PRACTICE PERSPECTIVES
Why the Time is Right for Dental Membership Plans
by DAVID THEIN, DDS, MSD, MBA interviewing KATIE FRANKLIN
D
ental membership plans have been around for many years. However, the current pandemic has provided a near-perfect storm to consider implementing one if you haven’t already. At its core, a dental membership plan
offers dental care to patients for an annual subscription cost. This is paid directly to the practice for a specified package of preventive care and discounts off other treatment. All membership plans are unique to a practice and completely customizable.
Think of Costco as an analogy. Members purchase one of several an- nual membership subscriptions to take advantage of the discounted products the store sells. Research reveals that membership plans in general increase customer (patient) loyalty and provide recurring revenue for businesses. Membership plans are not a type of insur- ance. Every dollar goes toward dental care and is paid directly to the practice with no administrative middleman. There are no claim forms to fill out, no pre-determinations, no denials, and generally no limitations on services. Some practices choose to set dental member- ship plans up themselves, while others elect to have outside vendors design and manage the process. Either way, an in-office plan is often a benefit to both practice and patient alike.
To help us better understand the nuances of dental membership plans, I’ve tapped into the expertise of Katie Franklin, the program director for Smile Advantage, a commercial dental membership plan vendor. Katie is located in Ballwin, Mo., and has been kind enough to provide answers to several important questions that dentists might ask who are considering such an addition to their practices.
With patient perceptions of going to the dentist changing due to the coronavirus, perhaps it’s time for you to consider a proven method to increase revenues and satisfy patient expectations.
Let’s begin by having you describe what a typical dental membership program would consist of. Most dentists choose to offer a membership program with different plan options. The three most common plan options we see are child, adult and perio. Each option has a monthly and/or yearly payment option, which will typically cover the patient’s preventive care (e.g. cleanings, exams and x-rays). Furthermore, the plan will usually include additional discounts on treatment for patients. The treatment discount offered is generally between 10 and
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30 percent. Membership Programs are a way for patients to prepay for their preventive care and receive unlimited discounts on any treat- ment they may need or want to have done.
What do you feel is the most compelling reason for a dentist to consider adding such a program to the practice? There are so many ways a practice can see success from this model of care. First and foremost, it allows a practice to create a loyalty program. This helps with patient retention, as member patients come in more regularly for their pre- ventive appointments, unlike those without insurance who statisti- cally only visit the dentist once every 11 months. Offices also see an increase in case acceptance, as these uninsured patients are motivated to accept and do more treatment because of the discount that is of- fered. Improved patient retention and case acceptance significantly increase any practice’s profitability.
Membership programs are a great way to market a practice and at- tract new patients by educating communities that patients don’t need insurance to visit the dentist. Dental offices also see success with reac- tivating lost or missing patients from their recare schedules, creating a way to reconnect with these patients, and making them aware of this model of care that provides access to quality, affordable dental care.
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