Dental Cleanings (Hygiene) – Foundational Revenue Driver

Dental Cleanings are often referred to as the "engine of the practice".

Typically performed by hygienists.
Usually accounts for 25–40% of total production in a general dental practice.
Drives:
- Consistent patient flow (patients return every 6 months).
- Opportunities to diagnose and upsell other treatments like fillings, crowns, implants, or ortho.

Restorative work: Fillings, crowns, root canals.
Cosmetic procedures: Whitening, veneers.
Implants, Invisalign, or oral surgery: High-margin procedures.
These generate higher revenue per visit, but are often opportunistic or less frequent.

Dental cleanings keep the chairs full, patients engaged, and the practice healthy.
Hygiene visits lead to diagnostic exams and treatment acceptance, making them the lifeblood of a sustainable practice.
Many offices use recall and hygiene appointment management as a KPI (key performance indicator) of growth and stability.

No-Shows
- Hygienist's time is lost and can't be monetized.
- The slot is often too last-minute to fill.
- Lost production for a hygiene visit is $150–$300+ per hour.
Last-Minute Cancellations
- Even if rescheduled, it creates a gap that may not be filled.
- Wastes operational resources.
Frequent Rescheduling
- Leads to gaps in care, reduces treatment acceptance rates.
- Patients may drop off the schedule entirely if not rebooked properly.

No-show rates: 10–20% in many general practices.
Cancellation rates: 20–30% (including reschedules).
Hygiene schedules are often only 80–90% filled at best without strong systems.

Hygiene appointments are recurring and high volume.
Small % losses compound quickly:
E.g., 2 missed patients per day × 20 workdays = 40 missed cleanings/month = $6K+ lost monthly revenue.

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