The #1 Mistake Dental Practices Make When Setting Goals (And How to Fix It in 2025)

Do you want to achieve your practice goals this year?

The answer to this question is invariably ‘yes!’

So, with the year already rolling on, here’s how you change the ‘wanting’ into ‘doing’.

Let’s be clear about one point to start with…

Why traditional goal setting falls short

The traditional method of setting goals and gauging the success of a dental business does not automatically provide you with what you need and want. In fact, as the practice owner, it puts you last in the queue!

This is because dentists often set income and profit targets without considering what these targets should be.

They measure their success against arbitrary figures, and at the end of the year, if they do reach them, the goal is achieved.

However, it’s a matter of chance whether this level of income and profit provides them with sufficient personal satisfaction.

So, the reality is that they may successfully pay their team, keep the taxman happy, and pay their suppliers, but stumble when it comes to getting the level of personal remuneration they need from their business. See how our marketing consultancy can make your goals come true.

How to flip the model

To change the situation, you need to turn this process on its head.

You need to start with you.

An ‘upside down’ forecast allows you to do this.

Here’s how it works:

You work out what you want – research and more research: calculate what you spend each month and allocate funds for your personal goals. This gives you the business profit you need after tax.
You work out your tax and costs – add in the money you need for your tax bills, your business overheads and the cost of sales. This gives you the business turnover you need.
You break down the turnover you need into monthly, weekly, and even daily targets.

Make it measurable and actionable.

You can now plan to achieve these turnover targets. And as these targets are directly linked to your personal goals, when you reach them, you can be sure you can extract the level of funds you need for your clinic or dental practice goals.