According to a recent ADA study, 64.2 percent of dentists said “treatments being declined due to patients not being able to pay their portion of the treatment costs is a serious or extremely serious problem1.”  Patients may decline treatment because they prioritize other purchases above dentistry, such as choosing to fix their broken car instead of their broken tooth. Some have a gap between their insurance benefits and the cost of care, while others may be unprepared when dentistry requires an out-of-pocket investment.
One solution to this “serious or extremely serious problem” is letting patients know you accept the MDA-endorsed CareCredit healthcare credit card early in the financial conversation.  Why? Patients may be uncomfortable asking for financing, so they just leave the practice without committing to care.
Here are easy ways to let patients know you have a financing solution while they are in the practice:
1. Include information about CareCredit on your website, using CareCredit’s FREE advertising toolbox with pre-coded banners, links and pages.
2. Include all payment options, including CareCredit, on your written
financial policy.
3. Place patient information about CareCredit in your reception area.
4. Mention CareCredit as a payment solution along with all other options.
Free resources are available to make it easy for your team to give patients a way to pay their portion and accept the care they need without delay.
Already one of the 100,000 dental teams who accept CareCredit?  Contact your Practice Development Team at 800-859-9975, option 1, then 6. Yet to add CareCredit? Call 866-246-9227 to get started for only $30. Be sure to let them know you are an MDA member.
1. ADA Business Resources Survey – on behalf of CareCredit, October 2016