- Standardize systems and a repeatable clinic model (one protocol/set of supplies, strong hygiene) to scale faster and attract investors.
- Centralize ops for multi‑site groups: unified scheduling, billing, SOPs, fee schedules, and location P&Ls with weekly scorecards and audits.
- Reduce internal entropy with non‑negotiables and clear rules to improve staff satisfaction and predictability.
- Raise UCR/fees regularly (annual reviews) and use percentile targets (general dentists ~70th–80th) to preserve margins.
- Stage any move away from PPOs: add patient flow, improve recall, train teams on verbal skills, introduce low‑investment services first.
- Track unit economics: general/basic dentistry often yields higher margins than highly complex, lab‑heavy cases. Monitor margins continuously and budget for capital/maintenance.
- Hygiene is a growth engine: address capacity gaps, right‑size schedules, and train hygienists to tee up restorative care.
- Expanded hygiene scope (LA, lasers, restorative hygiene work) may shift case generation from dentists to hygiene teams.
- Case acceptance = psychology + systems + consistent team language. Use visuals (photos/scans/mockups), stepwise pricing, and limited options (2–3).
- Front desk/treatment coordinator ownership and a disciplined follow‑up cadence (e.g., 2 days/2 weeks/2 months) convert clinical “yes” into scheduled production.
- Present financing clearly (2–3 trusted options) and treat insurance as an estimate.
- Block schedules around doctor energy (AM heavy for complex work), avoid double‑booking, protect SRP/maintenance slots, and run time studies to align appointment lengths with reality.
- Quantify the value of lost hours (doctor vs. hygiene) and target cancellation tolerance (~5% variation; >8% is a red flag).
- “Clarity is kindness”: set expectations early, use shadow days, structured interviews, and role‑plays.
- Compensation should focus on take‑home pay/outcomes (percent‑based models commonly ~30–33% for associates, with lab cost considerations).
- Build culture via shared purpose, CE alignment, KPIs, one‑on‑ones, and mirrored scripts across roles.
- Use group buying/GPOs or vetted platforms to cut supply/lab spend (typical savings cited 20–30%).
- Negotiate vendor‑funded equipment (e.g., scanner in exchange for lab volume) to conserve cash. Avoid gray‑market supplies and don’t sacrifice clinical quality.
- Run P&L reviews quarterly; targets/baselines: overhead ≈50%, owner profit ≈20–30%, aim to reduce merchant fees to ~2–3% effective.
- Improve collections with day‑ahead schedule reviews, present OOP first, tokenized cards‑on‑file, automated retries, and integrated collection workflows (turn accounts at 60–90 days).
- Narrow brand/patient avatar, lead with emotional benefits, use real photos/reviews, and measure marketing by tracked patient acquisition.
- Treat the practice like retail: convenient hours, strong phone/online experience, and conversion focus over raw lead volume.
- Adopt digital path: intraoral scanner → night guards → surgical guides → restorative workflows; 3D printers become viable (~$10k entry).
- AI and automation (chatbots, virtual consults, diagnostic AI) can raise case acceptance and patient convenience; experiment and integrate incrementally.
- Prioritize clinician‑led calibration (probing, diagnostics) and documentation (photos/X‑rays) to support treatment planning and audits.
- Consider new services (PRF, aesthetics, sleep) only after validating demand and lining up patients before training.
- Reevaluate and block hygiene capacity; pre‑schedule maintenance.
- Raise UCR fees annually to protect PPO percentiles.
- Consolidate purchasing / join a buying group for supply savings.
- Negotiate lab‑funded equipment by guaranteeing volume.
- Train front desk/treatment coordinators to own financial closes and enforce follow‑up cadences.
- Audit merchant processing and switch to dental‑friendly processors to cut effective card fees.