Let’s be honest, most dentists didn’t go to school dreaming of spreadsheets and scorecards. But running a successful dental practice today? It demands more than clinical skills. It requires a grip on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the vital signs of your business.

Whether you’re a new office manager wondering what “KPI” even means or a seasoned owner trying to grow production, this guide is for you.

What are KPIs in Dentistry?

A Key Performance Indicator is just that: an indicator. It tells you whether your practice is healthy or struggling. Think of KPIs as your practice’s blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature.

Ignore them? You might miss early warning signs of burnout, cash flow problems, or team breakdown. Track them? You’ll catch issues early, grow with intention, and run a practice that’s aligned, profitable, and fulfilling.

Start With the Core KPIs

At Dental A Team, we coach hundreds of offices, and these are the non-negotiables to track every week (or daily if possible):

Net Production (not gross): What actually gets billed after write-offs
Collection Percentage: Aim for 98% or higher
New Patients: Track total AND referral source
Case Acceptance Rate: Track both dollar-for-dollar and itemized
Reappointment Percentage: Hygiene and doctor
Overhead: Know your break-even point

You can track these manually on a whiteboard, in Google Sheets, or with platforms like Dental Intel, Divergent, or Practice by Numbers.

“Your gross number feeds your ego. Your net number feeds your family.” – Kiera Dent

Bonus KPIs by Department

Once your core KPIs are consistent, go deeper:

For Doctors:

Production per hour ($500 minimum)
Case acceptance rate
Diagnosis rates

For Hygiene:

Production at 3x pay (4x for fee-for-service)
Perio percentage
Fluoride or sealant usage

For Assistants:

Same-day conversions
Room turnover time
Google reviews gathered

For Front Office:

Schedule to goal percentage (aim for 85%+)
AR aging breakdown
Days in AR
Claims paid in under 30 days

For Office Managers:

Total collections
Net production trends
Team KPI compliance

The KPI Mistake Everyone Makes

Here’s where most teams go wrong: tracking too much and doing too little with the data.

Don’t overwhelm your team with 20 data points. Start by assigning each team member ONE primary KPI that moves the practice forward. It becomes their north star.

Then ask:

Are we hitting the goal?
If not, why?
What needs to change?

You don’t need 100 data points. You need a few vital ones that actually get discussed, diagnosed, and improved.

Make It a Habit

Build KPI reviews into your:

Morning huddle (whiteboard or dashboard)
Weekly team meetings
Monthly leadership scorecards

Need a template? We help teams set up what we call a “Vital Scorecard” that tracks KPIs across all departments and gives the doctor a clear dashboard of what’s working and what’s not.

Why It Matters

Practices that track KPIs weekly:

Grow faster
Collect more with less effort
Catch issues before they become expensive problems
Build a more engaged, aligned team
Reduce stress for the doctor and team

You deserve to walk out of your practice at 5 PM knowing the data’s got your back, and your team does too.

Need Help Setting This Up?

If your team needs help creating or refining your KPI tracking system, Dental A Team can help. Email [email protected] and let’s build your vital scorecard together! Practices that track the right KPIs aren’t just more profitable, they’re more peaceful too.

For more tips, check out our podcast.

Last updated: September 2025
Written by Jacintha Ham, Dental A Team

Is Your Dental Practice Healthy? Check your KPIs!