The 6 KPIs Every Dental Office Must Track
You cannot manage what you cannot measure. These are the six numbers that tell you the real health of your practice — and exactly what to do when any of them are off.
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Track these every week. Not just at month end.
What the provider produces before adjustments and write-offs. This is your maximum possible revenue — everything else is a percentage of this number.
Track: Daily, weekly, and monthly vs. goal
What percentage of what you produce you actually collect. Below 95% consistently means there is a revenue leak somewhere in your cycle.
Collections ÷ (Production − Contractual Adjustments)
How long it takes to collect what you're owed. The older a balance gets, the harder and more expensive it becomes to collect. This is your collections velocity.
Total AR ÷ (Annual Collections ÷ 365)
The percentage of treatment plans patients say yes to. Every declined treatment plan is revenue that was earned clinically but lost financially. Train the conversation.
Accepted plans ÷ Total plans presented
New patients per month tells you whether your practice is growing, holding, or shrinking. Know your number. Know your trend. Know your source.
Track monthly + year-over-year comparison
Total expenses as a percentage of collections. Above 70% consistently means the practice is working hard but not keeping enough. Know where the money is going.
Total Expenses ÷ Total Collections × 100
When your numbers are off — here's where to look.
Each KPI has a root cause when it slips. Knowing what to check first saves you hours of guessing.
Days in AR rising →
Check the 90+ day bucket first. Then check denial reason codes. Something is not being worked or not being appealed.
Collection rate falling →
Look at write-offs. Are they documented and approved? Undocumented write-offs are silent revenue bleeding.
Case acceptance low →
The presentation conversation needs work. Script it. Role-play it. The clinical recommendation is only half the sale.