“Let me think about it.”
These are five very common words that are used routinely when any of us are asked if we would like to move forward with a purchase. I’m the king of “Let me think about it.” Often, I want to put off a purchase because I didn’t really understand the need for the product or service I was being offered. The "sales pitch" may have sounded good but the details weren’t explained well enough or I just didn’t feel a sense of urgency to move forward. I also have a notorious habit of trying to avoid payment discussions, preferring to do pricing research independently. Later on, when I have finally made the purchase, I often wish I had done so sooner.
Our team has worked with thousands of dental practices over the years and one common challenge the majority face is increasing their case acceptance. Usually, the patient has concerns about what exactly is being recommended, doesn’t understand the treatment being proposed, or has financial questions that they may be too timid to ask. Let’s take a look at how the treatment plan presentation module in Flex helps address these issues, facilitate conversation, and keep your patients engaged so that your team can boost acceptance and keep those ops full.
A Blueprint for Treatment Conversations
Perhaps the most critical aspect of case acceptance is the patient’s understanding of the treatment being recommended. We designed the Flex treatment presentation to give you a step-by-step blueprint to follow. I am a visual learner, so having a detailed proposal in front of me makes my decision-making process much easier. As a patient, I can be told what the treatment recommendation is, but I would much rather see it.
The Flex treatment plan presentation includes recommendations broken down by procedure, so you can easily walk patients through exactly what will be performed. This gives the patient ample opportunity to ask questions and helps facilitate an overall discussion about what treatment is being recommended, why the treatment is necessary, and exactly what procedures are included. Going through each procedure step-by-step also provides a chance to address any objections the patient might have. It’s a great blueprint to an effective treatment conversation that ensures no details are overlooked.
Insurance Benefits
The next thing you’ll notice on the Flex treatment plan presentation is a fee summary and estimated insurance coverage. This informs the patient of the total treatment cost, estimated coverage provided by their insurer, and an approximate total that will be the patient’s responsibility. Again, everything is itemized so that the patient can easily see the cost of the proposed treatment and what they should anticipate as their out-of-pocket expense.
Can Flex’s Treatment Planning Module Boost Case Acceptance?
The treatment planning module in Flex helps you build well-organized case presentations that are easy for patients to understand. Educating your patients and addressing any concerns they have about treatment are critical steps to helping move your patient toward a decision. A clear financial overview ensures patients understand their financial responsibility.
To be fair, you’ll always have patients that are hesitant to initiate treatment but Flex can give you the tools to help facilitate conversations and move the decision-making process along more quickly. When you make treatment planning easy for patients to understand and utilize additional tools that enhance the overall patient experience, you put your team in the optimum position for success.
If you would like to learn more about how Flex can supercharge your patient communication in Dentrix or Open Dental, please feel free to schedule a demo at your convenience.
Ready to learn more about Flex?
If you’re a Dentrix or Open Dental user looking for a patient communication solution, please ask for opinions of our solution from other practices. We pride ourselves on creating Flex fans for life. The words of our customers are our best reference and we think you’ll like what you find.
Treatment plan presentations are just the tip of the Flex iceberg, so please visit our learning center and features page to see more tools that Flex includes to supercharge your practice. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to a member of our team via the button below. We are here and happy to help!
