Whether in interviews, at a restaurant, during a shopping trip, or at the dentist’s office, the most uncomfortable and often confusing part is discussing the cost. When it comes to dental billing, the matter gets more complicated with insurance and other considerations, but you need to develop a trusting relationship with your patients. Being transparent and upfront about the price helps you do just that. How can you communicate clearly about the financial logistics of their care? Check out these tips!
Talk with Empathy and Simple Language
In every field, you’ll find jargon that mostly just professionals in that area know. Abbreviations or acronyms can also confuse those unfamiliar with the terminology, and dental billing comes with plenty of field-specific words. To make sure the client understands the services and their costs, stick to phrasing a layperson can easily recognize. For example, rather than referring to their co-payment, which they may not comprehend, you can say “your portion of the cost for the visit” on the first mention and explain what a co-payment is.
Discuss Prices Clearly Before Treatment
What’s worse than having to pay a high dental bill? Being surprised by it. Most of the time, patients can accept the amount they owe, but if you withhold the price until after the procedure is complete, they can feel duped or tricked. In other words, it destroys trust and loyalty. Talking about the pricing before treatment begins gives them the opportunity to come to terms with this obligation and shows them you’re not trying to hide anything.
Offer Multiple Ways to Contact You
These days, not everyone is willing to pick up the phone and call an office, especially when talking about money. As a result, it’s important to provide several methods to get in touch with your team. In addition to a phone number, you can encourage your patients to use a portal, your website, or email to reach you. In their preferred communication medium, they can feel more comfortable, ask questions, and be satisfied with their patient experience.
Answer Questions Efficiently
The trick with multiple communication methods is keeping up with them. If you leave a recorded message, email, or portal message for a week or more without response, you send a clear message that their concerns don’t really matter. It also suggests that you’re not available to them. Instead, a prompt response shows genuine interest in their well-being and a desire to communicate clearly and honestly.
When you relate matters about dental billing to your patients, your team must be transparent to grow your practice’s loyalty and reputation. Even if you find talking about money awkward, following these tips can help you develop a trusting relationship and lead to word-of-mouth recommendations, bringing in more revenue.
About Dental Support Specialties
Dental Support Specialties employ industry experts in administrative tasks and skills. In other words, our team knows how to interact and communicate with patients regarding the cost of their treatment and billing issues. We have years of experience and act as an extended member of your own office team. Unlike other answering services, we don’t take messages; we answer and complete the call with the patient by addressing their concerns or scheduling their appointment. To learn more about our services, contact our team online here.