While average case acceptance rose in 2025, the annual benchmark report warns that inefficient chair time and treatment coordinator turnover remain key challenges for practices.
Planet DDS has released its 2026 Dental Industry Outlook, an annual benchmark report indicating improvements in core practice metrics, including a notable rise in orthodontic case acceptance and patient reliability.
Report Highlights Key Orthodontic Metrics
Based on an analysis of more than 2,800 practices utilizing the company’s Cloud 9 orthodontic practice management software, the report found that the average orthodontic case acceptance rate reached 68.3% in 2025, up from the 2024 industry average of 64.4%. Additionally, orthodontic practices saw an average of 633.5 new patient exams per location.
In terms of revenue, average daily production reached $9,419 per orthodontic practice using Cloud 9, $8,764 per provider/practice on Denticon, and $6,279 per individual orthodontist. Across the broader dental industry, the report also noted a 17% drop in patient cancellations and a continued fall in no-show rates, saying this reflects a shift toward proactive communication and modern scheduling systems.
Identifying Orthodontic Blind Spots
Beyond the numbers, the report highlighted operational challenges specific to the specialty that can quietly stall growth. According to the outlook, inefficient chair time remains the most expensive line item for orthodontic practices. Furthermore, the data suggests that strong new patient conversion rates are not permanent and often dip following changes in treatment coordinator roles, emphasizing the need for defined processes and consistent training cadences.
A Baseline for Practice Performance
The report is designed to give dental and orthodontic organizations a clear baseline to measure performance and identify opportunities.
“Dental leaders are looking for signals they can trust, and the strongest ones are in the day-to-day operational metrics,” said Mike Huffaker, chief revenue officer of Planet DDS, in a release. “By comparing their own performance against industry averages, leaders can quickly see where they’re ahead, where they’re falling behind, and where focused changes will have the biggest impact.”
The findings are based on an analysis of more than 15,000 general and specialty practices on the company’s Denticon and Cloud 9 platforms. The full 2026 Dental Industry Outlook report is available for download on the Planet DDS website.
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