Practice Profitability & Management

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs When I analyze a dental practice that's busy but not profitable, the issue is rarely clinical, it's at the front desk. The desk is where production either becomes collections or quietly evaporates, where the hygiene schedule either stays full or develops holes, and where a new patient either books or hangs up and calls the office down the street. I've written about how practices lose profit t

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs Hygiene drives the dental practice. That's why the conversations I keep having with practice owners across New York and New Jersey are so concerning. It's no longer simply, "How do I keep my hygiene schedule full?" It's: "I can't find a hygienist to run the column." An empty hygiene column isn't just a staffing problem. It's a production, collections, and practice-growth problem. This Isn't a

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs Every dental practice diagnoses more treatment than it completes. The exam is thorough, the diagnosis is sound, and the patient nods, schedules a cleaning, and walks out the door. The crown, the implant, or the periodontal work that was clearly indicated never gets scheduled. That gap has a name. It is called case acceptance, and after more than two decades working with dental practices, I h

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs Most growth advice assumes every dental practice needs more new patients. That may be true if you just opened your doors. It usually is not true if you have been practicing for fifteen or twenty years. If you already have a loyal patient base, a full hygiene schedule, and an experienced team, simply spending more money on marketing is rarely the answer. In fact, it is often the most expensive

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs Dental practices are seeing higher costs and tighter profit margins. PPOs are reducing reimbursements; labor costs continue to increase as do the costs of dental supplies are laboratory bills. The answer to better profitability as you prepare for 2026, isn’t always adding more patients. The answer for established practices may be to change your procedural offering. Every patient that yo

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs In working with dental practices across New Jersey and New York, I see the same pattern repeatedly. The practice is busy. The schedule looks full. But profitability isn’t where it should be. The problem is rarely clinical, it’s operational. Here are the five practice management fundamentals that separate practices that are merely busy from practices that are actually profitable and growing. 1

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs I will say this clearly because practice owners need the truth, not theory. Dental practice fraud is not 100 percent preventable. What is preventable is the size of the loss and the length of time it goes undetected. Fraud can go on for many years without the dentist noticing and can amount to several hundred thousand dollars before it is caught. Understanding the Nature of Dental Fraud That

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs Dental practices are feeling compression and navigate challenges. In 2026, the successful practices will be the ones that work smarter not harder as busyness doesn’t always equate to higher profitability. The key is for practices to limit preventable profit leaks with the same number of patients and the same number of days. Trend 1: Insurance payments are quietly decreasing your collections

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs You’ve heard it countless times: hygiene drives the practice. If your hygiene schedule isn’t full, your practice is leaking revenue—even if the doctor’s schedule is full. A thriving hygiene schedule stabilizes cash flow, fills the doctor’s schedule, identifies potential cases, supports case acceptance, and protects the practice’s value. A consistent hygiene schedule also fosters patient relat

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs In working with many dentists, I notice that many of their problems often comes down to not doing the basics. Here are just a few VERY common issues that make a huge difference in the success of a practice: 1. Collect payment prior to the patient leaving - Seems basic but I am surprised how many dentists let this happen. Very often it’s the front desk that lets this happen, but ultimate respo

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs The success of a dental practice depends on delivering high-quality patient care and managing operational and financial metrics effectively. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) provide insights into a practice’s health, enabling established dental practice owners to identify areas for improvement and align with industry standards. This blog examines national averages for critical KPIs, includin

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs The most effective dental practice consultants do more than just offer advice—they dive into the details, develop actionable strategies, and work closely with you to implement sustainable improvements. They understand the complexities of running a dental practice and leverage their expertise to help you optimize both clinical and business aspects of your practice. Below are specific strategie

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs In the competitive world of dentistry, success is not just about providing excellent clinical care—it’s about building a thriving, patient-centered practice. At the heart of this success lies a robust dental hygiene department. Often considered the backbone of a dental practice, the hygiene department plays a pivotal role in patient care, retention, and the practice’s financial health. Here’s

By Spiro Leunes, CPA | CEO, MRL Advisory Group – New Jersey and New York Dental CPAs Running a successful dental or medical practice requires balancing exceptional patient care with sound financial management and getting back to basics. One often-overlooked aspect of this balance is the need to periodically review and adjust your fee schedule. While some practitioners might feel hesitant to increase fees, especially in a competitive market, it's crucial to recognize that regu