Ratios only mean something against a reference: your own last two years (trend) and comparable dental practices (position). "Staff at such-and-such percent" is neither good nor bad in the abstract — it's good or bad for a practice of your mix and size. This is precisely where a dental-only accountant earns their fee: we see enough practices to know what normal looks like for yours.
The practices that improve are the ones that look at a one-page scorecard every quarter, pick the two ratios most out of line, and act — then check the same page next quarter. Twenty minutes, four times a year. We prepare exactly that page for practice-owner clients and get on a call to agree the two actions. That rhythm, sustained, is worth more than any one-off deep-dive.
Deadlines coming up, rule changes that affect dentists, and one number worth checking — once a month, no spam.
There's no single right number — it depends on your NHS/private mix, use of therapists and hygienists, and how much dentistry the principal does personally. What matters is your trend over time and your position against genuinely comparable practices; a creeping ratio is the earliest warning most practices get.
A short list beats a dashboard: staff, lab and materials as percentages of fee income; chair utilisation; profit per surgery; income mix; and UDA delivery against contract if you hold one. Reviewed quarterly against trend and benchmark, with two actions each time.
Compare your ratios against similar dental practices, not gut feel — a full book with the wrong ratios is still an underperforming practice. If your accountant can't tell you how you sit against comparable practices, that's the gap to fix first.
A free, no-obligation conversation about your situation — associate, principal, buying or selling. If we can't add value, we'll say so.
One short email a month: deadlines coming up, rule changes that affect dentists, and one number worth checking in your practice. No spam, unsubscribe any time.