How much is each phone call worth to your healthcare practice? The answer varies dramatically by specialty: dental groups average $47 in revenue per call, while veterinary practices average $78. These benchmarks, based on 2025 data from 150+ multi-location healthcare groups, reveal why intake optimization delivers different ROI by specialty and what you should target for your group.
Table of Contents
- Methodology
- Overall Benchmarks
- Dental Revenue Per Call
- Optometry Revenue Per Call
- Veterinary Revenue Per Call
- Medical Practice Revenue Per Call
- Factors That Impact Revenue Per Call
- Benchmarks by Practice Size
- The Cost of Missed Calls
- How to Calculate Your Own
- Key Takeaways
Methodology
This benchmark report combines three data sources:
Aggregated customer data: Anonymized call volume and revenue data from multi-location healthcare groups using intake optimization solutions.
Industry survey: Original survey of 150+ multi-location healthcare operators conducted in Q4 2025.
Published research: Validation against MGMA, ADA, AOA, AVMA, and specialty association data.
Definitions
Revenue per call: Total practice revenue divided by total incoming calls. This composite metric captures the full value chain from call to completed care.
New patient lifetime value (LTV): Total revenue from a patient over the typical relationship duration, discounted to present value.
Conversion rate: Percentage of calls that result in a scheduled appointment (for scheduling-eligible calls).
Sample Composition
| Specialty | Number of Groups | Total Locations | Total Monthly Calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental | 62 | 485 | 142,000 |
| Optometry | 38 | 220 | 58,000 |
| Veterinary | 35 | 310 | 87,000 |
| Medical | 22 | 165 | 52,000 |
Overall Benchmarks
Revenue Per Call by Specialty
| Specialty | Revenue Per Call | New Patient LTV | Avg Conversion Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental | $47 | $1,200 | 68% |
| Optometry | $38 | $800 | 65% |
| Veterinary | $78 | $2,000 | 62% |
| Primary Care | $42 | $1,100 | 58% |
| Dermatology | $95 | $2,500 | 64% |
| Orthopedics | $112 | $3,200 | 55% |
Why the Variation?
Service complexity and value: Specialties with higher-value services (surgery, complex procedures) generate more revenue per patient interaction.
Visit frequency: Dental and optometry patients typically visit 1-2 times per year. Veterinary patients may visit more frequently. Medical specialties vary widely.
Ancillary revenue: Optometry includes optical retail. Veterinary includes pharmacy and supplies. These add to per-patient revenue.
Patient lifetime: Some specialties see patients for years or decades. Others have more transactional relationships.
Dental Revenue Per Call
Benchmark Data
| Metric | Median | Top Quartile | Bottom Quartile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue per call | $47 | $62 | $34 |
| New patient conversion | 68% | 78% | 55% |
| New patient LTV | $1,200 | $1,800 | $850 |
| Calls per new patient | 1.8 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
Dental-Specific Factors
Insurance mix matters. Practices with higher PPO vs. HMO/Medicaid mix see higher revenue per call due to better reimbursement.
Specialty services lift value. Groups offering implants, orthodontics, or cosmetic services generate higher per-patient revenue than general dentistry alone.
Hygiene recall drives volume. Practices with strong recall programs generate more calls but at lower per-call value (existing patient appointments vs. new patient inquiries).
Dental Benchmarks by Service Mix
| Practice Type | Revenue Per Call |
|---|---|
| General dentistry only | $38 |
| General + specialty referral | $47 |
| Integrated specialty (implants, ortho) | $58 |
| DSO with full specialty | $65 |
Optometry Revenue Per Call
Benchmark Data
| Metric | Median | Top Quartile | Bottom Quartile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue per call | $38 | $52 | $28 |
| New patient conversion | 65% | 75% | 52% |
| New patient LTV | $800 | $1,200 | $550 |
| Capture rate (exam to optical) | 58% | 72% | 45% |
Optometry-Specific Factors
Capture rate is the multiplier. Optometry revenue per call correlates strongly with optical capture rate. Groups achieving 70%+ capture see significantly higher revenue per call.
VSP/managed vision reduces per-patient value. Heavy managed vision mix lowers revenue per call due to lower reimbursement and capped optical allowances.
Contact lens revenue is recurring. Groups with strong contact lens programs see higher patient lifetime value from repeat orders.
Optometry Benchmarks by Capture Rate
| Capture Rate | Revenue Per Call |
|---|---|
| Below 50% | $28 |
| 50-60% | $35 |
| 60-70% | $45 |
| Above 70% | $55 |
Veterinary Revenue Per Call
Benchmark Data
| Metric | Median | Top Quartile | Bottom Quartile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue per call | $78 | $105 | $55 |
| New patient conversion | 62% | 72% | 48% |
| New patient LTV | $2,000 | $3,500 | $1,200 |
| Revenue per visit | $185 | $245 | $125 |
Veterinary-Specific Factors
Emergency adds significant value. Practices with emergency services see higher revenue per call due to higher-value urgent visits.
Pet lifetime varies by species. Dog owners typically have longer relationships than cat owners. Exotic pets vary widely.
Pharmacy and products matter. Groups capturing more pharmacy and food sales in-house generate higher per-patient value.
Veterinary Benchmarks by Service Model
| Practice Type | Revenue Per Call |
|---|---|
| General practice only | $58 |
| General + urgent care | $78 |
| General + emergency | $95 |
| Specialty/referral | $125 |
Medical Practice Revenue Per Call
Benchmark Data
| Metric | Primary Care | Dermatology | Orthopedics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue per call | $42 | $95 | $112 |
| New patient conversion | 58% | 64% | 55% |
| New patient LTV | $1,100 | $2,500 | $3,200 |
| Revenue per visit | $165 | $285 | $425 |
Medical-Specific Factors
Procedure revenue drives specialty value. Dermatology with cosmetic procedures and orthopedics with surgical interventions generate significantly higher revenue per patient.
Risk contract impact varies. Practices in value-based arrangements may see different economics than fee-for-service.
Referral patterns matter. Primary care generates referrals to specialists, creating downstream value not captured in direct revenue per call.
Factors That Impact Revenue Per Call
Beyond specialty, several factors influence revenue per call:
Payer Mix
| Payer Type | Impact on Revenue Per Call |
|---|---|
| Commercial PPO | +15-25% above average |
| Medicare | -5-15% below average |
| Medicaid | -25-40% below average |
| Self-pay/cash | Variable |
Geographic Market
| Market Type | Impact |
|---|---|
| Urban/suburban affluent | +10-20% |
| Urban competitive | Average |
| Suburban average | Average |
| Rural | -10-20% |
Service Scope
Groups offering more comprehensive services within their specialty generate higher revenue per call through:
- Higher per-visit revenue
- Better conversion (one-stop-shop appeal)
- Longer patient relationships
Benchmarks by Practice Size
Revenue per call generally increases with practice size due to operational leverage and service breadth.
| Location Count | Revenue Per Call | Variance from Average |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 locations | $35 | -12% |
| 6-10 locations | $42 | +5% |
| 11-25 locations | $48 | +20% |
| 25+ locations | $52 | +30% |
Why Scale Helps
Better conversion rates: Larger groups typically have more sophisticated intake processes and training. A dedicated medical answering service can dramatically improve conversion at scale.
Broader services: Multi-location groups often offer specialty services not available at smaller practices.
Stronger negotiating power: Better payer contracts improve per-visit revenue.
Operational leverage: Fixed costs spread across more patients increase net revenue per interaction.
The Cost of Missed Calls
Revenue per call also quantifies the cost of missed calls.
Missed Call Cost by Specialty
| Specialty | Avg Missed Calls/Day | Cost Per Missed | Daily Loss | Annual Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental (15 loc) | 22 | $47 | $1,034 | $267,840 |
| Optometry (10 loc) | 15 | $38 | $570 | $147,630 |
| Veterinary (12 loc) | 25 | $78 | $1,950 | $505,050 |
Calculating Your Missed Call Cost
Step 1: Count missed calls (total incoming minus answered)
Step 2: Multiply by your specialty’s revenue per call benchmark (or calculate your own)
Step 3: Multiply by your estimated capture rate for missed call recovery (typically 10-20% without callback)
Result: True opportunity cost of missed calls
Front desk outsourcing can help capture more of these calls and convert them into revenue.
How to Calculate Your Own
Revenue Per Call Formula
Revenue Per Call = Total Revenue (Period) / Total Incoming Calls (Period)
Data Requirements
- Total revenue for the period (from accounting/PMS)
- Total incoming call count (from phone system)
- Match the same time period for both
Refinements
New patient revenue per call: Total new patient revenue / New patient inquiry calls
Appointment revenue per call: Total appointment revenue / Scheduling-related calls
By location: Calculate separately for each location to identify variation
Benchmarking Your Results
| Your Result vs. Benchmark | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Above 75th percentile | Strong performance, focus on volume |
| 50th-75th percentile | Good performance, optimization opportunities |
| 25th-50th percentile | Below average, significant improvement potential |
| Below 25th percentile | Major opportunity or data issues |
Key Takeaways
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Revenue per call varies dramatically by specialty. Veterinary ($78) and dermatology ($95) generate nearly double dental ($47) and optometry ($38).
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Within specialty, capture and conversion drive variation. Optometry groups with 70%+ capture rate generate $55 per call vs. $28 for those below 50%.
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Practice size correlates with revenue per call. 25+ location groups generate 30% higher revenue per call than 1-5 location groups.
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Payer mix significantly impacts economics. Commercial PPO practices see 15-25% higher revenue per call than average.
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Missed calls have quantifiable cost. A 15-location dental group missing 22 calls daily loses approximately $268,000 annually. See our detailed missed call analysis for the full breakdown, and our DSO case study showing how one group recovered $1.2M.
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Calculate your own benchmark. Total revenue divided by total calls gives your baseline. Compare to specialty benchmarks to identify opportunity. Our KPI dashboard guide shows how to track these metrics systematically.
According to MGMA benchmarks, practices with systematic call tracking outperform those without by 15-25%. For optometry groups specifically, see our retail-clinical intake guide for specialty-specific optimization. Multi-location groups should also review our centralized vs. distributed framework for intake structure decisions.
Want to see how your practice compares? Schedule a consultation for a custom benchmark analysis.
