Expanded function allied dental personnel and dental practice productivity and efficiency.

Area of Science:

• Dental Practice Management
• Health Services Research

Background:

• General dental practices face challenges in productivity and efficiency.
• The scope of practice for allied dental professionals varies by region.
• Expanded functions for dental assistants and hygienists are increasingly being explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of expanded function allied dental personnel on general dental practice productivity and efficiency.
• To determine the relationship between the delegation of services and practice outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A convenience sample of 154 general dental practices in Colorado was surveyed.
• Financial and clinical data were collected to measure productivity (patient visits, gross billings, net income).
• Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to assess practice efficiency.

Main Results:

• Sixty-four percent of practices utilized expanded function allied dental personnel, delegating an average of 31.4% of services.
• Practices using these personnel treated more patients and reported higher gross billings and net incomes.
• A positive correlation was found between the extent of delegated services and practice productivity and efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Effective utilization of expanded function allied dental personnel can substantially increase dental practice capacity.
• Delegating reversible dental services and local anesthesia administration enhances practice performance.
• This model has the potential to improve patient access and generate higher incomes for dental practices.