802: From Metrics to Excellence: How to Make Your Data Work for You! – Dr. Barrett Straub

You care about your business more than anyone else. For that reason, it’s up to you to understand your numbers! To help you lean into the data you need, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Barrett Straub, ACT’s CEO, to share the top key metrics to track in every aspect of your practice. There's no “easy button” for success, but data will make the path easier! To learn how to make your data work for you, listen to Episode 802 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Dr. Straub:

• Send Dr. Straub an email: barrett@actdental.com 
• Join Dr. Straub on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 802: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Watch the entire webinar here: https://www.actdental.com/122
• Register for ACT’s Napa Valley Mastery Summit and To The Top Study Club (April 24-27, 2025): https://info.actdental.com/napa-mastery-summit
• Download ACT’s Roadmap to Practice Profitability: https://23476641.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/23476641/ACT_Dental_-_Roadmap_to_Practice_Profitability.pdf
• Download ACT’s GAPs at a Glance: https://23476641.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/23476641/47%20The%20Financial%20GAPs%20at%20a%20Glance%20-%2005.pdf
• Download ACT’s Capacity Tracker: https://23476641.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/23476641/ACT%20Dental%20Capacity%20Tracker%20Tool%20(1).pdf
• Download ACT’s guide to Team Meetings: https://23476641.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/23476641/Team%20Meetings.pdf

Main Takeaways:

• What gets measured gets improved.
• Understand which key metrics to focus on and why.
• Get your team aligned on what data means for your practice.
• If you're new to using metrics to guide your practice, start small.
• Don't fear the numbers. Embrace them to start improving your practice.
• Use data collection tools such as Dental Intelligence, PMS, and manual tracking.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:40 About ACT’s TTT, BPA, and Pro Coaching.

4:42 Objectives.

6:06 Why this is an important topic.

9:20 Common pitfalls.

13:04 Clinical metrics: Patient treatment diagnosis percentage.

15:24 Clinical metrics: Patient treatment acceptance percentage.

23:39 Hygiene metrics: Periodontal data.

29:38 Operational metrics: Cancellation rates.

31:18 Operational metrics: Capacity.

37:20 New patient metrics: Acquisition and retention.

45:57 Financial metrics: Gross/net production, collections, accounts receivable, overhead.

48:45 Patient experience metrics: Reviews, Google ratings, and internal referrals.

50:01 Ways to collect the data you need.

51:59 Get your team aligned on what metrics mean to your practice.

55:23 Final takeaways.

Dr. Barrett Straub Bio:

Dr. Barrett Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry.

A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted.

Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth.