Reaching Dental Production Goals Each Month
Reaching dental production goals is one of the many goals of the dental team. A huge piece of this responsibility falls on the dental front office team. Dental office production goals are important.
This goal gives the team something to work towards. And it’s a number that identifies financial health for the practice. But how do we get there and stay there?
Reaching Dental Production Goals Daily
Step 1: Turn Monthly Goals into Daily Goals
Each month might be different. Due to scheduled days off and holidays. It helps to have the doctor’s scheduled time off, vacation days, etc. in advance.
Count the number of days your dentist is working. Take one month at a time. If your dentist is off for one week in a month, those aren’t production days.
Here’s the Math
Divide the total production number by days worked. For example. Let’s say your dentist’s production goal is $90,000 a month. She is working 16 days next month.
You want your daily production goal to be $5,625.00. The following month, your dentist is working only 12 days. Your daily production goal is going to be $7,500.00.
Schedule bigger cases on those shorter months.
Reaching Dental Production Goals Improves with Tracking
Step 2: Tracking Treatment Presented vs Treatment Scheduled
You can only schedule treatment presented. Scheduling close to 100% of the treatment presented is optimum. But you’ve got to know what you are working with. That is why I recommend tracking treatment presented vs. treatment scheduled. Having something to work with is the first step.
Print a daily schedule. This will be a great place to jot down notes you can later convert into a spreadsheet. Print a schedule of all patients scheduled, including hygiene. When treatment is presented, you can make a note right on your schedule under that patient’s name. It could be something as “P=$1218.00.”. (Which would just stand for “Presented”. Then next to it you could write “S=$1218.00” (This would stand for “Scheduled”)
Step 3: Set Up Your Blocks
Scheduling blocks are chunks of time set aside for major treatment. You will need to identify the most productive procedures performed in your dental office. Then you will also need to know how much doctor and assistant time is needed for these particular procedures.
Use enough blocks to meet your production goal. These blocks will be used to meet your daily production goal. Everything else added to the schedule is gravy! It’s so much easier to meet your goals like this. You will not only meet your daily goals but exceed them!
Step 4: Confirm Restorative Appointments Well
Confirm major appointments with attention to detail. You need to know that those patients are coming to their appointments. You also need to know that they are prepared. Try all of their numbers until you are able to reach them. Remind them of their out-of-pocket expense for their upcoming appointment. Also, make sure they know how much time they will need for this appointment.
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Step 5: Create A Strong Call List for Short Notice Reschedules
Patients are going to re-schedule. You need a plan. Create a strong short notice call list to support your restorative schedule. Ask every patient that you schedule if they would be available for a short notice appointment. Encourage your patients to be available for short notice appointments.
Avoid the word cancellations. Instead, let them know that you might have a schedule change. If that should happen, you would be happy to move their appointment forward. Then be sure you have all of their best contact info.
