Two treatment rooms, one team, one rhythm
The daily plan shows who treats, assists, does prophylaxis or covers reception in each twenty-minute unit. Qualifications are stored so that professional cleaning does not depend on a free chair.
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- 20-minute rhythm as the default
- Prophylaxis tied to the dental hygienist group
- Assistance and sterilisation are part of the plan
In shortDental practices have to record all of the team's working time (section 3(2) no. 1 ArbSchG, Federal Labour Court, 13 September 2022); handwritten records are still allowed today. Planning, on the other hand, follows the treatment cycle. In the Professional plan, MetronHR plans the day in 20-minute slots, ties prophylaxis to the ZMP qualification and records working time in the app, the browser or at the terminal.
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What sits above time tracking in a dental practice
The treatment rhythm determines the daily plan, and delegation determines who may take which chair. Both are governed by law, and neither can be represented in a plain shift roster.
- Typical size
- 6 to 12 employees
- Price for 10 people
- 50 euros on Team, 100 euros on Professional
- Matching template
- Onboarding plan for practices, free of charge
- Dental hygienist training
- at least 400 hours under section 54 BBiG
Delegation under section 1 (5) and (6) ZHG
Certain services may be delegated to qualified prophylaxis staff: to dental assistants, to prophylaxis assistants and to dental hygienists, depending on the training completed.
The dental prophylaxis assistant qualification is further training under section 54 of the Vocational Training Act with at least 400 hours. For the daily plan that means prophylaxis depends on this qualification, not on a free chair. Anyone building the plan by attendance instead of qualification schedules appointments that nobody is allowed to take.
The dentist remains responsible
Only what does not require personal action may be delegated, and the dentist must satisfy themselves about the qualification, order the service, give professional instructions and supervise its execution.
For planning this creates a second condition: delegated services need someone on site to supervise. A plan in which prophylaxis runs while nobody with a licence is present will not stand up to inspection.
The 20-minute rhythm is not a working-time question, but it is a planning question
Treatment time and working time are two different quantities. Working time is recorded, the rhythm is planned.
Software that only knows shifts cannot represent the rhythm. MetronHR plans in a time grid with activities, so it is visible who takes treatment, prophylaxis or reception and when, and records working time to the minute alongside it.
Who may do what, by qualification
| Qualification | Basis | Typical tasks in the plan |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | Licence to practise under the ZHG | Treatment, ordering and supervising delegation |
| Dental assistants | Recognised training occupation | Assistance, reception, x-ray with the required expertise |
| Dental hygienist (ZMP) | Further training under section 54 BBiG, at least 400 hours | Individual prophylaxis, delegable services under section 1 (5) ZHG |
| Dental hygienist (DH) | Advanced vocational training | extended prophylaxis and periodontitis therapy within the delegated scope |
The precise scope of delegation follows from section 1 (5) and (6) ZHG and from the delegation frameworks of the dental chambers, which differ by federal state. As at 4 September 2026.
Dentist
- Basis
- Licence to practise under the ZHG
- Typical tasks in the plan
- Treatment, ordering and supervising delegation
Dental assistants
- Basis
- Recognised training occupation
- Typical tasks in the plan
- Assistance, reception, x-ray with the required expertise
Dental hygienist (ZMP)
- Basis
- Further training under section 54 BBiG, at least 400 hours
- Typical tasks in the plan
- Individual prophylaxis, delegable services under section 1 (5) ZHG
Dental hygienist (DH)
- Basis
- Advanced vocational training
- Typical tasks in the plan
- extended prophylaxis and periodontitis therapy within the delegated scope
The precise scope of delegation follows from section 1 (5) and (6) ZHG and from the delegation frameworks of the dental chambers, which differ by federal state. As at 4 September 2026.
Further reading: Section 1 (5) and (6) of the Dental Practice Act · Section 54 of the Vocational Training Act (dental hygienist training regulations) · Delegation framework of the German Dental Association for dental assistants
As at: September 2026. This is not legal advice; for a specific case in your business it is better to ask someone with a licence to practise.
The treatment plan is set, the staff plan is not
Appointment scheduling knows every treatment unit. Who covers it, assists and reprocesses afterwards sits in a second list or in none at all.
- Problem
Assistance is assumed, not planned
The treatment is in the appointment book, the second person beside it is taken for granted. Until someone is off sick and both rooms are supposed to run at once.
- Problem
Prophylaxis depends on a qualification
Not everyone may carry out professional tooth cleaning. In a spreadsheet this condition appears nowhere, so it gets decided by glancing into the room.
- Problem
Reprocessing falls off the end
Sterilisation and documentation take time, but appear in no plan and therefore regularly end up after closing time.
The practice day in treatment rhythm
The template for dental practices comes with the groups dentists, dental assistants, dental hygienists and prophylaxis, trainees and reception, plus treatment, prophylaxis, surgery, orthodontics, x-ray, assistance, lab and technology, reception, phone, billing, documentation and sterilisation. Grid interval 20 minutes.
Reprocessing is scheduled, not left overWhatever is in the plan counts towards planned time. Sterilisation and documentation included.
Three steps to the daily plan
Template, blocks, release.
Load the template for the dental practice
Qualification groups, thirteen activities with colour and abbreviation, two staffing rules and the 20-minute rhythm are preset. The prophylaxis activity is tied to the dental hygienist group out of the box.
The qualification question then lives in the system, not in someone's head
Template with activities and rules Ready for the industry
The groups, time grid and rules of a practice are already there. You only change what differs for you.
Activities with short codes
Every activity has a short code for the plan and is marked billable or internal.
Template for the practiceGroups, activities, grid, rulesGroupsDoctors, medical assistants, trainees, reception, labGrid30 minutes, 08:00 to 19:30RulesDoctors require a medical assistant, reception at least 1Consultation hoursCON · Doctors, medical assistantsbillableBlood testsBT · Medical assistantsbillableReceptionREC · ReceptioninternalPlace blocks, apply patterns
Drag a time span in a person's column and pick an activity. A day pattern applies a typical treatment day to further days instead of retyping it.
The recurring practice day is built once
Treatment block in the 20-minute grid Day in activitiesAylin Demir · ThursdayThat day9:00hBillable6:00hConsultation hoursbillable4:45hDocumentation1:30hMaintenancebillable1:15hHandover0:45hBreak0:45hRelease and share
The published plan is available on the web, in the app and as a PDF. Anyone who wants to hand over a block offers it for pickup; approval stays with practice management.
Swaps run in an orderly way instead of through the team messenger group
Released daily plan Day plan for Friday, 6 NovemberPublished on Thursday, 17:020810121416
Dr. LindnerSPRSPRSPR
Sophie B.ANMANMTEL
Lena H.BELABDOKReminder sent to all three the evening before.
Features for the dental practice
From the treatment rhythm to the hours account, in one system.
- Planning
20-minute rhythm as the default
The grid matches the usual treatment rhythm.
Freely adjustable from 5 to 60 minutes.
- Team
Qualification attached to the activity
Prophylaxis is tied to the dental hygienist group.
A warning while planning, an open item when publishing.
- Planning
Treatment and assistance side by side
Both columns show the same time span.
The rule „dentists require a dental assistant“ checks this across the day.
- Time
Hour balance in the same sheet
Target, planned and difference per person below the grid.
Without a special permission everyone sees only their own row.
- Documents
X-ray certificate and further training
Certificates sit in the digital personnel file.
With a reminder before a deadline expires.
- Apps
Hand over and pick up blocks
The team arranges the swap, management approves.
In the app for iOS and Android, with a reminder the evening before.
- Reports
Analysis by activity
How much time went into prophylaxis, how much into surgery?
Each row of the export gives person, activity and duration.
- Security
Working Time Act checked while planning
MetronHR checks maximum working time and rest periods when assigning.
Operation and storage in Germany.
Who in the practice benefits
Four roles, four different questions for the same plan.
- Practice owner
Two rooms sensibly staffed
- The second chair only runs when there happens to be enough assistance around.
- The plan shows in advance whether treatment and assistance fit together.
- Dental hygienists and prophylaxis
Prophylaxis time is protected
- The cleaning hour gets rescheduled as soon as something comes up somewhere.
- The block is in the plan and tied to the qualification.
- Dental assistants
A clear day without asking around
- Whether today means assistance, reception or sterilisation gets sorted out in the morning.
- Your own blocks are fixed the evening before and available in the app.
- Billing
Analyse times per activity
- How much staff time goes into which service cannot be quantified.
- The block export gives activity, duration and person per row.
Secure and traceable
The practice's personnel data stays in Germany and tightly restricted.
- Operated in German data centres, GDPR compliant
- Other people's hour figures stay hidden without a permission
- Reasons for absence are visible only to those allowed to see them
- A complete history of every change to the plan
All the features of the daily plan
Grid, staffing rules, hour calculation, PDF printing and Excel export at a glance.
Related
Where to go from here, and what waits for you there.
Frequently asked questions from dental practices
Answered briefly, before you start.
Question not answered here? Every step is explained in the help centre.
Send us a messageCan MetronHR prevent prophylaxis from being planned incorrectly?
In the template the prophylaxis activity is tied to the dental hygienist group. If it is assigned to someone else, MetronHR points this out while planning and lists it as an open item when publishing.
Why 20 minutes and not 30?
Because that matches the typical treatment rhythm. The template starts there; 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 60 minutes per grid cell can be set.
Does the plan also cover sterilisation and documentation?
Yes, both are separate activities in the template. That means they count towards planned time and show up in the hours comparison instead of ending as unpaid leftover work.
How do employees swap blocks with each other?
Through the app. A block is offered for handover, colleagues register interest, and practice management approves. After that the updated plan is available to everyone.
Does this replace our appointment management?
No. MetronHR plans the staff, not patient appointments, and has no interface to practice management systems. The two run side by side: the appointment book for patients, the daily plan for the team.
Which plan includes shift planning?
In the Professional plan, at 10 € per user per month. During the 14-day trial you can try it without obligation.
Plan the treatment day instead of improvising it
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