New patient value calculator
First-year and lifetime value of each new patient — the number that sets your marketing budget.
New patient value is what a first-time patient is worth in year one and over the years they stay. Add the first-visit revenue to the treatment they accept in year one, then add the annual revenue for each remaining year of retention. In most general practices a new patient is worth well over a thousand dollars in the first year and several thousand over their lifetime. That lifetime figure sets your ceiling on acquisition cost, which most practices cap at 15–25% of lifetime value.
How this is calculated
- Year one = first visit + treatment accepted.
- Lifetime = year one + (years − 1) × annual revenue.
- Many practices cap acquisition cost at 15–25% of lifetime value.
Frequently asked questions
What does a new patient cost to acquire?
Use the Cost Per New Patient Calculator to find yours. Across most markets $150–$400 per new patient is typical for general dentistry, with implant and orthodontic patients costing more. Compare that with 20% of lifetime value to see whether you are overspending or underspending.
Why is the first year worth more than later years?
New patients typically arrive with a backlog of untreated work, so year one usually includes a comprehensive exam, radiographs and the first round of restorative treatment. After that they settle into a maintenance pattern of recalls and occasional treatment, which is what the annual revenue figure captures.
What data do I need to work this out properly?
Filter your practice software for patients whose first visit was 12–24 months ago and report their collections in the first twelve months. That gives first-visit and year-one treatment figures from your own practice rather than a guess. Retention comes from the same cohort over time.
My new patients are worth less than the default. What should I look at?
Usually it is treatment acceptance or follow-up rather than the patients themselves. Check how much diagnosed treatment from new-patient exams is actually booked, and whether they are being placed into the recall system. Marketing that attracts price-driven one-off visits also drags this number down.
Related calculators
All dentist calculators- Cost per new patientWhat each new patient actually costs you across all channels.Open calculator →
- Patient lifetime valueWhat is one patient worth to your practice over the years they stay?Open calculator →
- Treatment acceptance rateHow much of the treatment you diagnose actually gets booked?Open calculator →
Benchmarks are indicative for general practice in most markets. Last updated 18 Sept 2026. See our methodology.