The Financial Impact of Operatory Closures in an IPAC Lapse: Why Compliance is Essential
What is the Financial Worth of Each Operatory?
Every operatory in a dental practice represents a significant source of revenue. Based on minimum daily production estimates:
- A hygiene operatory generates at least $1,800 per day.
- A DDS operatory generates at least $3,000 per day.
Beyond direct production, every operatory also carries associated labour costs. In this analysis, we account for:
- Registered Dental Hygienists (RDH) @ $400 per day
- Certified Dental Assistants (CDA) @ $200 per day
- Administrative staff (Admin) @ $200 per day
This basic model does not include:
- Percentages paid to associate dentists
- Salaries for office managers
- Additional costs for percentages paid to specialists
Understanding the True Cost of Non-Compliance
The 1-day closure cost is calculated as:
Production loss + labour costs to pay staff when office is closed and office needs to quickly prepare an IPAC manual.
For example, a practice with 6 operatories (2 DDS and 4 RDH) has a daily production of $13,200. If the practice is forced to close for one day, the financial loss is:
For two days, this loss doubles to $32,000.
Now compare this to the cost of an IPAC manual, which ensures compliance and significantly reduces the risk of closures. The investment for an IPAC manual is only $3,499.99. A fraction of what it would cost if a practice were forced to shut down due to non-compliance.
maxill: Your Partner in Compliance and Protection
At maxill, we understand the immense dedication and hard work that goes into running a successful dental practice. Our expertly designed IPAC solutions provide everything your practice needs to stay compliant, protecting both your business and the patients who trust you. The cost of non-compliance is simply too high, with potential closures resulting in lost production, unexpected labour costs, and reputational damage. With a proactive approach to compliance, dental offices can avoid these risks entirely. For much less than the cost of a single day’s production, maxill provides the resources, guidance, and peace of mind your practice deserves. maxill has the answer. Let us help you protect what matters most, your practice, your patients, and your team. Let’s work together to make compliance simple, seamless, and stress-free. Because at maxill, your success is our priority.
Assess Your Practice’s Risk with This Simple Guide
The table below provides a cost analysis of an IPAC lapse, calculated per operatory based on whether it is designated for a DDS or RDH.
A 2-day closure can result in losses exceeding $60,000.
An IPAC manual costs just $3,499.99—providing peace of mind, protecting revenue, and ensuring compliance.
To understand the potential financial impact on your own practice, locate your office’s operatory count and setup in the table. This serves as a simple guide to help you reflect on the true cost of non-compliance and the importance of proactive IPAC management. Take a moment to see for yourself, what would a closure mean for your practice?
Cost Analysis of an IPAC Lapse Based on Number of Operatories in a Dental Office
| Number of Ops | DDS Operatory | RDH Operatory | Estimated Daily Production ($) | Team Labour Breakdown | Total Labour Cost ($) | 1 Day Closure Cost ($) | 2 Day Closure Cost ($) | IPAC Manual Investment ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 x 3000 | 2 x 1800 | 6600 | 2 RDH x 400 1 CDA x 200 2 ADMIN x 200 |
1400 | 8000 | 16000 | 3499.99 |
| 4 | 1 x 3000 | 3 x 1800 | 8400 | 3 RDH x 400 2 CDA x 200 2 ADMIN x 200 |
2000 | 10400 | 20800 | 3499.99 |
| 4 | 2 x 3000 | 2 x 1800 | 9600 | 2 RDH x 400 3 CDA x 200 2 ADMIN x 200 |
1800 | 11400 | 22800 | 3499.99 |
| 5 | 2 x 3000 | 3 x 1800 | 11400 | 3 RDH x 400 3 CDA x 200 2 ADMIN x 200 |
2200 | 13600 | 27200 | 3499.99 |
| 6 | 2 x 3000 | 4 x 1800 | 13200 | 4 RDH x 400 3 CDA x 200 3 ADMIN x 200 |
2800 | 16000 | 32000 | 3499.99 |
| 6 | 3 x 3000 | 3 x 1800 | 14400 | 3 RDH x 400 4 CDA x 200 3 ADMIN x 200 |
2600 | 17000 | 34000 | 3499.99 |
| 7 | 3 x 3000 | 4 x 1800 | 16200 | 4 RDH x 400 4 CDA x 200 3 ADMIN x 200 |
3000 | 19200 | 38400 | 3499.99 |
| 8 | 3 x 3000 | 5 x 1800 | 18000 | 5 RDH x 400 4 CDA x 200 4 ADMIN x 200 |
3600 | 21600 | 43200 | 3499.99 |
| 9 | 3 x 3000 | 6 x 1800 | 19800 | 6 RDH x 400 4 CDA x 200 4 ADMIN x 200 |
4000 | 23800 | 47600 | 3499.99 |
| 8 | 4 x 3000 | 4 x 1800 | 19200 | 4 RDH x 400 5 CDA x 200 4 ADMIN x 200 |
3400 | 22600 | 45200 | 3499.99 |
| 9 | 4 x 3000 | 5 x 1800 | 21000 | 5 RDH x 400 5 CDA x 200 4 ADMIN x 200 |
3800 | 24800 | 49600 | 3499.99 |
| 10 | 4 x 3000 | 6 x 1800 | 22800 | 6 RDH x 400 6 CDA x 200 4 ADMIN x 200 |
4400 | 27200 | 54400 | 3499.99 |
| 11 | 4 x 3000 | 7 x 1800 | 24600 | 7 RDH x 400 6 CDA x 200 4 ADMIN x 200 |
4800 | 29400 | 58800 | 3499.99 |
| 12 | 4 x 3000 | 8 x 1800 | 26400 | 8 RDH x 400 6 CDA x 200 4 ADMIN x 200 |
5200 | 31600 | 63200 | 3499.99 |
Try Entering Your Own Numbers
How much money could you lose if you fail an inspection? Closing your doors because of a failed inspection is costly not only to your wallet, but also to your reputation. Try our calculator to get an idea of how much money maxill's IPAC program can save you.
Use the Calculator
Michelle Aubé (Simmonds) RDH, maxill Dental Hygiene Educator
Michelle is a Dental Hygiene Speaker, Consultant and Educator with over 30 years of experience as a RDH and 4 years as a CDA. She is a professor and curriculum writer at Fanshawe College in both the dental hygiene and continuing education program sharing her knowledge in IPAC, professional practice, periodontal classification, social justice, advocacy and clinical applications. She is maxill's CE and IPAC Director and wears various IPAC hats including auditing federal correctional facilities dental clinics for IPAC standards. Michelle is ODHA's Regional Board Director and authors articles for CDHA's OH Canada professional publication and continues to practice clinically in London ON. She is a CDHO IPAC Remedial Facilitator and IPAC Expert Opinion. Her strong ethics has allowed her to serve on the Discipline Committee at Algonquin College and hold the position of a CDHO Quality Assurance Assessor for 7 years. As a lifelong learner she is completing a BA in Adult Education at Brock University. Her diverse dental background and current status as a practicing RDH offer a fulsome and realistic view of dental-related topics. As a passionate champion for the profession, she advocates for equity, professional autonomy, and systemic change, true grassroots leadership at its finest.
Michelle can be reached at [email protected]
