Dental practice metrics: The numbers emphasize patient care
Our dental team has a vision to make a difference to thousands of people in our community by providing comfortable, caring dentistry that inspires confidence and health. This is our purpose and why we wake up every day and serve those who walk through our door.
The question is, how do we reach our goal of serving thousands? The quick answer is: we must set ourselves apart from other dental offices. We go about this by setting a standard of care for our patients and holding ourselves accountable to it. We work to understand each patient’s goals and provide personalized care to help them reach those goals.
We educate patients about their oral health and go above and beyond on the services we provide and the products we use and recommend. We hope that whatever issues patients have with their oral health, we’ll address them.
Dental hygienists can offer a wide range of services, from fluoride, desensitizers, wellness scans, gingival irrigation, and more. We want our patients to trust us and have confidence in our intentions when we treat them.
Where the metrics come in
To make sure everyone is doing their part and giving the same experience to everyone, we look at the metrics. The metrics tell a story by letting us know if our communication skills are effective, if our processes are dialed in, and if our protocols are working. Two of the main metrics for hygienists are production per hour and perio percentage.
Total production is the value of all services performed. Production per hour lets us know if a clinician is going above and beyond with each patient—are they tailoring their care and offering other services that will benefit the patient? The perio percentage reflects the hygienist’s commitment to the office’s standard of care.
To ensure we have a proper standard of care, the perio percentage should match the perio percentage of the general population. To make sure the standard of care is consistent among hygienists, their perio percentages should be similar across the board.
Patient care is top priority
But the “numbers” are not our office’s main concern. It’s the care we provide for our patients. It’s the systems we put in place and the values we instill in each other that drive the success of the practice. We pay attention to our daily interactions with patients. And since we can’t be in every room at all times, we do it by reviewing the numbers. The production of the office is the result of our care, showing that we’re using the proper diagnostic tools and performing all the services patients can benefit from. The numbers showcase our hard work and dedication toward our patients.
A value-based production mentality is a win-win-win—it’s healthy for the practice, beneficial for patients, and fulfilling for us to know that we’re serving others to the best of our abilities. This is the mindset hygienists need when reviewing their numbers.
Metrics are not a punitive measure, but rather a measure of care delivered. If the quality of care is high, patient education is thorough, and all appropriate services are performed, not only will the patients thrive, but the practice will thrive as well.
