dentistry being recommended, it was the lack of a clear, repeatable system for how treatment conversations were presented.

Dr. Burns recognized that dentistry had systems for nearly every part of practice operations - diagnosis, treatment planning, and clinical protocols - yet one of the most critical moments in patient care was left to chance; the treatment conversation.

Through years of study, testing, and real world application inside his own practice, Dr. Burns developed a structured communication framework designed to guide patients through the decision process in a way that aligns with how people naturally make choices. By prioritizing emotional connection before logical explanation, the system allows dentists to present treatment in a way patients understand, trust, and accept.

The results have been measurable across multiple practices and teams. The framework was implemented in Dr. Burns’ own practice, which grew to nearly $5 million in annual revenue. Associate doctors trained under the system have produced consistent results, with several exceeding $200,000 in monthly production. The same structure has been used to scale startup practices from zero patients to over $4 million in revenue within three years and to help struggling practices dramatically improve case acceptance by focusing on the conversation rather than changing the dentistry.

Dr. Burns has also been deeply involved in charitable dentistry. Through the organization Feed My Starving Children, he has traveled internationally, including surgical missions in the Dominican Republic, providing free dental services to communities in need.

Today, Dr. Burns teaches dentists and dental teams how to implement a repeatable communication system that removes guesswork from treatment presentations and allows practices to grow without increasing stress, schedule overload, or dependence on personality-based sales techniques.

His work focuses on helping dentists build practices where clinical excellence, patient trust, and consistent growth work together.

Speaking

Dr. Jerry Burns regularly speaks to dental organizations, study clubs, DSOs, and private practices on:

Case Acceptance
Treatment Communication
Large Case Presentation
Practice Growth
Patient Psychology
Leadership
Team Communication

Dr. Jerry Burns leading a continuing education seminar

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is 5 Steps To Yes?

1

5 Steps To Yes is a proven communication system designed to help dentists and dental teams improve patient communication and increase case acceptance. Rather than relying on scripts or sales techniques, the framework teaches a structured consultation process that helps patients understand their condition, connect treatment to what matters most to them, and make informed decisions with confidence. The system is used for everything from routine restorative care to comprehensive treatment plans.

What does Dr. Burns teach?

2

Dr. Jerry Burns teaches dentists, treatment coordinators, and dental teams how to communicate more effectively with patients. His programs focus on patient psychology, treatment presentation, case acceptance, leadership, team alignment, and creating consistent consultation systems. Through the 5 Steps To Yes framework, he helps practices build trust, improve patient experiences, and increase acceptance without feeling sales-driven.

Is Dr. Burns available for speaking?

3

Yes. Dr. Jerry Burns is available to speak at dental conferences, study clubs, dental associations, private practice events, and leadership meetings. His presentations are practical, engaging, and implementation-focused, giving audiences communication strategies they can apply immediately to improve patient trust, increase case acceptance, and strengthen practice performance. Speaking topics can be customized to fit your audience and event goals.

How does the framework improve Case Acceptance?

4

The 5 Steps To Yes framework improves case acceptance by giving dentists and dental teams a proven communication system that helps patients feel understood, builds trust, and creates confidence in their treatment decisions. Rather than relying on pressure or sales tactics, the framework equips practices with a repeatable process for guiding meaningful conversations that lead to better patient experiences and more patients saying "yes" to the care they need.

One Proven System. Four Levels of Access.

5 Steps to Yes is delivered through a tiered implementation system, so you get the right level of education, implementation, and support based on where you are now and where you want to go. All tiers are built around the same 5 Steps To yes system. What changes is depth, access, and proximity.