KPIs That Protect Your Practice
How to Spot Red Flags Before They Cost You
Here’s the thing about KPIs: they’re not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They’re your practice’s early warning system. The right metrics can tell you when something’s off, whether that’s a broken workflow, sloppy software usage, or, yes, a sign someone’s got their hands in the cookie jar.
Too many doctors assume “no news is good news” when it comes to the front desk. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: dental embezzlement happens way more often than most think, research shows a 60–70% chance it’ll happen to you at some point in your career. And it’s not always the “new” person. Sometimes it’s the one you’ve trusted for years, the one you’d “never suspect.”
The good news? If you’re watching the right KPIs and running the right reports, you can catch problems, big or small, before they drain your bank account. Whether it’s an innocent posting mistake or something more calculated, you’ll see it before it becomes a disaster.
Why Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Reports Are Non-Negotiable
A busy practice isn’t necessarily a healthy practice. True health comes from accuracy, transparency, and consistency. That’s why I’m a big believer in a layered reporting approach, daily, weekly, and monthly checks that work together like a net.
Daily Reports You Can’t Ignore:
Adjustments Report – Make sure refunds and write-offs are legit. Huge red flag: refunds entered as adjustments (inflates production and income).
Unearned Income – A growing list here can mean deposits or prepayments that were never tied to completed treatment.
Unsent & Outstanding Claims – Anything older than 30 days needs action, stat.
Patient Portion Uncollected – Stay on top of balances before they hit collection status.
Procedures Not Billed – Because missed claims = money left on the table.
Weekly & Monthly Oversight:
A/R Aging – If 18–24% or more is sitting in the 61+ day bucket, you’ve got a problem.
Insurance Overpaid – Overpayments left unresolved can mean posting or refund issues.
Production vs. Collections – If the gap is growing, it’s time to find out why.
Bank, Merchant, and Payroll Reviews – Match them against your software reports so you know the money in your account matches the money in your system.
Red Flags We See All the Time
When we audit practices, the same issues pop up again and again:
Adjustments without clear reasons – Frequent or large ones deserve a second look.
Refunds to personal credit cards – That’s basically printing money for whoever’s posting it.
Lingering claims – Could be disorganization… or intentional delay.
Production numbers that don’t match actual work – Usually caught when providers sign off on daily reports.
Team members who never take vacation or dodge report reviews – Sometimes it’s control, sometimes it’s cover.
Not every red flag means theft. But every red flag means you need to ask questions, fast.
Reports Aren’t Just for “Catching” People
This isn’t about playing detective 24/7. When you make reporting a habit, you’re giving your team the clarity they need to work smarter. Everyone knows what matters, what’s being tracked, and how to keep the data clean. That cuts stress, improves accountability, and gives you the truth in black-and-white when you’re making business decisions.
Make Oversight Part of the Culture
At SKF, we don’t just tell you which KPIs to track, we help you build the workflows so those numbers stay accurate. From daily production sign-offs to monthly financial reconciliations, we create systems that make it almost impossible for mistakes (or misconduct) to hide.
If it’s been a while since you’ve dug into your reports, start now. Pull the ones above and see what story they tell. And if you want the full picture? Book a Comprehensive Software Exam and we’ll show you exactly where your data’s strong, where it’s vulnerable, and how to fix it, without guesswork.
Your reports tell the story of your practice. Let’s make sure it’s one worth reading.
