What Is Hourly Profit per Chair in a Dental Practice?
Hourly Profit per Chair measures how much net profit your dental practice generates per hour of available chair time — after deducting variable costs like associate pay, lab fees, materials, and running costs (e.g. nurse time, utilities).
It’s one of the most powerful ways to assess whether time in your clinic is being monetised effectively — and which treatments, teams, or sessions are actually delivering profit.
Why Hourly Profit per Chair Matters for Dental Practice Owners
Most clinics track:
- Production per day
- Associate % split
- Total revenue per month
But very few know how much profit they generate per operatory hour — even though it’s the most finite and expensive resource in the building.
Example:
You have 4 chairs running 8 hours/day → 32 chair hours/day
Let’s say total daily net profit (after variable costs) is £960
→ Hourly profit per chair = £30/hour
That’s your baseline.
Now ask:
- Which associate is driving it?
- Which treatments drag it down?
- Can you lift it to £50/hour — and add £12,800/month in net profit?
Hourly Profit vs. Hourly Production
| Metric | Includes | Used For |
| Hourly Production | Fees billed | Associate targets, turnover |
| Hourly Profit | Net margin after pay, labs, and direct costs | True business profitability |
| Hourly Profit per Chair | Net profit ÷ available chair hours | Operational efficiency |
DentPulse calculates all three — and lets you optimise treatment mix and scheduling to lift true profitability.
How DentPulse Tracks Hourly Profit per Chair
| Feature | Function |
| PCPT™ – Profit Centre Performance Tracker | Measures profit per chair hour in real time |
| EEE™ – EBIT Efficiency Engine | Combines chair, associate, and treatment efficiency into one score |
| TreatmentIQ | Identifies low-margin treatments that waste chair time |
| Occupancy Engine | Tracks booked vs. unbooked hours across chairs |
| Scenario Modeller | Tests how shifting case mix or raising fees lifts chair profitability |
DentPulse helps you increase profit per hour — not just fill hours blindly.
DentPulse Tip™
Your chairs are your most expensive asset.
If they aren’t earning a profit each hour — they’re costing you.Track, benchmark, and optimise hourly profit just like a hotel tracks occupancy revenue.
Related Glossary Terms
- PCPT™ – Tracks chair-level utilisation and profit
- TreatmentIQ – Breaks down profit/hour by procedure
- Chair Occupancy – Percentage of booked vs. available chair time
- High-Margin Treatments – Boost hourly profit without longer bookings
- EEE™ – Scores overall EBIT efficiency including chair leverage
Glossary Summary Table
| Term | Meaning |
| Hourly Profit per Chair | Net profit generated per available chair hour after variable costs |
| Formula | Net Profit ÷ Total Chair Hours |
| Use Case | Tracks operational profitability, supports pricing + scheduling |
| DentPulse Advantage | Real-time tracking by chair, associate, and treatment — with clear red–amber–green diagnostics |
