What Are Net Collections in a Dental Practice?
Net Collections refer to the actual cash received from patient treatments and NHS contracts — after refunds, write-offs, and bad debt adjustments.
It’s a key metric for understanding your real income inflow, especially when working across:
- Private patients
- Plan income
- NHS contracts
- Finance providers (e.g. Tabeo, Chrysalis)
Why Net Collections Matter for Dental Practice Owners
Most practices track gross production — but you can’t spend production that hasn’t been paid.
Net collections tell you:
- How much revenue has actually landed
- Whether you’re collecting what you’re producing
- If refunds, failed payments, or write-offs are creeping up
- How much cash is available for paying associates, tax, or drawings
Example:
- Total treatment value: £82,000
- Refunds + write-offs: £7,000
→ Net Collections = £75,000
→ That’s your true inflow — not £82K.
Net Collections vs. Gross Production: Key Differences
| Metric | Definition | Use |
| Gross Production | Treatment value recorded | Tells what was planned or delivered |
| Net Collections | Cash received after deductions | Tells what’s actually been collected |
| Collections % | Net Collections ÷ Gross Production | Reveals revenue conversion efficiency |
DentPulse tracks all three automatically — helping you catch silent leaks.
How DentPulse Tracks and Improves Net Collections
| Feature | Function |
| Accounts Receivable Tracker | Shows unpaid treatments, failed plans, and overdue NHS |
| Net Collections Dashboard | Breaks down inflow by payer and treatment type |
| CFFP™ Engine | Aligns expected cash timing with treatment delivery |
| PPP™ Overlay | Bases safe drawings on real cash, not gross production |
| Refund & Write-Off Alerts | Flags high-adjustment treatments or categories |
DentPulse turns inflow from a mystery into a measured, optimised asset.
DentPulse Tip™
Production is vanity.
Net collections are reality.
Track what hits the bank — not just what’s on the diary.This is where real profit starts.
Related Glossary Terms
- Gross Production – Total value of all planned/delivered treatments
- Accounts Receivable – Money owed but not yet collected
- CFFP™ – Cash Flow Future Pairing – Matches inflow timing with real commitments
- Refunds and Write-Offs – Major causes of lost revenue
- PTP™ – Profit-to-Pocket™ – Bases take-home planning on real cash
Glossary Summary Table
| Term | Meaning |
| Net Collections | The actual cash collected after refunds, adjustments, and write-offs |
| Purpose | Tracks true inflow and liquidity |
| Key Use | Drawing limits, tax planning, associate pay base |
| DentPulse Advantage | Tracks automatically and flags where money is being lost before it hits the bank |
