Locum Tenens Coverage: Your Hygiene Hole Costs More Than You Think

Locum Tenens Coverage: Your Hygiene Hole Costs More Than You Think

Locum Tenens Coverage: Your Hygiene Hole Costs More Than You Think

When your hygienist calls out sick, you have three options: cancel that schedule (lost $2,000-$3,500 production), work it yourself (burns your doctor time), or call a locum agency. Locums charge $55-$75/hour, which sounds expensive until you price the alternative.

Losing $2,800 in production over canceled hygiene costs you $1,800-$2,100 after overhead. A locum at $65/hour for 8 hours costs $520. You save $1,300 in that day alone.

The math changes for planned absences. A 10-day vacation without coverage costs $28,000 in lost hygiene production. Locum coverage costs $3,900. But here's the trap: booking locums requires 4-6 weeks lead time in busy markets. Miss that window and you're paying premium rates or canceling.

Smart practices budget 2-3% of annual revenue for planned locum coverage (vacations, maternity, sabbaticals) instead of absorbing the production hit. For a $1.5M practice, that's $30K-$45K annually. Counterintuitive? Yes. Until you realize unplanned cancellations already cost you that much without a safety net.

Build the locum relationship now. Pre-credential them. Test them with one easy day. When you need them, you're ready.

Source: DSO Staffing Solutions and Locum Tenens Economics (2025)