The key to a more efficient and profitable practice
As a dental practice owner, you wear many hats—clinician, business manager, mentor, and problem solver. When it comes to clear aligner treatments, it’s natural to want full control over every case. However, trying to do everything yourself can come at a significant cost, affecting not just your workload but also the efficiency and profitability of your practice.
While hands-on involvement in treatment planning may seem beneficial, it often creates inefficiencies that limit growth, increase stress, and reduce overall profitability. The key to a thriving clear aligner business isn’t doing everything yourself—it’s knowing which tasks to delegate so that you can focus on what truly matters: patient care, case acceptance, and practice development.
The Hidden Costs of Doing It All Yourself
Many dentists believe that personally handling every aspect of treatment planning ensures the best outcomes. While this might seem like a good idea, it often leads to unintended consequences that impact multiple areas of the practice:
1. Increased chair time for adjustments and refinements
When cases are not optimally planned from the start, additional appointments are often needed to correct tracking issues. More refinements mean more time spent on each case, reducing the availability for new patient consultations and other high-value treatments. Over time, this inefficiency can limit practice growth and create frustration for both the dentist and the patient.
2. Long hours spent on treatment planning
Many dentists end up working late at night or on weekends, optimising digital setups, making refinements, and troubleshooting case progress. This added workload extends beyond office hours, reducing time for family, personal well-being, and professional development.
3. Underutilisation of the dental team
A highly skilled team is often capable of handling many parts of the workflow, but when the dentist insists on managing everything, the team's potential remains untapped. Hygienists, assistants, and administrative staff can play a greater role in streamlining processes—if they are given the opportunity.
4. Decreased profitability
When a dentist’s time is spent on tasks that could be delegated, the opportunity cost becomes significant. Less time is available for case acceptance discussions, comprehensive treatment planning, and other high-value procedures that drive practice revenue.
5. Burnout and fatigue
Working long hours and feeling constantly overwhelmed can lead to stress and burnout, affecting both professional performance and personal satisfaction. Over time, this can impact decision-making, patient interactions, and the overall atmosphere of the practice.
Many dentists fall into this pattern because they feel they have no alternative. However, adopting a more strategic approach to case delegation can significantly improve both efficiency and clinical outcomes.
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A more efficient approach: Delegating Treatment Planning
Many of the most successful clear aligner practices have recognised the need for efficiency and have structured their workflow to reduce doctor time while maintaining high-quality results. A streamlined approach might include:
1. Identifying potential clear aligner patients
Using standardised assessment criteria ensures that time is focused on viable cases. These patients may be existing patients interested in orthodontic treatment or new patients attracted through external marketing efforts.
2. Delegating data collection to the team
Having the team take photos, X-rays, and intraoral scans ensures that clinical information is ready before treatment planning begins. This allows the dentist to focus on diagnosing and treatment planning rather than administrative and technical tasks.
3. Organising patient data efficiently
The team uploads patient data to a digital portal, ensuring that everything is structured and easily accessible for treatment planning. This minimises the chances of missing information or miscommunication within the practice.
4. Using an external treatment planning service for indexation
Receiving a case complexity assessment from experienced expert dentists or orthodontists allows the clinician to make an informed decision about whether to proceed.
However, it’s important to note that not all treatment planning services are equal. Many consist of dental technicians or aligner technicians who excel at optimising realisticly planned movements but have limited or no knowledge about orthodontic diagnostics and treatment planning. Partnering with an expert-led service can ensure that cases are correctly diagnosed and treatment planned for the best possible outcomes.
5. Setting clear patient expectations
Providing a realistic view of treatment outcomes without over-promising based on initial simulations is essential. Many patients assume that digital treatment setups are final, but as every clinician knows, adjustments are often needed throughout treatment. Clear communication helps manage expectations and improves patient satisfaction.
6. Finalising treatment planning only for approved cases
Once the patient commits, the detailed planning phase begins, ensuring an optimized workflow. This prevents unnecessary time spent on cases that do not move forward and allows for a smoother patient experience.
By following this type of structured approach, dentists reduce the hours spent on non-clinical tasks and instead focus on patient care, case acceptance, and practice growth.
Increase your clinical confidence with complimentary case selection and expert treatment planning support. Within 24 hours an expert dentist will send you an indexation of whether your case i easy, moderate, complex or should be referred to an orthodontist. Try it out here:
Is doing everything yourself the best use of your time?
Every practice owner should ask themselves these three key questions:
1. Am I really good at this task?
Is my skill in treatment planning better than that of an experienced dentist not doing anything but treatment planning? If not, would my patients benefit from having their treatment plans optimised by specialists with a deep understanding of clear aligner orthodontics?
2. Do I enjoy spending time on it?
Would I rather focus on direct patient interactions, comprehensive care, and higher-value procedures? If treatment planning is draining rather than rewarding, delegating may be the best option for both personal satisfaction and professional success.
3. Is this the most profitable use of my time?
Could my time be better spent on tasks that generate more revenue and contribute to practice growth? Delegating treatment planning allows dentists to focus on case acceptance, clinical excellence, and business development—all of which directly impact the bottom line.
For some dentists, the answer to all three questions might be "yes," and they will continue managing every case themselves. However, for many, the reality is that delegation could improve efficiency, profitability, and overall job satisfaction.
Striking the right balance
Efficiency in a dental practice doesn’t mean giving up control—it means using resources effectively to ensure the best patient outcomes while maintaining a sustainable workload. Whether that means leveraging digital tools, training the team to take on a larger role, or working with external specialists, finding the right balance can lead to:
Better patient care and satisfaction
Increased revenue and practice growth
More free time for personal and professional development
A healthier work-life balance
As clear aligner treatment continues to grow in popularity, the most successful dentists will be those who can manage their workflow efficiently and avoid the common pitfalls of trying to do everything themselves.
Taking a step back, evaluating how your time is spent, and implementing a structured approach to treatment planning can be the key to transforming your practice into a more profitable and fulfilling business.
How to implement these changes in your dental practice
If you’re ready to explore how delegation can improve your efficiency and profitability, start by assessing your current workflow. Identify areas where your team can take on more responsibility and consider working with external experts for treatment planning support.
By making these adjustments, you can take back control of your time, increase your practice’s efficiency, and ultimately create a more rewarding professional experience—for yourself, your team, and your patients.
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Kind regards
Jesper Hatt DDS
P: +41 78 268 00 78
AlignerService
We are dentists helping dentists create realistic, safe and predictable treatment plans with clear aligners.
Currently more than1500 dental practices in 19 different countries use our service on a regular basis. We offer expert guidance in the following clear aligner systems: Invisalign, SureSmile, ClearCorrect, TrioClear, Angel Aligners and Spark.
AlignerService is a preferred partner of ClearCorrect and TrioClear.
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