Dental implant cost estimation using the Activity-Based Costing approach / 대한치과보철학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: There is a growing concern for the cost management of medical institutions. The purpose of this study was to estimate Activity-Based Costing (ABC) for dental implant cost. ABC refers to allocating resources or cost based on the activities of services. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A dental institution located in the metropolitan area was selected in this study. The tax accounting data of the institution were utilized to confirm total cost, and the institution was asked to make out clinical activities to figure out what activities were carried out. The direct cost and indirect cost for dental implant were separately estimated, and cost driver was analyzed to estimate the indirect cost accurately. RESULTS: The rates of the direct and indirect cost respectively stood at 35.8 and 49.5 percent. The cost for a dental implant was found to be approximately 1,579 won, and the cost of prosthetic surgery and treatment that included implant surgery accounted for the largest portion of the cost, which was 470 thousand won (30%). And the weight of training and education on dentistry was relatively higher than that of the other kinds of treatment. CONCLUSION: In order to ensure accurate and scientific costing for dental implant, not only direct medical procedure but every pre- and post-procedure activity should fully be taken into account. Pre-activities, post-activities, education and training are included in the indirect cost, but all these activities are mandatory and associated with the quality of treatment and the satisfaction level of patients.