According to the aforementioned profitability survey, for 2004 overhead is as follows:
Endo: 43.8%
Oral Sx: 50.3%
Pedo: 52.9%
Perio: 57.4%
Ortho: 57.5%
General: 60.9%
As I said, I'm sure you can find offices well over (and well under) these figures but they are all in the ranges I've read.
The article is in depth numbers-wise for each specialty and GP with nice text breakdowns of each specialty, comparing past numbers, profitability, etc etc. One of these days I'll scan it.
I thought about posting the entire article earlier but feel like too many dents and pre-dents will read it and choose specialties based on the $$ (more than usual at least). Perhaps if some of the vets in here were interested I would email or PM the file.
Here is a snippet regarding OMFS since there are a bunch of you on here:
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"Oral surgery recorded another gain in practice profit percentages in 2004. Total ovehead expenses declined from 51.8% in 2003 to 50.3% in 2004, as a result of lower occupancy and nonoperating costs, for a drop of 1.5% points. Meanwhile, profit percentages increased from 48.2% in 2003 to 49.7% in 2003. Oral surgery continues to sport the secong highest profit percentage in dentistry, ranking it only behind endodontics.
Compared to five years ago, practice overhead expenses are up from 45.9% in 1999 to 50.3% currently, while profit percentages are down 4.4 percentage points from 54.1% in 1999 to 49.7% in 2004.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=250339