Pediatric vs. Adult Mix: The Revenue Swap Nobody Talks About
Pediatric vs. Adult Mix: The Revenue Swap Nobody Talks About
Pediatric vs. Adult Mix: The Revenue Swap Nobody Talks About
Pediatric vs. Adult Mix: The Revenue Swap Nobody Talks About
You're running 60% pediatric because kids are easier to schedule and parents are compliant. But you're leaving $400K on the table. Adult dentistry (restorative, perio, ortho, implants) generates 2-3x the production per chair hour.
Pediatric production: $120-$180 per hour (simple exams, cleanings, sealing). Adult general: $280-$420 per hour (preps, crowns, perio, implants). Adult specialty: $500+ per hour (endo, complex cases).
If you're running 40% adult and 60% pediatric, you're optimizing for ease, not profit. The case mix matters more than total schedule utilization.
Consider this reposition: drop pediatric to 25%, add 35% adult general, keep 40% high-case-complexity (specialty referrals if you're equipped). Same 100 patient visits per week. Different revenue:
Current mix (60% peds): $28,000 weekly production Optimized mix (25% peds): $38,500 weekly production
That's $540,000 additional annual production. Your margin on adult work is 65-75%. You're leaving $351K-$405K in annual profit on the table by optimizing for scheduling convenience.
Kids don't disappear. You just set boundaries. Lunch block pediatrics 10am-1pm, M/W/F. Protect afternoon slots for adults. You'll fill them.
Rebalance your case mix this quarter.
Source: Pediatric vs. Adult Productivity Benchmarks (Dental Economics, 2024)