The Business of Dentistry: Why Data Matters
The dental industry is growing rapidly, with multi-location practices and DSOs competing to expand market share. But behind the scenes, outdated and fragmented data systems are quietly limiting growth. In this white paper, Datavail exposes the most critical data challenges holding back dental organizations—and shows how solving them can unlock significant operational and financial benefits.
Key Takeaways
- How hidden data issues are impacting patient experience, billing accuracy, and staff efficiency
- Why duplicate insurance fee schedules, slow systems, and inconsistent metrics cost you more than you think
- How to identify the symptoms of unhealthy data—and the treatment plan to fix it
- The revenue and retention gains made possible through unified analytics and cloud modernization
- Real-world case studies of dental groups that solved these problems with Datavail
Sneak Peak
Your dental organization might be devoting significant resources to addressing a “problem” that doesn’t actually exist. Perhaps one location shows an alarming cancellation rate, but in reality, Open Dental is just recording the same cancellations in multiple places. Meanwhile, genuine issues that need attention remain hidden because your data doesn’t reveal them clearly.
Symptoms you might recognize:
- Staff insist that reports don’t match what they’re experiencing day-to-day.
- Similar locations show wildly different metrics without clear operational reasons.
- You’ve implemented solutions for reported problems but seen no improvement.
Download the white paper to discover how healthy data infrastructure can transform your practice into a high-performing, scalable growth engine.
FAQ: The Business of Dentistry: Why Data Matters
Why is data modernization critical for growing dental organizations?
Data issues like duplicate fee schedules, inconsistent metrics, and outdated systems create friction that impacts patient satisfaction, billing, and profitability. Modernizing your data systems improves operational efficiency and enables better decision-making across all locations. As consolidation continues, practices with clean, integrated data will scale faster and serve patients better.
How do bad insurance fee schedules affect patient satisfaction and revenue?
When insurance data is fragmented or duplicated, patients often get inaccurate cost estimates, leading to surprise bills and negative reviews. Datavail’s white paper reveals that just 0.4% to 1.2% in uncollected balances from inaccurate estimates can equal $8,000–$16,000 in lost revenue per location annually. Cleaning up these schedules improves trust, retention, and cash flow.
What causes performance metrics to vary so much across locations?
Inconsistent system setups, duplicate event codes, and poor data integrations often lead to mismatched analytics. One dental organization had different cancellation codes across locations, making performance metrics unreliable. Standardizing event definitions and integrations creates accurate, location-spanning KPIs leadership can trust.
Can data modernization reduce staff frustration and turnover?
Yes. Many front desk staff spend hours manually verifying insurance details or working around slow systems. This not only wastes time but also causes burnout and turnover. Datavail helped dental groups reduce system lag, improve check-in speed, and automate insurance validation, boosting team morale and patient satisfaction.
What kind of ROI can dental practices expect from modern data infrastructure?
The white paper estimates up to $160,000 in annual revenue uplift from increased case acceptance and up to $300,000 from improved chair utilization—per location. These gains come from personalized engagement, predictive scheduling, and accurate reporting. With Datavail’s solutions, dental groups turn operational friction into profitable growth.
Download the White Paper