Optimizing Dental Practice Workflow: An Integrated Healthcare Management Review

Abstract

Dental practices face increasing operational complexity, rising administrative load, patient flow challenges, and growing expectations for high-quality, efficient care. This review integrates evidence-based healthcare management models"including Lean Six Sigma, workflow mapping, time"motion analysis, key performance indicators (KPIs), revenue cycle optimization, digital transformation, and leadership frameworks"to create a structured, interdisciplinary approach for improving dental practice efficiency. Forty-two studies were evaluated, demonstrating that structured workflow engineering, digital integration, and leadership-driven culture change significantly increase productivity, reduce appointment cycle time, improve patient satisfaction, and enhance financial performance. This review provides an applied, MBA-based operational framework for modern dental practices.