How Many Operatories Can A Dentist Or A Hygienist Have In A Dental Office

According to the American Dental Association, there are over 201,000 dentists in the United States, and the number continues to rise each year with the arrival of at least 6,000-odd graduates entering the fray every year over the last few years. With so many new dentists or oral hygienists, it’s essential to know just how one should go about setting up their dental office. So, let’s take a look at some of the basics.

Operatories - How much is too much?

• For the Dentists

Studies previously have shown us that every dentist, established or otherwise, can, on average, manage three operatories on their own. Is three a magical number? Not necessarily, but they allow for the treatment when patients arrive in high volumes while also being just enough to expand into. Typically, a dentist will be shuffling between two to three operatories on the regular, with the first two a regular occurrence and the third, in case of emergencies.

• For the Hygienist

A dentist’s office isn’t complete without a couple of hygienists to help out. Ideally, every dental office needs to have two hygienists as they allow for the safe management of patient influx. An efficient dentist can handle the volume from two full-time hygienists as long as they are doing their work right without ever facing an overlap of equipment or space. Various studies have also pointed out to us that hygienists can effectively work with an assistant and see patients across two rooms.

Having the right setup for a dental business certainly goes a long way in not just offering the right treatment for patients, it also enables the dentist or hygienist to deal with the constant inflow of patients in a safe and organized manner without ever feeling crowded out.