Thursday's Patient tip of the Day

Show, don’t just tell, them their dental benefits. Communicating with patients regarding their dental benefits can be frustrating and is always a touchy subject. After years and years and thousands of hours verifying dental benefits on the phone, this now can be done online with most benefit plans, said Penny Reed Limoli, owner of the Reed Limoli Group. 

Not only does online verification make the administrative costs go down in the dental practice, it also gives you a great opportunity to nonverbally show the patient that the information regarding their plan comes from the benefit company-not from us.

So, go to the website for the patient’s plan, log in, and print out the benefit summary to give to the patient. Also save a digital copy in the patient’s record.

Your patients will be impressed at how much information you are able to give them, and that information will have the insurance company’s name on it, not your practice name. This will go a long way in preventing most emotional issues between your patients and your practice regarding what the plans pay. There will be absolutely no confusion about who determines what’s paid-or not paid-on their dental insurance claim.

Your patients are your practice. Without them, where would you be? You have to know the best ways to attract them to your practice, get them to accept treatment and make them happy, life-long patients.

That’s where we can help. Check back regularly for tips on how to keep your patients happy, healthy and loyal.