With Dentrix CareCredit Integration, enable your team to offer patients financial options for out-of-pocket expenses.
Cost is often cited by patients as a reason they choose not to move forward with treatment. But in some instances, cost may be an excuse rather than a reason, especially when patients don’t value the dentistry. Also, patients’ concerns may not be the total cost of care, but how they can comfortably fit paying for care into their budget. When the team is empowered and prepared with the right information and solutions, it’s easier to have great financial conversations.
The financial conversation doesn’t happen until value is confirmed.
If a person doesn’t value something, it really doesn’t matter what it costs or what financial solutions are available. Start by confirming the patient understands the benefits of treatment and values those benefits by saying, “Mr. Patient, I’m here to help you achieve your dental health goals and understand the value of investing in the care Dr. Jones is recommending. Do you have any questions or are you ready to move forward with treatment?” The way patients respond will reveal if the next step is to continue on with the financial discussion, to redirect the patient back to the doctor for additional information on why the care is needed, or if there are other concerns that need to be addressed.
Present fees with confidence.
Sometimes it’s hard for a team member to present fees if they don’t understand the value of care, think the cost is expensive, or assume the patient cannot or will not want to pay for treatment. To be able to present with confidence, you must have confidence. This means educating and training the team so they thoroughly understand how different dental procedures not only benefit the patients’ oral health–but how care is connected to their overall health.
It also means understanding the team’s natural ability to discuss fees with patients. Training goes a long way, but it’s important to identify those team members who are confident and comfortable discussing costs and payment options with patients, especially when treatment needs and fees are significant.
Patients’ situations can change in between appointments. The patient may have just purchased a new home or is saving to send his twin daughters to college. It can be helpful to retrain the team to “be in the present,” discard any preconceived ideas on what patients want, need or can afford, and realize the only way to truly know this information is by asking.
Be prepared with the CareCredit Integration.
Before the conversation, the team should have everything they need to provide so the patient can make an informed decision. This includes what their dental insurance will contribute to the cost of care and if there will be an out-of-pocket investment. Additionally, CareCredit’s Quickscreen integration allows your practice to check which patients are pre-approved for a CareCredit credit card or those who are existing cardholders and if they have credit available. Connecting a patient’s CareCredit status alongside their insurance eligibility enables your team to offer patients all of their financial options for any out-of-pocket expense with greater confidence.
“Mr. Patient, your benefits will contribute $500 to the cost of care. That means you have an out-of-pocket investment of $800. I understand that you’re getting ready for that big vacation you’ve been waiting to go on. Would you prefer to pay this portion over time, possibly with promotional financing? We accept the CareCredit credit card as a payment option. Would you like to find out if you prequalify and what your monthly payments might be?”
Being prepared, asking questions, listening to the patient’s response, and providing solutions that meet their specific needs can help guide the financial dialogue to a positive outcome.
Learn More
Dentrix offers many opportunities to create an efficient system for your team while helping more patients get the treatment they need. For more information on the integration features, visit https://info.dentrix.com/carecredit.
