Episode 572: Too Complex Is a Trap

It’s a consultant takeover with Brit and Dana! Something the two have been hearing a lot in practices across the country is treatment coordinators aren’t sure where to direct patients amid numerous treatment options, then financing options. It’s a lot to cover! In this episode, Brit and Dana discuss how to make financial options as simple as possible for both parties (patient and practice). They touch on:

• The right time to talk about cost

• Who should be the one talking dollars

• How many patient options should be presented

• And more!

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Transcript:

0:00:05.6 Kiera Dent: Hey everyone, welcome to the Dental A team podcast. I'm your host, Kiera Dent, and I have this crazy idea that maybe I could combine a doctor and a team member's perspective, because let's face it, dentistry can be a challenging profession with those two perspectives, I've been a dental assistant, treatment coordinator, scheduler, filler, office manager, regional manager, practice owner, and I have a team of traveling consultants, and we have traveled to over 165 different offices, coaching teams. Yep, we don't just understand you, we are you. Our mission is to positively impact the world of dental, and I believe that this podcast is the greatest way I can help elevate teams, grow VIP experiences, reduce stress and create A teams. Welcome to the Dental A team podcast. Hello, dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and today, guys, you are super lucky because today is consultant takeover, and that's right, today is going to be Brit and Dana, two of our incredible consultants diving into financial treatment plan options, you guys, this is epic, there are so many gems in this podcast, and I cannot wait for you to learn from two of my favorite people, guys, take notes, listen up. And as always. Thanks for listening and I'll catch you next time on the dental A team podcast.

0:01:22.8 Brittany: Hello, dental A Team listeners. This is Brittany, and you are here on the dental A team consultant takeover, where us traveling consultants take over the mic, we come to the podcast to share tips and tricks from offices we're working with, from teams we see on the road, all of differnt things from consultants and guys, we are lucky today. You've got me, Brit, Brittany, whatever you want. Either one, I'll answer to both. And we've got the amazing Dana joining us today as well. Welcome, Dana.

0:01:56.5 Dana: Hi, thanks for having me, Brit.

0:01:58.2 Brittany: Oh, yeah, I always love when I get to spend time with Dana, especially on the podcast, 'cause Dana has so much fantastic knowledge that I feel like I learn something every time, so you guys, you should be excited and we kind of pull on things that we've got from from clients, things that have been going on, things that are relevant that hopefully can help you guys, our listeners, as well. So, Dana, what have you been up to lately? What are some topics you've heard from clients?

0:02:24.5 Dana: Well, today, I wanted to bring to the mic, a topic that's been happening, and I'm hearing a lot it's that we have too many financing options in offices, and so our treatment coordinators or our team members that are presenting treatment aren't really sure always where to direct the patient.

0:02:41.8 Brittany: Yeah, good one. I'll add to that with options, I think even sometimes to add to the confusion for our TCs, like treatment options and then financing options on top of it... It just makes a lot for us to try to cover. Would you agree?

0:03:00.7 Dana: Absolutely, so much to go over, patients start to get confused, we get a little overwhelmed, I can totally understand.

0:03:06.7 Brittany: Yeah, so let's get into it. I mean, I brought up the treatment thing, that's something that I've also noticed as well as sometimes it's like, oh my gosh, I've got multiple options, patients get confused and I'll say like, I get it from the doctor side, the clinician side, we wanna talk to them about options. Want to let them know what can be done, but I will encourage all our doctors get that patient to their ideal choice before we go talk about costs, get them to their choice, it's gonna be best for them, functionally. Best for their health. Best that they think is best. Right, you educate them, come to that one choice and then tee that up for your treatment coordinator to present cost information, so I would say I highly encourage it, get it down to that one choice, if you get to finances and we need to consider something else due to finances, sure, no problem, but let's try to get them that ideal option first. So that's my one tip when it comes to narrowing down options for treatment, but let's get into the financing piece, we wanna have solutions for patients, we wanna have some options available, but what are some of the tips we've got for the best ways to do that for our TCs?

0:04:13.0 Dana: I do think it's really, let's look at our options and let's find out what would work best for our patients, so if we have an over-abundance of payment arrangements to make for patients, just looking at them and trying to narrow it down. So what is ease of use for us, to ease of use for patients, we really wanna consider that and then just making sure that we stick to every patient isn't an exception, and I see that keep happening, right, we have these choices and then it's like, well, if you pay by check, you get an 8% discount, if you pay in full, you get a 10% discount, so there's always an exception, oftentimes to financing, and that does make it difficult on our treatment coordinators.

0:04:56.7 Brittany: For sure. So there's lots of options out there. So coming down to for our office, what our options gonna be, what are your thoughts on just presenting in full first before you get over to options for cost?

0:05:10.9 Dana: Yeah, I think that's a really great point, Brit. I think often times we assume barriers for patients, so I'd say until a patient tells us that the full cost of treatment is too much for them or overwhelming for them, let's not put that barrier in front.

0:05:26.9 Brittany: Yeah, I'm with you. So go for it. Most patients, they often, they might need a minute to think, right? The art of silence, don't be afraid when you present that cost information, one, make it real simple, what's the total value of treatment? What's that total number? What's insurance estimated to pay, what's the patient portion? Keep it really simple on that estimate, and then, give the patients a minute to think about it, they've gotta process what you're telling them, think about how they are gonna take care of that cost, so wait for them to speak. Right, so I think that's tip number one, present it real simple, wait for them to speak, and then if there is a barrier, and you know that barrier is cost, it's not finding the time to schedule, it's not...

0:06:11.5 Brittany: I don't know, whatever, I gotta check with my husband's schedule, that's a common one that comes up, just work on getting them scheduled, don't present a different financial option until you know it's truly a financial concern, and then have your set options that you can present to them and let them know, all right, if it is cost, let's present. Here's our solutions, have it a set thing. Don't make exceptions. I love Dana's point, don't make exceptions and be really confident. And Dana as a treatment coordinator, let me ask you this question, were you super confident the first time you went through presented new treatment, New financing options?

0:06:52.9 KD: Are you guys sick of trying to figure it out on your own? I know I am. When I'm trying to run a business sometimes I just think there's got to be a better way to do this, and so for me, my answer has been to find someone who's done it and does it really, really, really well, like I'm talking the best of the best of the best. I want someone who's been in my shoes, somebody who understands what I'm going through. When I was looking for the consulting business, I found a coach who literally has run a consulting business. Well, that seemed like the perfect fit. So you guys right now, we have a few spaces open in our platinum consulting, that is in the consulting where we actually come to your practice, we help you get systems implemented, we don't just tell you what system to implement, we actually implement them with you and for you. You guys, it is one of the best investments I've ever made is to hire a coach who understands the business I'm in, who's lived it, who's done it, and that's what we in the dental A team do, we literally physically fly to you, so if you're sick of trying to figure it out on your own.

0:07:55.1 KD: If you just want somebody who understands you join our platinum, I'd love to have you. I'd love to have our consulting team come out and see you, be in your office, be with your team, and truly help you get on to the easy path of dentistry. It doesn't have to be hard. So join us in the Platinum, we'd love to have you.

0:08:14.5 Dana: No, absolutely not. It definitely takes practice and consistency on this, and I think when we have streamlined it. When we have choices, and I'd say maximum, I prefer three. I think three is a good balance. It gives patients choices, but it also gives us easy directions to point them, but no, the confidence grows.

0:08:34.9 Brittany: It takes practice, so right? Anything new is uncomfortable at first, and that's okay. Practice with your team members, get real confident in the financing options you have to offer and get real confident working within those balance, right? So that you don't feel stressed and you're like, Oh no, I've gotta come up with a different solution that's not within these ones, no, just work on holding back there and know what you've got, be comfortable working within it and your confidence will come and ultimately, I am presenting solutions to a patient is it my job as a treatment coordinator to pick the solution that's best for them.

0:09:17.0 Dana: No.

0:09:17.4 Brittany: No.

0:09:17.4 Dana: I think it's just to guide them with their options.

0:09:20.4 Brittany: Exactly, present the options. I think that's another place where often we can get caught up is I take a little bit of ownership on it, like it's my job to make this happen, and yes, it's my job to present it as clear as possible, give them all their options, and then from there, it's on the patient to choose what's gonna work best for them.

0:09:41.9 Dana: Yeah, absolutely.

0:09:43.1 Brittany: Alright, Dana, any other tips that you have when it comes to kinda streamlining this presentation when it comes to treatment, getting to the point where we're really streamlined, we have got a few options, we're confident. We're not making exceptions. Anything else you wanna bring up today?

0:10:00.6 Dana: And the only tip I have to is really just starting in the back, and that is if you guys have treatment coordinators and you have people that are really good at talking about financing with patients, guiding them, let them be the ones to do it. Oftentimes, finances start to be brought up in the back and it is... I'm gonna have Brit jump in, she is our fantastic treatment coordinator, she is our numbers wiz and she's gonna put the perfect plan together for you.

0:10:24.0 Brittany: Yeah, good point, definitely a good tip. Clinical team, don't step in it, don't get ourselves in trouble when it comes to cost, present what's best for that patient, and then let the treatment coordinator take it from there. I love it. Alright, so some things just to wrap up today that what we talked about. First, case acceptance starts in the back, right, so make sure we narrow it down to that option that is best for the patient in the back with the clinical team before we start to talk about costs and clinical team, leave all that cost information up to your treatment coordinator who lives in that world, who's ready to go, can confidently present to that patient so make sure we've got that option narrowed down, don't talk about costs on the clinical end, and then TCs just make sure we're super clear, presenting very simply numbers, total value of treatment, estimated insurance payment, estimated patient portion, and then let them think about it. The art of silence, right?

0:11:20.7 Brittany: Wait for them to speak 'cause they've got to process the information that was just given to them. Let them speak first. And then once you dig into whatever the hold, what's holding them back, if something is holding them back, wait until you know truly it is the cost that's holding them back, and then come in with your set of financing options that are really simple for the patient to understand, simple for treatment coordinator to explain each office, if you don't have your set payment options of what your office offers, this is your call to action, go do it.

0:11:51.4 Brittany: Figure out what those options are. Make sure it's really simple, I don't know about you Dana, but I'm usually like three or less, three or less payment options, don't go above three, so nail down those payment options and then practice, practice, practice. And be confident about it. Keep it simple, be confident, you've got it, you'll rock it, and you'll find those solutions for patients that you can offer up, and then let the patient make their decision, ultimately it's up to them to figure out how within their finances they're gonna make that happen with the options you have given them, so. Awesome, Dana, anything else you wanna add?

0:12:24.6 Dana: No, I think you wrapped it up perfect.

0:12:27.8 Brittany: Okay, perfect. Alright dental A team listeners, so you got some tips from your consultants today, in the consultant takeover. Let's go ahead and wrap this up. Let us know what you think. We love hearing from our listeners. So if there's topics out there that you guys want us to cover, go ahead and put it in there, give us a review, pop something in there, you're always welcome also to email us at [email protected]. Send us podcast request, topics you want us to cover, if we can help you more in your office with this and many other things that are in our back pocket, we love hearing from you, we love helping offices, we love working with our offices, so don't be afraid to reach out to us and guys, we love doing these podcasts, we hope it's helpful for you, if you find it helpful, like it, share it, give us a five star review, we love it. We wanna get to more people and help as many people in our dental world as we possibly can, and thank you so much for listening and we will catch you next time on the dental A team podcast.

0:13:25.9 KD: And that wraps it up for another episode of The Dental A team podcast. Thank you so much for listening and we'll talk to you next time.