5 Reasons to Implement a Dental Patient Membership Plan

There are a whole lot of people out there who aren’t visiting your dental practice, and it’s mostly because they don’t have dental insurance and believe that dental care is unaffordable out of pocket. When you implement a patient membership plan at your office, you attract new patients with reasonable prices and ensure that you still get paid.

1. Customize the Patient Membership Plan for Your Office

A patient membership plan usually resembles a dental insurance policy. There is a low monthly fee for the service – like a subscription service – and it’s only good at your dental office, but the payout is significant. Annual services typically include:

• Two dental exams
• Two teeth cleanings
• Digital x-rays
• Fluoride treatments
• Discounts on other office procedures

But the best part is, you can customize your membership plan just the way you want it, so it works best for your patients. Offer multiple plans for adults and kids or offer specialized treatment for things like gum disease therapy or orthodontics.

2. Minimize Interactions with Insurance Companies

Anyone in the dental field knows that working with insurance companies is a pain. First you must qualify to be in network, and even if you’re not the paperwork and rules are extreme. Patients are frustrated and it’s easy to get blamed for poor customer experiences because of rejected claims, lack of coverage, and slow payouts.

Insurance companies have a big hand in your dental office pricing, demanding that dentists write off services. By taking matters into your own hands and developing a patient membership program in-house, you avoid unnecessary interactions with third-party providers.

3. Enjoy the Beauty of Recurring Revenue

Membership plans reliably generate revenue every month, which increases the value and stability of your practice. The income is automatic, especially when you offer patients the option for direct debit or recurring charges to pay their membership fees. There is no waiting for insurance companies to pay up. It’s income you can count on.

4. Switch Your Focus

Predictable income minimizes the stress you can develop from working to own and operate a dental practice. Patient membership programs allow a dental practice to focus on growth, more easily meet payroll, and even take time off.

5. Build Patient Loyalty

Patient membership programs usually renew annually, which gives you a year to tend to your patients and build patient loyalty. By delivering on the services you promised to the uninsured, people who visit your dental office will come to rely on your team and appreciate their participation in your plan. They don’t have to worry about their company switching insurance providers and you can offer incentives to keep them signing up in-house year after year.

Get Support from a DSO

If you’re ready to decrease your dependency on dental insurance companies and increase your bottom line thanks to recurring revenue, schedule a consultation with the experts at Independence Dental DSO. Learn about patient membership plans, whether this is the right move for your dental office, and how to successfully market such an offering.