Enhancing Oral Health: The Impact of Dental Patient Financing

The importance of oral health is tenfold. According to a WHO report, oral diseases and problems adversely impact over 3.5 billion people globally. This is why the dental community is scrambling for ways to combat this problem. One of the most promising solutions so far is dental patient financing programs.

Over the years, these patient financing programs have proven invaluable to both – patients and doctors. There’s a sense of urgency regarding these programs because the oral health of people is worsening around the globe, and most people can’t afford good healthcare. However, before delving into how this is helpful for everyone involved, it’s important to understand how these patient financing programs work. Keep on reading to learn more –

What is Dental Patient Financing?

These dental financing programs open up more payment options and resources for patients. This allows them to manage the cost of their treatment or procedure more effectively. A common way this is achieved is by letting patients pay for the treatment over time instead of simultaneously paying all the medical expenses.

This is made possible by offering payment plans like credit options or even a medical loan. These financing programs aim to make dental healthcare more accessible to people. There are also many other reasons to opt for a dental patient financing program.

Why Opt For A Dental Patient Financing Program?

These financing programs seem to be a huge hit because they make dental healthcare affordable and accessible to large swathes of the population. Many of these programs have low or zero interest, thus making them even more enticing for a patient looking to seek dental care. Convenience and affordability are the highlights of a good financing for dental patients program. However, these programs come with a myriad of other positives, too.

Gain New Patients

Many people wish to seek medical help, but their financial woes forbid them from getting help. Financing for dental patients is the best way to fight against growing oral diseases. People who don’t have access to these programs are vulnerable to problems like gum diseases and oral cancer.

Gum diseases affect 19% of the population in the world, with over a billion cases. Another concerning development is that oral cancer is the 13th most common form of cancer in the world. The need to fight back against these diseases is why a patient program usually gains so many patients.

Retain Your Current Patients

An oft-neglected fact is that doctors also value patient loyalty. An effective way to win over existing patients is by introducing patient programs with flexible payment options and plans. Existing patients are also easier to treat because dentists have in-depth knowledge of their oral medical history. Even patients do not want to go through the hassle of finding a new dental clinic that is well within their financial budget.

Financing for dental offices is a win-win situation for both – dentists and their existing patients.

Increased Acceptance of Treatment

Many people refuse to seek medical attention because of the potential expenses it may incur. This can be dangerous since diseases can show up without symptoms, which means unsuspecting diseases could affect people. Patient programs are solving this problem, though. Many people with financial constraints don’t mind accepting treatment now.

Early dental treatment can reduce the risk of many problems, including cavities and tooth decay, especially in children and people who consume sugary or cold drinks.

Better Referrals

Dentists, just like others in the medical community, want to provide the best care possible for their patients. That may be the primary objective, but it’s also important for dentists to be financially successful. Many healthcare professionals rely on satisfied patients to refer their services to another person. Word of mouth is one of the most effective ways of increasing the number of patients under your treatment.

A good patient financing program is a brilliant tool to improve your network of referrals. When a service, especially an essential service like medical care, goes up in demand when it’s affordable and accessible. This prompts people to refer the service to other people who may be seeking affordable healthcare.

Conclusion

Dental patient financing programs have been helping so many patients worldwide. Programs like these need to exist because everybody deserves to have access to safe and affordable medical facilities like oral and dental care.

As a dentist and a healthcare professional, it’s normal to be bombarded with questions of affordability. It’s even more common for patients to outright reject treatment because of financial restrictions. Ever wondered how to deal with this? iCare’s impeccable patient financing programs are here to alleviate all your concerns for both – patients and doctors. Contact us to learn more!