5 Way to Get to “Yes” on Major Dental Cases
We would all like to hear our patients say something like:
“Yes, I’ll start today! Here’s $25,000.00.”
But how do we get there without scaring the patient away from treatment with the price of it all? How do we justify the cost?
First, as treatment coordinators and front office staff, we need to stop acting as if our patients cannot pay for major services.
We need to present the case as if the patient could write a check on the spot.
Most patients who are about to start a major treatment plan know that they’re going to pay an amount equivalent to that of a car, in some cases.
Here are tools we can provide to our patients so that they can receive the best dental treatment and care.
How do you get a patient to accept dental treatment?
1. Give a discount for cash/check and credit card.
Offer a 5% cash or 3% credit card discount on anything over $1000.00. Sit down with your doctor and figure out the best discount for your office.
2. File insurance for patients that have dental coverage.
Although our office is fee for service and we’ll always be out of network, we’ll always file.
We educate our patients on what out-of-network benefits entail and that we’ll do everything we can to help with their claim.
3. File with the patient’s medical insurance.
In major cases, some of the treatment may be covered by the patient medical insurance. We use Devdent to help us verify benefits, get preauthorizations, and submit claims.
4. Have third-party lenders like CareCredit, Lending Club, or Wells Fargo available.
Let your patient know that most credit unions offer health loans.
5. If feasible, talk to the patient about performing their treatment in phases to help defer the costs involved.
6. Educate the patient as to the importance of dental treatment as it pertains to their overall health.
Having multiple tools to guide your patients on a path to better dental care and health is our ultimate goal. Helping patients achieve necessary care will make your office stand out and ultimately result in bringing new patients to your practice.
Many patients do not know what options are available.
Our job is to educate them, lay out the options, and help them make the best decisions.
Meet the Author
Jennifer is a former U.S. Army medic and has over 25 years of experience in the administrative field.
She received her MAADOM in 2020 and took on a two-year commitment as president of the Austin AADOM Chapter.
When Jenn has spare time, you can usually find her working with metals and creating art pieces in her home studio, 3doggsdesigns.
