Your hygiene department is the backbone of practice profitability. Here are the benchmarks you need to measure success and strategies to improve performance.
PPO Practices
$1,200 - $1,600
per hygienist per day
Fee-for-Service
$2,000+
per hygienist per day
These benchmarks assume a full schedule with minimal cancellations. Your actual target depends on your fee schedule, patient mix, and appointment length.
The hygiene department typically generates 30-33% of total practice production while requiring lower overhead than restorative procedures. A well-run hygiene department doesn't just clean teeth—it's a profit center that drives patient retention, identifies treatment needs, and creates predictable recurring revenue.
Yet many practices don't track hygiene production metrics. Without benchmarks, you can't identify whether your hygiene department is underperforming—or how much revenue you're leaving on the table.
This guide covers the essential dental hygiene production benchmarks every practice owner should track, plus actionable strategies to improve hygiene department performance.
Target daily production for hygienists in practices accepting PPO insurance plans.
Target daily production for hygienists in fee-for-service practices with higher reimbursements.
The hygiene department should produce approximately one-third of total practice production.
Hygienist should produce $3.50 for every $1 of wages. Minimum acceptable is 3:1.
Example: If a hygienist produces $1,400/day and earns $400/day, the ratio is $1,400 ÷ $400 = 3.5:1 (hitting the target benchmark).
If your ratio is below 3:1, investigate scheduling efficiency, fee schedules, or appointment mix before assuming the hygienist is underperforming.
Beyond production numbers, these operational KPIs determine hygiene department health.
| Metric | Poor | Average | Good | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hygiene Reappointment Rate | < 70% | 75-84% | 85%+ | 90%+ |
| Periodontal % of Hygiene | < 20% | 25-30% | 33%+ | 40%+ |
| Hygiene Downtime | > 15% | 10-15% | 5-8% | < 5% |
| Same-Day Treatment Acceptance | < 30% | 40-50% | 60%+ | 75%+ |
Reduce gaps and maximize chair time utilization.
Can increase production by 15-25%
Periodontal procedures significantly boost hygiene production.
Perio cases produce 2-3x more than prophy
Pre-booking the next appointment is critical for hygiene success.
85%+ reappointment rate is the target
Hygienists should be trained to identify and present treatment needs.
Increases same-day treatment by 30-50%
Review and update fee schedules annually. Many practices are 10-20% below market rates.
Monitor daily production, reappointment rates, and perio percentage monthly.
Analyze downtime and cancellation patterns. Aim for less than 8% unproductive time.
Train hygienists on patient communication and co-discovery techniques.
Share production goals with hygiene team and review performance regularly.
A dental hygienist should produce $1,200-$1,600 per day in PPO practices and $2,000+ per day in fee-for-service practices. The hygienist's production should be approximately 3-3.5 times their daily wages.
The hygiene department should produce 30-33% of total practice production. This benchmark ensures a healthy balance between hygiene and restorative services while maximizing recurring revenue.
The ideal production-to-wage ratio for a dental hygienist is 3.5:1. This means a hygienist should produce $3.50 for every $1 they are paid. Ratios below 3:1 indicate underperformance or scheduling issues.
The hygiene reappointment rate should be 85% or higher. This means 85% of hygiene patients should have their next appointment scheduled before leaving the office. Top practices achieve 90%+ reappointment rates.
Hygiene Production % = (Total Hygiene Production ÷ Total Practice Production) × 100. For example, if your practice produces $100,000/month and hygiene produces $32,000, your hygiene percentage is 32%.
Our free KPI Calculator evaluates 10 key metrics—including hygiene production—and gives you an instant practice health score with improvement recommendations.
Try the Free KPI Calculator