Why do free dental consultations actually cost the team in terms of bonuses and profit sharing? Because the time the team spends delivering a free consultation is time not available for billable work, and the lost billable opportunity reduces the practice's net profit that bonuses and profit sharing get calculated from. The mechanics are not subtle. A team that participates in profit sharing or production bonuses earns a slice of the practice's net result. Free consultations consume operatory time, team labor, doctor attention, and front-office processing without generating direct revenue. The opportunity cost shows up as lower production for the day [...]