In 2026, dental practices face a rapidly evolving landscape where understanding and leveraging practice performance data is critical.
With rising overhead costs and increased competition for skilled team members, practices must use data-driven strategies to maintain profitability and deliver exceptional patient care. By focusing on these five critical business components, dental leaders can set realistic goals, adapt to industry changes, and ensure sustainable growth in the year ahead.
Practice Overhead: Benchmark Against Industry Standards
Understanding your Profit and Loss Statement is important; taking the next step―comparing your spending categories to industry benchmarks―sets you up for positive change. By reviewing key categories like profit margin, personnel, supplies, lab expenses and rent, you’ll gain insights into your financial health and uncover new opportunities for growth. Use these insights to make informed decisions, optimize your expenses, and strengthen your finances for the year ahead.
|
Profit Margin |
37‒44% |
|
Dental Supplies |
6.5‒7.5% |
|
Personnel |
26‒31% |
|
Lab Expenses |
6‒8% |
|
Rent |
5‒7% |
Maximize Profitability Through Smart Coding
Ensure accurate coding to prevent unnecessary write-offs and boost profitability, while upholding ethical billing practices and supportingd patient care. Consistent, correct coding helps maintain predictable cash flow by avoiding denied claims and reduced payments. Accurate coding also reduces administrative work for your front office team. Review our Coding Tips to Maximize Reimbursement on the Burkhart website.
Schedule to Optimize Team Productivity
Assisted hygiene scheduling enables more patient care, higher profits, and better use of staff while addressing personnel shortages. Models—Shadow, Targeted Assisted, Assisted, and Accelerated Scheduling—each allow for increasing the number of patients per provider. Select a model that aligns with your patient base and operatory availability to optimize efficiency and patient care. Implementing this model doesn’t mean patients will have shorter or rushed appointments; it allows you to maximize the contributions of every team member, much like how a dentist and assistant collaborate seamlessly. Patients continue to receive attentive, high-quality care that they value and appreciate, as the team works efficiently together to enhance their experience.
Monitor Key Performance Indicators
Monitor these KPIs monthly, identifying growth opportunities, and then act on them throughout the year.
Turn Data into Action: Setting and Achieving Realistic Goals
Monitoring overhead, coding, and scheduling effectively, as well as tracking KPIs, contributes to a healthier practice culture and work-life balance, ultimately benefiting patient care if action is taken on the findings. Start with your practice’s key metrics—like AR ratio and procedure mix—to set clear, realistic goals for 2026. Involve the entire team in discussing priorities, so everyone has ownership and clarity around the targets. Track progress together with regular check-ins. Share updates and celebrate wins; make improvements when needed. After all, you can’t improve what you don’t track.
PST welcomes the opportunity to support your healthy business in 2026 and beyond. We are committed to your practice’s business success and the well-being of your patients. Reach out for targeted resources, an Analysis, or a strategy call with a business coach. Our support and services are complimentary to our Supply Savings Guarantee clients or clients spending 40K+ on merchandise annually.
|
1,600 – 1,800 |
Active patients for 1 FT doctor |
|
99% |
Net Collections |
|
80th percentile |
Healthy Fee Profile for your zip code |
|
$1,200 |
Annual Patient Value |
|
< 1.5 AR Ratio |
As compared to 1 month of Production |
|
<10% |
Aging AR over 90 days |
|
50% + |
Mix of high profit margin restorative procedures |
|
40-50% |
Mix of periodontal procedures |
Your success is our success. Please reach out to us anytime.
Learn more, visit the Practice Support Team page, email us at PracticeSupportTeam@BurkhartDental.com, or call 1.800.665.5323.
Category: Practice Consulting
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