The Dental Practice Numbers Every Owner Should Know (But Most Don’t)
If you're preparing to open your own dental practice, you’ve likely spent years sharpening your clinical skills. You’ve mastered molar anatomy, restorative techniques, and patient care—but here’s the reality check: clinical excellence alone won’t keep your doors open.
When you step into practice ownership, understanding your numbers becomes just as important as understanding your margins and molars. If you’re not watching the right metrics, you could be unknowingly sabotaging your future profitability and freedom.
That’s exactly why I brought Bob Gray, Co-Founder of the Academy of Dental CPAs, onto the Ideal Practices Podcast. Bob’s worked with practices across the country to break down the most important numbers that drive successful ownership—and more importantly, how to use them to make confident, data-backed decisions.
Why Dental Practice Numbers Matter from Day One
Let’s get something straight: you don’t need to be a CPA to understand your practice financials. But you do need a clear framework for tracking performance and making smart decisions.
As Bob likes to say, “Your practice is full of speedometers—you just need to know which ones matter.”
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
The surprising “family write-off” strategy that could reshape your financial trajectory (and no, it’s not about hiring your cousin)
The one metric you should treat like your dashboard speedometer—ignore it at your own risk
A free, simple tool you can use today to start making better business decisions
How to avoid the classic “Overhead Error” most owners fall into with discretionary spending
Three low-lift ways to improve your practice’s financial health—without needing an MBA
Key Metrics Every Dental Practice Owner Should Track
If you’re serious about building a sustainable, profitable practice, here are a few areas where your attention should go first:
Overhead ratio: Do you know how much you’re spending to collect each dollar?
Production per provider: This can help you evaluate growth capacity without adding more chairs.
New patient value: Not just how many, but how valuable they are over time.
Hygiene reappointment rate: One of the most overlooked levers for long-term patient retention.
Profit per operatory: Are you maximizing the revenue potential of each square foot?
Too many dentists wait until there’s a cash crunch or tax surprise to dig into their numbers. You don’t need to be one of them.
Take Control of Your Numbers—Without Getting Overwhelmed
This episode is your crash course in financial clarity, from someone who’s helped thousands of dentists grow profitable, sustainable practices. Whether you’re still scouting locations or getting ready to open your doors, now is the perfect time to get smart about the business side of dentistry.
Listen to the episode here or subscribe to the Ideal Practices Podcast so you don’t miss future expert-backed strategies built specifically for private practice owners like you.
Because clinical freedom starts with financial confidence. And that begins with knowing your numbers.
—Stephen Trutter