Dentistry is continuously moving towards a landscape driven more by preventive than reactive care. In private dentistry, in particular, this advance has proven just as economical for principals and their practices as it has been clinically beneficial for patient outcomes and treatment success. A vast range of sectors in the UK have gradually drifted away from the standard “pay-as-you-go” transaction models, from Netflix and Spotify to gyms and barbers. Structured, predictable memberships are finding their way into more industries and dentistry is no exception.
For dental principals, understanding the “subscription” concept is vital for long-term stability – particularly with the incorporation of it in the modern era of payment methods. Patients are growing increasingly cautious of traditional payment methods for treatment due to their association with less predictable fees. Rather, more patients than ever are looking for a model that represents transparency and consistency, aligning with the payment format they follow in many of their other monthly outgoings. Framing dental plans as more of a membership allows practices to secure clinical and financial stability.
Reducing the shock-factor
Regular attendance to the dentist is far from common, with less than half of the UK population visiting as recommended.[i] Primary reasons for this involve anxiety and cost – the latter of which cannot be solved through chairside support, unlike treatment inhibitions. Due to the fears of cost, patients often view the dental practice as a place to avoid – regularly causing them to only visit when they absolutely need to.
The introduction of a membership structure removes these inhibitions and converts reactive care into preventive care by making the fees more manageable. Oral hygiene visits, for example, being approached routinely allows the financial barriers to be overcome – creating more accessible care. Psychologically, patients no longer view the treatments as an expensive “purchase”, but rather as a “benefit” they have already funded. Although the payment is technically the same, the perception alteration encourages many more benefits for the practice.
Clinically preventive outcomes
Clinically, the “membership” model delivers the best results regarding prevention-specific care.[ii] When a patient arrives at the practice with an urgent issue, not only is the cost going to be higher for them, but the treatment could be more invasive and complicated.
Opposingly, when patients maintain regular check-ups and comprehensive cleans, they reduce the chances of requiring critical treatment in the future, inevitably saving them both money and hardship in the long run. Consistent care, particularly like that promoted by dental plans, helps patients take accountability of their oral health.
Patients that enter into a dental plan make long-term treatment planning easier to achieve, rather than dealing with the consequences of immediate fixes that inevitably become required. For patients, this means a higher chance of retaining their natural dentition, with earlier diagnostics and better results.[iii] For the practice, this means greater manageability and less stress in scheduling and treatment planning, etc.
Although revenue is traditionally driven by treatment volume, clinical goals should always prioritise the maintenance of oral health, minimising intervention. It is also important to note that despite the reduced amount of treatment required per patient when care is approached preventively, practices themselves are not financially suffering as a result, but benefitting. By having a regular monthly income, businesses can work with a consistent budget and forecast their finances easier.
Building rapport with patients
Offering a dental plan is also an incredible way to build strong relationships with patients. By increasing the chance of frequent check-ups, plans boost the level of patient satisfaction due to the minimised level of invasive treatment required long-term.
The developed relationship further encourages compliance too – patients that trust their professionals are more likely to comply with their advice, recommendations, and instructions. While paying for each service introduces a subconscious disconnect between the patient and the practice, membership plans create a greater harmony. These relationships also make patients more likely to recommend your practice and services to others.
The role of dental plans
IndepenDent Care Plans (ICP) encompasses everything necessary when introducing dental plans to your patients. The bespoke practice-branded plans ensure that the identity of your practice is never compromised, whilst ensuring a steady and reliable income – growing without the stress. ICP assists with its reliable, experienced, and efficient team – there to make each step of the dental plan journey easy.
Aligning with patient expectations
Incorporating treatment plans into your practice not only aligns with the current landscape of wider payment models, but benefits your practice and patients both financially and clinically. Relationship-based, preventive care offers a multitude of benefits including less invasive treatment requirements, better compliance, an increased number of organic recommendations, and more.
For more information and to book a no-obligation consultation, please visit ident.co.uk or call 01463 222 999
Author: Dr Robert Donald, IndepenDent Care Plans Director
[i] Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Adult oral health survey 2021: service use and barriers to accessing care. Published January 25, 2024.
[ii] Giannobile WV, Braun TM, Caplis AK, Doucette-Stamm L, Duff GW, Kornman KS. Patient Stratification for Preventive Care in Dentistry. Journal of Dental Research. 2013;92(8):694-701. doi:10.1177/0022034513492336
[iii] Conquest, J.H., Skinner, J., Kruger, E. et al. Adult capped dental payment model applied within a university setting: an Australian reflective case study. BMC Oral Health 21, 414 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-021-01774-y
