- Joined
- Jun 17, 2002
- Messages
- 121
- Reaction score
- 0
I shadowed a general dentist today and he said that he has 80% overhead. Is overhead for a general dentist normally that high?
overhead ?
- Thread starter nug
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2001
- Messages
- 294
- Reaction score
- 0
I don't think overhead is generally that high. I thought that it was generally around 60-65%, but it can be lower.
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2002
- Messages
- 3,044
- Reaction score
- 371
In our practice management class, we learned overhead in dentistry is around 70 - 75%.
DesiDentist
G. S. Khurana, DMD, MBA
Moderator Emeritus
Vendor
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2001
- Messages
- 1,573
- Reaction score
- 2
I thought overhead was around 50-55%. I think most dentists hit around that range.
DrJeff should give us a clear cut answer. Maybe 70-80% is more incoming dentists who just graduated and are including their loans as well.
DesiDentist
DrJeff should give us a clear cut answer. Maybe 70-80% is more incoming dentists who just graduated and are including their loans as well.
DesiDentist
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2000
- Messages
- 2,938
- Reaction score
- 658
Overhead, overhead, overhead. Something that you'll love and hate at the same time. The average amongst offices in my area (Southeastern New England) based on informal discussions with my colleagues is in the 55 to 65% range. I've heard of ranges from 30% all the way upto 85%
Things to remember though about overhead: You need to look at the fixed cost side(rent, equipment purcahses, salaries {basically these are fixed costs}, insurance for the practice, liscense fees, etc) verses the variable expenses (supplies, lab fees, continuing education costs, equipment purchases, etc). Notice that equipment purchases are both a fixed cost (paying off already bought equipment) and a variable cost (buying new "toys" for the office).
Last year, my office had an overhead of 53.6%, this year I'll almost guarentee that we'll be above 60% (we just bought a soft tissue Nd:Yag laser (chalk up $27,000+ to the varibale expenses, and a bleaching light ($3000) and we finished off equiping the new operatory that we built the end of last year add another $10000 to the variable side) This will drive up our overhead for this year, but these are costs that won't be occurring every year. As a rule of thumb if your looking at a progressive office, you'll have a higher overhead since new technology is always being incorporated into the office. Offices with lower overhead may not have as large an investment and interest in new technology.
Things to remember though about overhead: You need to look at the fixed cost side(rent, equipment purcahses, salaries {basically these are fixed costs}, insurance for the practice, liscense fees, etc) verses the variable expenses (supplies, lab fees, continuing education costs, equipment purchases, etc). Notice that equipment purchases are both a fixed cost (paying off already bought equipment) and a variable cost (buying new "toys" for the office).
Last year, my office had an overhead of 53.6%, this year I'll almost guarentee that we'll be above 60% (we just bought a soft tissue Nd:Yag laser (chalk up $27,000+ to the varibale expenses, and a bleaching light ($3000) and we finished off equiping the new operatory that we built the end of last year add another $10000 to the variable side) This will drive up our overhead for this year, but these are costs that won't be occurring every year. As a rule of thumb if your looking at a progressive office, you'll have a higher overhead since new technology is always being incorporated into the office. Offices with lower overhead may not have as large an investment and interest in new technology.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2000
- Messages
- 2,938
- Reaction score
- 658
Yes, the IRS falls into our variable overhead category. Most of the time it seems like that variable portion is too high!!
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2002
- Messages
- 84
- Reaction score
- 0
Dr Jeff, The IRS taxes us al too much. Now, I hope I'm not being too nosy but I'm no tax expert and I'm a curious guy... Just out of curiosity since you own your own business I know you have to pay business tax. But then do you have to pay an extra 40% income tax on the income you pay yourself, or do you just need to pay a 15% self employment tax? If it's the 40% income tax then it's way too excessive in the tax dept.
