Dental practice staffing audit checklist

Front desk and scheduling

• The phone answer rate is tracked, including missed and after-hours calls. Often missed
• New-patient call conversion (calls that end in a booked appointment) is tracked for each person who answers.
• No-show and same-day cancellation rates are tracked monthly, and a written confirmation protocol is followed.
• Same-day slots are held for emergencies and short-notice fills.
• A treatment follow-up script is documented and trained, and unscheduled treatment is worked every week.
• Overdue and inactive patients get reactivation calls on a set weekly schedule.
• Insurance eligibility and benefits are verified before the appointment, not at check-in.
• The patient portion is estimated and collected at the time of service, and the collection rate is tracked.
• End-of-day reconciliation is done daily, so payments, adjustments and deposits match before anyone leaves.
• Front desk KPIs have written targets that are reviewed in a monthly team meeting.

Hygiene

• Hygiene production per day is tracked for each hygienist.
• Periodontal charting happens at the intervals your clinical protocol sets, with no skipped charts. Often missed
• Periodontal treatment acceptance is tracked.
• Fluoride and sealant recommendations are documented according to protocol.
• Patients leave with their next hygiene visit booked, and the reappointment rate is tracked.
• Radiographs follow a written, clinically based protocol, and overdue images are flagged at check-in.
• Hygienist pay is reviewed every year against production and the local market.
• Hygienists are cross-trained to triage basic emergencies within their state scope.
• Hygiene cancellations are backfilled the same day from a short-notice list.

Dental assistants

• The doctor never waits on room setup, and any delays are noted and fixed.
• Tray setups are ready before each appointment starts.
• Infection control is audited on a schedule against OSHA requirements and CDC guidelines.
• Expanded functions are used where your state permits and assistants hold the required credentials.
• Every lab case is logged out and confirmed back before its seat appointment. Often missed
• Supplies are managed to par levels, and rush orders are rare and tracked.
• Equipment logs are current: sterilizer biological monitoring, compressor, suction and x-ray.
• Assistant coverage is checked against the schedule, with no provider working without help and no assistant left idle.

Office manager and operations

• The owner reviews the monthly P&L within a few weeks of month end.
• Overhead is tracked by category and compared with the prior month and the same month last year.
• The A/R aging report is reviewed monthly, and the share over 90 days is tracked.
• Insurance claims aging is reviewed weekly, and every claim past 30 days is worked. Often missed
• Staff hours are compared with the schedule, so low-production days are not fully staffed.
• HR files are current: I-9, W-4, emergency contacts, licenses and certifications, and performance reviews.
• Every position has a written job description.
• Total staff payroll as a share of collections is tracked and reviewed every year.
• Every critical role has a documented backup person.

Hiring and onboarding

• A paid working interview comes before any offer.
• At least two reference calls are completed for every hire.
• A written 90-day onboarding plan with weekly check-ins exists for each role.
• Pay is checked against the regional market before a job is posted.
• Non-compete and confidentiality agreements have been reviewed by an attorney, since enforceability varies by state.
• A termination checklist covers access removal, final pay timing under state law, and benefits continuation notices. Often missed