At LADD Dental Group, our operational philosophy is grounded in efficiency and accessibility. Unlike practices that prioritize maximizing reimbursement on a per-procedure basis, we measure success by production per hour. This approach allows us to sustainably serve a broad patient base—including those covered by HIP and Medicaid—while maintaining strong financial performance.
The Limitation of a Procedure-Driven Model
Traditional dental business models often focus on production per procedure. In this structure, the practice is heavily dependent on higher-paying procedures and fee-for-service patients to drive profitability. While this can yield strong margins in certain markets, it also creates limitations:
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Lower case acceptance from patients with restrictive benefits.
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Reduced access for Medicaid or HIP dental patients, leading to missed opportunities in patient acquisition.
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Vulnerability to insurance reimbursement cuts and shifting payer mixes.
The Advantage of a Time-Based Philosophy
Our philosophy shifts the focus from “How much do we make per procedure?” to “How much can we produce per hour?” This distinction is critical. By measuring efficiency on an hourly basis, we gain operational flexibility that allows us to:
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Accept a wide range of insurances, including HIP and Medicaid Dental Insurance.
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Optimize scheduling and clinical workflows to reduce downtime.
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Build patient volume and retention, even when per-procedure margins are lower.
Simply put, we can do more dentistry in the same amount of time without compromising patient outcomes.
Volume as a Growth Lever
Medicaid and HIP dental patients are often underserved, yet they represent significant untapped demand. By welcoming these patients into our offices, we:
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Expand our funnel of new patient growth at a low acquisition cost.
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Increase chair utilization by keeping schedules full.
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Stabilize revenue across reimbursement cycles by diversifying our payer mix.
Even if we collect less per procedure, the aggregate production per hour increases when patient volume is maximized. This creates a scalable model where profitability is driven by throughput and efficiency rather than procedure exclusivity.
Long-Term Strategic Benefits
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Market Differentiation – Few practices are willing to embrace Medicaid at scale. By doing so, we position ourselves as a true community dental home.
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Team Efficiency – Staff and providers work within streamlined systems that emphasize productivity per hour, fostering collaboration and reducing bottlenecks.
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Sustainability – As reimbursement pressures continue across the industry, a time-based production model is better insulated than one reliant on high-margin procedures.
Conclusion
Our philosophy of focusing on production per hour allows LADD Dental Group to maintain a balance between financial performance and community impact. By leveraging efficiency and volume, we provide access to care for a wider population, reduce dependency on high-margin procedures, and create a more resilient business model for the future of dentistry.
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