Can’t Afford Time Away? Run the Numbers

When I say that every successful dentist needs “away time” (time spent away from the facility working on the practice), I sometimes hear the objection that it’s simply not feasible, that some dentists simply can’t afford to take the time away from producing revenue.

But let’s take a closer look at the numbers.

If you’re working 190 to 210 days a year, one day represents about 0.5% of revenues. So, assuming no change in expenses, that means that with growth of only 2% in your hourly, above the usual growth you need to account for inflation, you would reach last year’s revenue total four days earlier (0.5% x 4), thereby earning yourself one week of flexibility.

But that seems very modest, so why stop there? Using this formula, we can see that 8% growth (0.5% x 4 x 4) gets you four weeks of free “away” time.

That kind of growth shouldn’t seem out of line for anyone; in fact, I know it isn’t. In my experience, almost every practice can grow 50% over three to five years. That means every practice has it within its means to create the growth that will allow it to completely reinvent itself in a short time.

And here’s another secret: As soon as you reinvest the initial growth you achieve in that focused “away” time — where you work on your clinical and value excellence and learn how to implement the right strategies — the revenue gains come that much quicker and easier, which sets you on track for more rapid growth and additional away time possibilities. It’s an upward spiral of growth and development, and it all starts with understanding the hidden value in your practice right now.