If you are a dentist, it’s important to know what kind of adjustments you need to make in order to make your practice better. That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep track of things using metrics. We’ll be taking a look at a few of the can’t miss metrics that every dental practice must use.
If you are hiring freelance dental assistants or hygienists, you’ll want to keep track of them the same way you do with regular employees. But that doesn’t stop there. There are other metrics that you need to focus on that are more patient-centric.
Regardless, you’ll want to keep track of the metrics listed below in the simplest way possible. With that in mind, let’s dive right in:
1. Annual Patient Value (APV)
The first metric we’ll be looking at is very important. Your annual patient value is based on how much the practice is earning financially per patient. Simply put, the more they pay the more value you have provided for them.
For example, when you have a patient that needs some dental work done, it’s important to provide them with valuable information. In this instance, this would be explaining the options they have for fixing their smile. Each plan that you lay out will give them the best option of what will work best for them.
Keep in mind though, some of the patients may choose the much cheaper option because it’s the best that they can afford. But regardless, providing the best value for patients in terms of what can be done for them beyond regular checkups will play a huge factor in annual patient value.
2. Production per Visit (PPV)
The production per visit (or PPV) goes hand in hand with the APV. The PPV rate measures how many patients are visiting your practice regularly. Are they coming in for a regular checkup or going in for a further procedure? If you notice your patient volume decreasing, this is the metric you need to keep an eye on.
Why would it be going down? How will you increase the numbers? It all comes down to how much and what kind of treatments that your practice is providing.
3. Hygiene reappointment percentage
This number should be high enough if people are following their routine cleaning every six months. This metric keeps track of how many patients came in for a regular check-up and cleaning. It also keeps track of how many have scheduled appointments for the next one.
Final Thoughts
These three metrics and others are definitely worth watching. Especially if you are looking for ways to improve your practice. As a dentist, it is up to you to make sure that you are providing your patients with excellent value and making sure they rely on you for all of their dental needs.
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