Overview
An in-house dental payment plan can offer a flexible and tailored way for practices to provide patients with predictable, accessible options for funding their care. These schemes are particularly well suited to treatment that is delivered over multiple appointments, such as orthodontics, implant work, or cosmetic procedures, where spreading the cost can make paying for these treatments more manageable for patients. By offering a structured payment arrangement directly through your practice, you retain control over the terms, the administration, and the relationship with your patient base. However, this increased autonomy also brings additional responsibilities, including the need to manage financial risk, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain clear, transparent communication with your patients.
An in-practice capitation scheme allows you to register your patients with your dental care scheme for an agreed monthly sum. Before doing this, you should examine your patients to ensure that they are dentally fit to join the scheme and to make sure that you place them on the most appropriate plan. You may choose to have a range of different plans available to suit the different dental needs of your patients.
In-practice capitation schemes do not require an outside capitation scheme provider. They generally focus on preventative dentistry, with an option for an external insurance policy to cover any dental traumas or emergencies that occur.
Before developing your capitation scheme, you should reflect on the current position of your practice and how you would like to develop your business in the future. To do this you should consider factors such as how stable your patient base is and how they typically pay for their treatment.
It is also important to look at the overall oral health of your patient base. Before making a decision, consider the views of your patients, staff, and seek the advice of an accountant in devising the scheme. You will also need to consider how your scheme compares to commercially available schemes.
