10 Dental KPIs You Should Focus On Before Summer

Ensure your practice is on track for growth, profitability, and patient retention.

Is your dental practice on pace for a strong second half of the year—or are hidden red flags lurking in your performance metrics?

It’s easy to get lost in the daily demands of running a dental office. Between managing patient care, leading your team, and handling unexpected challenges, it’s easy to overlook the big picture. But strategic dental practice management requires stepping back to evaluate performance early—not waiting until Q4 when it’s too late to course-correct.

Before summer hits, take time to review your key performance indicators (KPIs). These dental business metrics tell the story of your operations, patient experience, and financial health.

1. Production vs. Collections

Are you collecting what you produce?

• Production shows the value of services diagnosed and completed. 
• Collections reflect what you’re actually being paid. 

The gap between the two highlights issues with case acceptance, billing systems, or patient follow-through. Track this KPI to catch cash flow leaks and inefficiencies early.

2. YTD Production and Collections vs. Annual Goals

Are you on pace to meet your yearly targets?

Halfway through the year means halfway to your goals—right? If your numbers are lagging, now is the time to reassess your strategy, boost team engagement, and redirect efforts for a strong finish.

3. Treatment Presented vs. Treatment Accepted

How much treatment are you recommending—and how much are patients accepting?

This comparison uncovers issues with case presentation, patient trust, or financial objections. It also helps assess whether you’re truly offering comprehensive care or being too conservative in diagnosis.

4. Case Acceptance Rate

Are patients saying “yes” to recommended care?

A strong case acceptance rate is crucial for both patient health and practice revenue. If yours is low, you may need to adjust your communication approach, improve financial conversations, or train your team in relationship-building strategies.

5. Hygiene Reappointment Rate

Are patients consistently returning for preventive care?

A hygiene reappointment rate of 90% or higher keeps your hygiene schedule full and builds a loyal patient base. If it’s slipping, examine your patient hand-offs, hygiene communication, and follow-up systems.

6. New Patient Flow and Conversion

Are you attracting and keeping new patients?

This KPI tracks not only the number of new patients, but also how many return. It’s a direct reflection of your dental marketing strategy, patient experience, and onboarding process.

7. Schedule Fill Rate and No-show Rate

Is your schedule running efficiently?

Frequent no-shows or open chair time reduce your productivity. Review your reminder system, scheduling policies, and cancellation protocols to ensure you’re maximizing production per hour.

8. Overhead Expenses and Profit Margin

Are you running a lean, profitable dental practice?

You can’t out-produce bad margins. Review your expenses and determine whether your overhead is aligned with your revenue. Ask: “Do I have more month than money?”

9. Provider Productivity

How is each provider performing?

Track individual provider output, including hygienists, to spot imbalances, reward high performers, and support underperforming team members.

10. Patient Retention and Re-engagement

Are patients sticking with your practice?

Your retention strategy is just as important as new patient acquisition. Are you reactivating overdue patients and following up on unscheduled treatment? These are missed revenue opportunities that strong systems can reclaim.

Bonus: Google Reviews and Patient Feedback

Are you creating a referral-worthy experience?

Your online reputation is a KPI, too. Positive reviews and patient satisfaction fuel referrals, increase trust, and boost your local SEO. Monitor reviews regularly and make service adjustments based on real feedback.

Start Measuring What Matters

Stop flying blind. Start using data to grow your dental practice with confidence.

When you focus on the right dental KPIs, you gain control over your revenue, team performance, and long-term success. If you’re not sure where to start, our team can help you analyze your numbers and create a custom growth plan.

🗓️ Schedule your Free KPI Review today and finish the year strong.