What Is Cost per Dental Appointment?
Cost per dental appointment is the average expense your practice incurs each time a patient sits in the chair — regardless of whether they accept or pay for treatment.
It factors in fixed and variable costs linked to delivering dentistry, giving you a true baseline for what every appointment really costs your business.
Why Cost per Dental Appointment Matters for Dental Practice Owners
Many owners underestimate how expensive each chair slot is. Even a “quick check-up” carries real overhead. If appointments go unfilled, cancelled, or wasted, these costs don’t disappear — they erode profit.
Example:
- Monthly fixed costs: £86,000
- Appointments available: 2,000 slots
- Cost per appointment = £43
If 200 slots are lost to no-shows or cancellations, that’s £8,600 in wasted cost.
Understanding cost per appointment helps you:
- Price treatments strategically
- Reduce losses from missed appointments
- Improve chair-time utilisation
Formula for Cost per Dental Appointment
Cost per Appointment=Total Fixed + Variable CostsTotal Number of Appointments\text{Cost per Appointment} = \frac{\text{Total Fixed + Variable Costs}}{\text{Total Number of Appointments}}Cost per Appointment=Total Number of AppointmentsTotal Fixed + Variable Costs
- Fixed Costs = rent, salaries, utilities, equipment leases
- Variable Costs = materials, labs, associate pay (per treatment basis)
- Appointments = total available patient slots in the period
How DentPulse Tracks Cost per Appointment Automatically
| Feature | Function |
| PCPT™ (Profit Centre Performance Tracker) | Allocates fixed costs per chair and per appointment |
| Appointment Sync | Links costs with actual diary utilisation |
| No-Show Overlay | Shows cost impact of DNAs and late cancellations |
| Scenario Modelling | Tests impact of adding/hiring new chairs or associates |
DentPulse makes the invisible cost of appointments visible — so owners can stop silent profit leaks.
DentPulse Tip™
“Every empty slot costs you money.
Knowing your cost per appointment turns cancellations into a measurable — and solvable — profit issue.”
Related Glossary Terms
- Chair Time Utilisation – How effectively available appointments are filled
- Fixed Expenses – Baseline overhead included in every appointment
- Variable Costs – Expenses tied to each treatment
- Appointment Gaps (Lost Chair Time) – Cost of missed or wasted slots
- Revenue per Chair – Income earned against cost per chair/appointment
Glossary Summary Table
| Term | Meaning |
| Cost per Appointment | Average cost incurred for each patient slot, filled or not |
| Purpose | Reveal true financial impact of appointments and no-shows |
| DentPulse Advantage | Automated cost allocation + no-show impact tracking via PCPT™ |
