Why Annual Planning Is the Secret Weapon of High-Performing Dental Teams

Every year around June or July, I block off time for something that can make or break a dental practice’s success: annual planning. I know, it doesn’t sound glamorous. But let me tell you, this is where thriving practices pull ahead while others spend the year scrambling to catch up.

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Annual planning is not just about putting a few dates on the calendar. It is about strategically setting up your appointment book, defining production goals based on your actual numbers (not wishful thinking), and creating a schedule that works for both your patients and your team. If you do it right, you will end the year with less stress, a happier team, and a healthier bottom line.

Step 1: Map Out Your Year Before It Maps Out You

One of the first things I do is review the year ahead and block out vacations, holidays, CE days, and personal time off. Why? Because if you do not protect this time now, it will get filled with something else, and usually not something you will be excited about.

If you are using Dentrix, this is the perfect time to set up your re-care scheduling for the year. I cannot tell you how many practices I have seen wait until January to do this, only to realize they have created a scheduling mess that impacts patient retention and production. Your appointment book is your roadmap, so do not leave it to chance.

Step 2: Create Production Goals That Actually Mean Something

Too many dental practices set goals by simply adding a percentage to last year’s numbers. That is a recipe for frustration. Instead, I recommend calculating production goals based on your actual overhead, desired profit margin, and realistic scheduling capacity.

If you want your team to take ownership of those goals, you cannot just throw numbers at them. Show them how those goals connect to keeping the lights on, paying salaries, and funding new technology. This transparency builds trust and helps everyone understand why the daily schedule matters.

Step 3: Design Your Perfect Day (and Be Ready to Adjust It)

“Perfect day” scheduling is a powerful concept where you set aside the right balance of time for high-production cases, new patients, and hygiene. But here is the reality: even the perfect day needs tweaking throughout the year.

If you notice you are not meeting your new patient goals, for example, you may need to shift where those appointment slots live in your day or week. This is where tracking and flexibility come into play.

Step 4: Track Daily to Stay on Target

One of the biggest mistakes I see is setting annual goals and then not looking at them again until the end of the year. If you want to hit your numbers, you need to track production daily.

This is not about micromanaging. It is about giving your team real-time feedback and creating systems that don’t slow you down. For inspiration on simplifying systems within your practice, check out this post on simplifying dental practice security.

Step 5: Engage Your Team in the Process

Here is the truth. You cannot achieve your production goals without your team’s buy-in. That means including them in the conversation from the start. Ask for feedback on the schedule. Encourage them to share what is working and what is creating bottlenecks.

When team members feel heard, they are more likely to take ownership. And when everyone is working toward the same targets, the results can be incredible.

Step 6: Commit to Continuous Improvement

Annual planning is not “set it and forget it.” It is a living, breathing strategy. Every quarter, revisit your goals, your schedule, and your production numbers. If something is not working, do not be afraid to adjust.

The most successful practices I work with are the ones that treat planning as an ongoing process, not a one-day event.

If you have been winging it year after year, I challenge you to carve out time in the next month to start your annual planning. Set up your appointment book, create meaningful production goals, and bring your team into the process.

The payoff? Less chaos, more control, and a practice that feels like it is working for you, not the other way around.