A Simple Method to Track Success

To achieve success in dentistry, clinical excellence is a given. But part of running a dental practice is about running a business. The margins in the practice are as important as the margins in the mouth. And one of the first rules of business is know your numbers.

That's why it always surprises me when I come across a dentist who, when you ask what their case acceptance rate is, tells you they don't know, or at best can give only a vague guess.

One reason for this is that they think it's a time-consuming process involving a lot of number-crunching and data analysis. But the fact is you can get the most crucial information you need just by tracking a few key indicators.

Here is how simple it can be:

First, ask yourself what types of cases are most exciting to you. Which cases do you love coming in to the practice to do? Which of these cases would make your time in the practice ideal? Maybe implant cases give you the most fulfillment. Perhaps you love doing full-mouth reconstructions because they allow you to use a variety of clinical skills. Or you just got a new CEREC and are eager to optimize its use. Decide what cases drive you and make these the focus of your tracking.

Next, decide the value at which this type of case becomes interesting enough to track in economic terms. What case values would make your practice economics ideal? Choose a dollar amount threshold. This amount should be higher than the dollar value of cases you routinely get acceptance on. It will vary from practice to practice. For some, it could be upwards of $5,000. For others, it will be closer to $1,000.

For cases that meet the above criteria, track the following on a daily, patient-by-patient basis:

• The total number of cases presented, accepted and declined
• The total dollar value of cases presented, accepted and declined

On a monthly basis, track:

• Your case acceptance ratio (total cases accepted / total cases presented)
• Your average case value (total dollars accepted / total dollars presented)
• The average value of cases presented (total dollars presented / total number of cases presented)
• The average value of cases accepted (total dollars accepted / total number of cases accepted)

Tracking on a daily basis is so important because it creates an awareness for you and your team that is absolutely essential for case success – awareness for the gaps you have to conquer and for the opportunities in your practice you didn't know you had. What you pay attention to, works. And this kind of tracking forces you to focus your attention where it matters, and that awareness is half the battle. Without it, you can't move forward with implementing the necessary strategies for improvement.