The economics of dental care

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We all know that dental disease is common, painful, and progressive. We also know that almost all animals have teeth. According to an analysis of data from more than 3 million pets in Banfield Pet Hospital’s network, investigators found that 73% of dogs and 64% of cats were diagnosed with dental-related issues.¹ Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, DABvP (Canine, Feline), FAVD, says these data align with other estimates that suggest 70% to 80% of dogs and cats show signs of dental disease by the age of 4.

Most veterinarians like helping a pet with dental disease. It is an immediate dopamine boost to get a broken tooth out of there when we know how much pain it has caused or to extract a severely diseased and mobile tooth (or teeth) that we know prevented the pet from chewing comfortably every day. Treating dental disease can provide immense satisfaction for the medical team as well as help
practices stay financially sound.

If you think about economics in veterinary medicine, you must consider the 3 pillars of health for a practice:

• Per-client transaction (PCT): the average dollar amount generated in a single visit
• Patient visits: how many patients come through your door seeking care
• New clients: the number of pet owners who have never visited your practice before in a given period

These are metrics that every practice should be monitoring. A good dental program can enhance all these pillars. Let’s examine how.

Per-client transaction

A quick web search suggests that an anesthetized dental cleaning for dogs or cats can range from $170 to $350. This will vary depending on local economic factors, your choice of anesthesia, team training, and so on. It is vital to remember that dental prophylaxis is the best way to uncover other issues that are painful for the pet. We find broken teeth, diseased tooth roots, and other pathology that should be addressed while the pet is under anesthesia, if possible. However, you should not be afraid to stage needed care for another session if you are tightly booked that day or feel that additional anesthesia is not in the pet’s interest that day.

The important part is educating the client about what you see and find and making recommendations for the pet. Educating clients and recommending exceptional care is always best practice. Commonly, you will find something that needs to be addressed. You can call the client with the recommendations, and very often, they will see the value of addressing the required care under the single anesthetic episode. However, they cannot always afford the care that day, and in those cases, it is easy to create a screenshot of the dental radiograph to show and explain (if it is not already attached to your patient’s medical chart).

You can schedule discharge appointments with a veterinarian on any dental patient that had recommendations beyond basic cleaning. Enough clients will find value in the additional recommendations to increase your PCT for the procedure, and you will be increasing trust and value with that client for future visits.

Patient visits

If you recommend some type of dental care for every patient that comes through your door (and do not forget that study findings show that many pets need some dental care), you will increase your patient visits over time. Every wellness patient needs to have their teeth looked at. If you see something, send a recommendation and a treatment plan. Do not give up.

If you see that you gave a treatment plan last year and there was no action, mention it again. The animal needs your commitment to the best care, and the owner needs to hear it again. You have heard it before, but recommendations for needed care should be “every patient, every time,” and dentistry is no different. Over time, you will see owners following up on your recommendations, whether you made them in the exam room on a routine visit or after you found problems during dental prophylaxis.

New clients

Spread the word that you are comfortable with dental care. For example, let it be known that you have digital dental imaging and a well-trained team. You can get referrals from your local emergency hospitals because they likely do not perform any dental care. They happen across clients who have no primary veterinarian and whose pets suffer from dental trauma or broken teeth. Hospitals will happily refer to you if they feel comfortable with your care. You may even get referrals from other general practices that do not have as much equipment or the same comfort level as you.

Takeaway

Why wouldn’t veterinary professionals want to highlight something that helps almost all pets have less pain, slows a progressive disease, and allows pets to live a fuller life? We do! And if developing a great dental program can also make your practice more financially successful, everyone wins.

REFERENCE

1. State of pet dental health: significant majority of US dogs and cats have oral health issues. News release. Banfield Pet Hospital. February 15, 2024. Accessed December 5, 2024. https://www.banfield.com/about-banfield/newsroom/press-releases/2024/state-of-pet-dental-health

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