Henry Schein One has announced the release of The 2025 Catalyst Index, its fourth annual report designed to provide dental practices with a unique perspective into the strategies that the top performing practices are using to succeed, according to a May 20, 2025, press release from the company. This year’s report, which is built on years of benchmarking and informed by Henry Schein One’s connected platform, presents the specific actions that the top 10% of practices and dental service organizations are using to distinguish themselves among their peers.
“We’re at a turning point in dentistry," says Ryan Hungate, DDS, MS, chief clinical and strategy officer at Henry Schein One. “Practices can no longer afford to operate without clear insight into what separates top performers. The Catalyst Index gives them that competitive edge. It’s like peeking behind the curtain at how the best practices operate.”
The 2025 Catalyst Index reveals that the top-performing practices significantly surpass lesser performing ones when it comes to growing their patient bases and revenue—even if they are scheduling less appointments than the previous year. According to the report, the most successful practices are focused on simplifying the entire patient experience, which includes providing faster appointment access, streamlined forms, improved billing clarity, and flexible scheduling. This approach contributed to stronger patient retention, better reviews, and greater acceptance of care plans. The report also notes that the most profitable practices have taken actions to enable their team members to work more efficiently together.
There are many useful insights offered in the full report, including the following:
- Nearly 60% of patients decline care due to ineffective education, a lack of pricing clarity, or frustration with the overall experience.
- Month-long appointment lead times are common among average practices, but top-performing practices prioritize access for new and emergency patients.
- Practices that offer online forms, transparent billing, and flexible scheduling to improve the patient experience achieve greater rates of patient retention and treatment acceptance.
- The daily gross production of average practices is nearly four times lower that of the top 10%.
“If you're average, get mad and fix it,” says Joshua Gwinn, CEO of Optimize Practice Alliance. “The amount of production being left on the table is mind-boggling. The top 10% are absolutely crushing it, and it's not a secret why. They follow a process, build the team, execute, hold people accountable, and analyze their data. If you don't do that, you'll stay average or below.”
Henry Schein One’s annual benchmarking reports empower thousands of dental practices to measure their performance, identify opportunities, and chart paths for growth. However, The Catalyst Index expands on these reports by not only benchmarking results but also highlighting the specific strategies that were used to drive success. Henry Schein One is deeply committed to creating the most connected platform in dentistry, and it will continue to help practices automate and simplify workflows, secure patient data, drive profitability, and more by delivering technology that allows clinicians to concentrate on the most important aspect of practice: patient care.
“Being recognized as part of the top 10% is a reflection of the steps we’ve taken to simplify and strengthen how we run our organization," says Evelyn Lahiji, COO of Children’s Dental Fun Zone. “Centralized billing and AI-supported diagnostics have made a big difference for our team and our patients. The Catalyst Index does a great job of showing what’s possible, and I think it will give other practices a practical way to evaluate what’s working and where they can improve.”
To explore the full report and benchmark your practice, visit: https://info.henryscheinone.com/catalystindex.
