Combating Cost-Conscious Patients: 4 Ways to Improve Case Acceptance
Trying to figure out how you can improve case acceptance in your dental practice?
While the ideal patient comes in for a cleaning every six months or more, many patients shy away from regular treatment. In order to have a successful practice, dentists should work towards increasing case acceptance among patients.
Dental patients may know they need your dental services, but they might not be ready to commit to your recommended treatments, especially if they’re concerned about the cost.
Thankfully, there are a few ways you can improve case acceptance among price-sensitive patients. Keep reading to learn exactly how you can get more patients on board with your recommendations for improved oral care.
1. Offer a Pre-Consultation Interview
The average dental case acceptance is only 34%. One way to improve your case acceptance numbers is by setting up a pre-consultation interview with your patients. This is an effective way to meet your patient, learn their goals, and if they have any concerns or anxieties about the treatment.
Scheduling an interview with your patient also allows you to build rapport and settle any nerves regarding the treatment and associated costs. By meeting beforehand, you’ll be able to create a comfortable and positive environment for your patients, increasing the likelihood they’ll follow through with your recommended treatments.
2. Talk Value Over Cost
Did you know only 63% of U.S. adults visit the dentist each year? This means roughly one out of every three American adults isn’t receiving proper dental care.
One reason more people aren’t visiting the dentist is due to fear of cost. However, when it comes to price-sensitive patients, it’s not so much about the cost of treatment as it is about the perceived value.
A proven way to increase case acceptance at your dental practice is to improve the presentation of the value of your treatments. A major focal point of selling your patient on specific treatment is to answer their underlying questions. Successful campaigns address the following concerns, even if patients don't ask in advance:
- What’s entailed with the recommended treatment?
- How long will the treatment and recovery take?
- What are the benefits and risks of the treatment?
- What are the potential consequences of not getting the treatment?
- How much will the treatment cost and what are the payment options?
Once you’ve handled all of these questions, your job is to understand the specific needs of your patient. Remember to focus less on the “what” and more on the “why” of treatment. This means highlighting the benefits rather than over explaining the technical aspects. For price-conscious patients, you must focus on how much they’ll save in the long run and the benefits each treatment provides to their overall health.
Your goal is to sell the value of the treatment and position it as an investment into your patient’s health and finances.
3. Make Sure the Timing Is Right
Knowing the last time a patient visited your practice and the types of treatment they’ve received is key to improving case acceptance. If they’re a new patient, take the time to find out the last time they went to any dentist.
If your patient has paid for dental work recently, it may be too soon to schedule additional treatment. Even if someone wanted treatment, they might not be able to afford it for a few months.
If someone isn’t ready to say yes to treatment now, don’t give up on them. Work together to figure out what the patient needs to move forward. If it means saving for a few months, then follow up with them when they’re able to afford treatment.
4. Offer Savings Through a Dental Subscription
The cost of dental work is one of the primary factors in case acceptance rates. For many people, staying up to date on preventive care and affording necessary treatment can be difficult without access to quality coverage.
One easy way to offset the stress and increase case acceptance is to offer a dental membership plan to your patients. With the right software, a dental membership plan can be a fast and affordable way to help patients access the care they need while helping them offset the cost.
With Kleer’s intuitive membership platform, your practice can offer a simple, transparent subscription-based plan directly to patients.
Final Thoughts
Improving case acceptance rates doesn’t have to be a challenge for dental practices.
Implementing a pre-consultation interview, focusing on the value of treatment over cost, strategically timing treatments, and offering financial options are all wonderful ways practices can increase the chances that patients will follow through with the recommended treatment.
If you’re looking to increase case acceptance among cost-conscious patients, Kleer can help. To learn more, request a consultation and launch your plan for free today.
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