The verdict in three sentences
Digitizing a dental practice (bookings, records, billing) costs 3,000,000 to 12,000,000 FCFA as a custom build, or 20,000 to 80,000 FCFA/month as a SaaS subscription. SaaS suits a 1-to-3-chair practice that wants to start fast; custom becomes profitable for a multi-practitioner clinic or a network. In both cases, SMS reminders and a 3G-optimized app are the real levers of ROI per chair.
SaaS or custom: the comparison in FCFA
The choice depends on the number of chairs, patient volume and the practice's connectivity. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude for the East African market.
| Criterion | Healthcare SaaS | Custom Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 0 to 150,000 FCFA (setup) | 3,000,000 to 12,000,000 FCFA |
| Recurring cost | 20,000 to 80,000 FCFA/month | 100,000 to 300,000 FCFA/month (hosting + maintenance) |
| Time to launch | 1 to 4 weeks | 2 to 5 months |
| Works on 3G / offline | Depends on editor | Yes, degraded mode possible |
| Built-in SMS reminders | Often optional | Native |
| Data ownership | No | Yes |
| Mobile money payment | Rare | Native |
For a 2-chair practice, SaaS at 50,000 FCFA/month means 600,000 FCFA/year, i.e. 3,000,000 FCFA over 5 years. Custom at 6,000,000 FCFA + 150,000 FCFA/month works out to about 2,000,000 FCFA/year amortized, with code ownership and integrated mobile payments.
ROI per chair: no-shows and collection
The return is measured chair by chair: appointments kept, admin time and speed of collection via mobile money.
| Lever | Before | After digitization | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-show rate | 30 % | 15 % | -15 points |
| SMS reminders/month | 0 | ~600 | fewer no-shows |
| Admin time/day | 4 h | 1.5 h | -2.5 h |
| Collection delay | 3 to 10 days | Immediate (mobile money) | cash flow |
| Slots recovered/day/chair | — | ~4 | +revenue |
Mini case study
Dr Koffi runs a 2-chair dental practice in Nairobi with 30 % no-shows. He invests 6,000,000 FCFA in a custom tool with SMS reminders and mobile-money payment. No-shows drop to 15 %. With 28 appointments/day at 25,000 FCFA average, recovering 15 points, i.e. ~4 slots/day, represents 100,000 FCFA/day or about 2,400,000 FCFA/month of recovered billable capacity. The investment pays for itself in under three months, before counting the immediate mobile-money collection that improves cash flow.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
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Does the software work on an unstable 3G connection?
Yes, if the app is built for the region: local caching, deferred sync and a degraded mode. This is a point to demand explicitly in the specification.
Can we collect via mobile money?
Yes, it is a major differentiator. A custom tool natively integrates mobile-money providers, with automatic confirmation and SMS receipt, which few foreign SaaS offer.
How much do SMS reminders cost?
Expect 15 to 25 FCFA per SMS depending on carrier and volume. For 600 SMS/month, that is 9,000 to 15,000 FCFA, easily offset by the drop in no-shows.
SaaS or custom to start?
For 1 to 2 chairs wanting to test fast, SaaS is simpler. Beyond 3 chairs or for a network, custom becomes more profitable and makes you the owner of your data.
How long to deploy?
SaaS goes live in 1 to 4 weeks; custom takes 2 to 5 months, including migrating paper records and training the team.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the number of chairs, your patient volume and your mobile-payment needs, and we will price SaaS or custom. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
