The Numbers—And What They Mean
I’ve always been a numbers person—I think I get that from my dad. I’ve always been curious about the why behind the numbers and what drives them. But to those who aren’t analyzing them every day, numbers are just numbers.
As a regional manager, I always thought—thought being the key word—that everyone on the team understood why we had goals, why they mattered, and what happened if we missed them. I was wrong.
After a monthly numbers meeting at one of my locations, a clinical team member approached me and said, “Okay, you went over the numbers—now what do they mean?” That was a professional wake-up call.
How can we present numbers to a team that doesn’t understand the why behind them? How can we expect them to stay on budget if they don’t know what the budget is based on? How can we restrict overtime if the team doesn’t understand its impact on the bigger picture?
That was my “aha” moment: break it down. Help them understand why the numbers matter.
Scheduling to Goal
I started with scheduling to goal—and maintaining production to meet it. I explained that to be productive, each operatory in use has to be supported. Production must cover not only the cost of materials, but also staff wages.
Then I expanded the conversation: it also has to cover equipment, utilities, and administrative support. Once the team saw the full picture, they began to understand why the numbers mattered.
This was the turning point. The team started thinking like a business—not just showing up to do a job.
Budgets and Why They Matter
Next, we talked about budgets—why they exist and how they’re calculated. I explained that our supply budget target is 7% of the previous month’s collections, though we aim for 6% and strive for 5%.
They laughed and asked, “So the real goal is 5%?” I smiled and said, “If we want to be profitable—yes.”
Over the following months, I watched clinical managers take ownership, working to bring their budgets down to 6% and then 5%. As they improved, I was able to reinvest in the practice—replacing equipment they had been requesting.
When new handpieces arrived, the connection clicked. They began sourcing more cost-effective supplies and avoiding over-ordering. That was a win.
Collecting Up Front
We also focused on improving our OTC (over-the-counter) collection rate and its impact on revenue cycle management. By collecting past-due balances and same-day patient portions at check-in, we significantly improved our collections and reduced outstanding accounts.
Empowering the administrative team to clearly explain patient portions—and ensuring insurance information is entered correctly from the start—helped reduce delays and claim denials.
Employee Appreciation and Raises
This is where it really started to stick. During quarterly check-ins, when asked what they wanted more of, the answer was always the same: “money.”
By walking through the financials and KPIs with the team, I was able to connect performance to compensation. Quarterly check-ins became an opportunity to show whether the office was meeting benchmarks—and what that meant for raises.
When the numbers support it, increases are possible. When they don’t, expectations can be reset with transparency and data.
Even small things became teaching moments. We often bring in pizza for team meetings to keep costs down. When someone asked why it was always pizza, I explained, “Because I’d rather spend that money elsewhere—like on raises.”
They never complained about pizza again.
In Closing
Numbers are important. But it is also important that numbers are understood. Take the time to explain the why behind them.
By educating your team, you are creating a forward-thinking office that will embrace productivity and understand where you need to work to get the numbers in alignment.
About the Author
Makenzie Walton-Vega, DAADOM
Makenzie is the Southwest Missouri Regional Manager for Access Dental Services, LP, a growing organization with eight locations and a digital lab. She oversees four locations as well as the digital lab.
With more than 25 years in dentistry, Walton-Vega began her career as a chairside assistant before transitioning into management in 2015. She earned her FAADOM in 2024, her MAADOM in 2025, and her DAADOM designation in 2026.
