Implant Tribune U.S. Edition

industry Implant Tribune U.S. Edition | September 2015B18 Five foolproof ways to get a ‘yes’ to more treatment plans By Dee Dee Reid, Principal at D2 Coaching and Consulting. L et’s face it, no one likes to hear the word “No.” But the reality is, despite the economic upturn, patients are still reluctant to say “Yes” to larger treatment plans. A 2014 AmericanDentalAssociation(ADA)study found that 40 percent of adults indicated that they will forgo dental care due to cost.1 Clearly, a healthy mouth shouldn’t be an “either/or” proposition for patients, but no one wants to be a pushy sales per- son either. So what can you do? For more than 20 years, I’ve helped dental practices from Texas to California realize profitable growth. The key to get- ting higher acceptance rates lies in how your office approaches the treatment plan presentation. Try using these five proven techniques, and you’ll have more patients saying “Yes.” 1. Listen and learn Did your last case presentation seem a little one-sided? The patient was nodding as you talked, but then at the end of the exam he or she just left without commit- ting to the procedure. The problem starts with the communication technique. Often, patients don’t fully comprehend what you’re proposing and how they can afford to pay for it. Remember, it’s hard to focus on anything when your mouth is full of equipment. I recommend to my clients that they modify their consultation process. Start by conducting the usual exam but pause before delivering the prognosis. Ask the patients what’s important to them. Ask about their goals, their overall health and not just their oral health. Ask if they are happy with their appearance and their confidence level when they smile. Then, just listen. Let the patient tell you what they’re feeling. Performing this simple step will pro- vide valuable tips on how to position your treatment plan in a way that di- rectly aligns with the patients’ personal goals. Discuss “why” and “how” your treatment plan addresses their concerns. Avoid simply listing “what” you’re going to do (too much procedural or technical information can be off-putting). This ac- tive listening technique is far more col- laborative. When patients feel understood, it natu- rally follows that they are more likely to say “Yes” to the treatment plan you’ve de- veloped together. 2. Show … don’t just tell Showing your patients what’s going on inside their mouth is a lot more power- ful than simply telling them. That’s why I strongly recommend using interoral digital photography during the diagnos- tic phase. Pointing to a problem area with a digital image makes any issue become immediately clear. Remember, for most patients, if it doesn’t hurt, it isn’t a problem. That’s because patients only see what’s in the bathroom mirror. Once patients see full- mouth photography it’s so much easier to have a constructive dialogue. Showing patients a photo of their own dental issue lets them understand the need for even the most preemptive of treatment plans. 3. Success takes teamwork No matter how hard-working or talented, every dentist needs a good support team. That’s why (if you don’t already have one), I strongly recommend creating the posi- tion of patient coordinator. I’ve also seen this role called “patient care counselor,” “patient procedure manager” or, as in my case, “patient concierge” — but call it what you like, this position is key. You see, once the dentist has defined the treat- ment plan, it’s the coordinator who works out the details with the patient. I’ve found many patients are more comfortable talking to the coordinators. That’s because they can use layman’s terms to review procedures, insurance coverage and the ease of third-party fi- nancing options. For many patients, how to pay is just as important as understand- ing what they’re paying for. Patients also like that coordinators understand the need for affordability and financing op- tions. Ultimately, a good coordinator can make all the difference in closing the case. But what about the cost of this new position? The good news is that adding a skilled treatment coordinator can pay for itself. Here’s the math: A skilled coordina- tor will cost between $3,500-$5,000 per month (depending on where your prac- tice is located). But that same coordina- tor can schedule and close an average of $2,000-$5,000 per day. Plus, the increase in practice collections is often between $25,000-$75,000 per month. All this while freeing up the clinical team and the doctor to do what they do best — pro- cedures. Now that’s a healthy ROI! 4. Educate everyone … not just the patient Clearly, creating a patient coordinator po- sition is important. But I reinforce with my clients the need to educate the entire support staff on frequently performed procedures, treatment schedules, com- mon medical terms, financing option details and practice protocols. That way, no matter who interacts with the patient, the conversation is seamless. As a practice becomes more successful (and everyone becomes busier), an office- wide communication strategy is essen- tial. This can be accomplished a number of ways: weekly staff meetings, office- wide emails or memos, even a company newsletter. It’s your choice, just as long as everyone is kept up-to-date on important practice developments. 5. Make it easy to say ‘Yes’ I started this story with news of an ADA study. The fact is that more than 40 per- cent of adults are still concerned about paying for dental care. Clearly, ease of obtaining affordable financing is an im- portant factor for getting patients to say “Yes.” Many doctors don’t feel comfortable talking about money — but I always dis- cuss third-party financing with patients. I also recommend my D2 Coaching and Consulting clients do the same. You see, as concierge, it’s my job to make it as easy as possible for the patient to say “Yes” to the doctor’s treatment plan. That’s why I love working with Lending Club Patient Solutions (formerly Springstone Patient Financing). Honestly, it’s a great partner. I’ve worked with Lending Club Patient So- lutions for more than eight years now because the company does an amazing job empowering patients with more re- sponsible and convenient financing op- tions. Patients get what they want: fast approvals, true no-interest plans2 which avoid unwelcome surprises, and extend- ed plans with great rates for low monthly payments. Your practice gets convenient selling tools, helpful email updates with the patient’s funding status, five-star customer service and some of the lowest practice fees in the industry. Some dental practices do still use self- funded patient financing. But the half now/half later business can be a recipe for disaster. No one wants to have the tough “your payment is late” conversation — after all, you’re not in the debt collection business. With a good financing partner, you can avoid all of that. Its no-default risk means the office receives payment upfront so collections never cross your mind. Plus, working with an exceptional vendor like Lending Club Patient Solu- tions says a lot for your practice’s reputa- tion and helps you build lasting patient relationships to grow your business. You can find out more about Lending Club Patient Solutions at lendingclub. com/providers. Time to put the steps into practice Naturally, there are lots of ways to help patients get the dental care they need and the services they want. But I hope you’ve found the tips I’ve covered here helpful, including honing your listening skills, using visuals, adding the role of patient coordinator and recommending patient-friendly financing like plans of- fered through Lending Club Patient Solu- tions. Imagine how successful your practice would be if just 50 percent more of your patients actually scheduled a procedure after their consultation? This type of con- version rate is possible when you follow these five easy steps. About the author Dee Dee Reid has focused her 20-plus year career in dentistry, and her experience spans the spectrum of care. Reid began her career in the back office where she gained a deep understanding of clinical details and practice dynamics. She connects with patients as a top producing patient care coordina- tor. Reid helps doctors explain and schedule large cases and works alongside general dentists, dental specialists and their teams to advance practice goals and get results. Most recently, Reid was a guest lecturer and workshop coordinator for the Functional Aesthetics Series with Dr. Mark Mont- gomery and Dr. David Hornbrook. She frequently leads team programs for Contemporary Products Solutions related to team development for Invis- align office systems. Reid has iTunes podcasts avail- able from “The Thriving Dentist Show” with Gary Takacs (“The Relationship Driven Practice”) and from Dental Up with Dr. David Hornbrook (“In- creasing Your Practice Exponentially”). Reid cur- rently works with Dr. Lincoln Parker in Orange County, Calif., as a patient concierge. Dee Dee is also principal at D2 Coaching and Consulting. You can email her at D2SuccessCoaching@gmail.com. References 1) ADA Health Policy Institute Research Brief, Nov 2014, Why Adults Forgo Dental Care: Evidence from a New National Survey, Yar- brough, Nasseh, Marko, Vujicic, http:// www.ada.org/en/science-research/health- policy-institute/dentalstatistics/patients 2) No Interest for 6, 12, 18 or 24 months, after that 22.98 percent variable APR. Interest will be charged to your account at the standard variable APR of 22.98 percent (based on the Prime Rate) from the end of the promotional period on the remaining balance if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period. Mini- mum monthly payments for this plan dur- ing the promotional period will be the greater of: the amount of the purchase di- vided by the number of months in the pro- motional period (rounded up to the near- est $1); or $5. Required minimum purchase of $499 for the 6-month plan; $999 for the 12-month plan; $1,499 for the 18-month plan; $2,499 for the 24-month plan. Lend- ing Club Patient Solutions credit accounts are offered by Comenity Capital Bank, which determines qualifications for credit and promotion eligibility. Minimum Inter- est Charge is $1 per credit plan. Standard variable APR of 22.98 percent.

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