When discussing the cost of dentistry, remember quality is priceless
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 26th March 2022
Prices are rising and, at time of writing, many financial commentators are making dire predictions for just how high inflation could get in 2022. How could this impact your practice? Well, if you’re paying more for certain goods and services, that are essential for the day-to-day running of the business, you might feel you have no choice but to pass the increase on to patients and charge them more.
The cost of dentistry is one of those ‘definitely-not-black-and-white’ topics. Cost is always offered as a main reason why people delay, or forgo completely, dental care.[i] Year-on-year, for some time now, prices have continued to go up, for private and NHS treatment. The payment system for the latter has also been accused of being “comprehensively flawed” and confusing for patients, and a “serious obstacle” to a preventive approach.[ii]
Since 2020, some practices have added a surcharge to cover additional PPE and charged more for aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs).[iii] With hundreds of thousands of households across the UK still impacted financially by the pandemic and its economic aftershocks, dental care has fallen further down their priorities list.
The frustration is that quality care, delivered to intercept a problem before it gets significantly worse, will help people avoid more costly and invasive procedures in the future. But it isn’t just patients in pain who are looking for ways to save money. There has been a huge rise in direct-to-consumer alternatives to dental treatment delivered by a registered, trained professional. Research found that one in four Brits had attempted some kind of DIY dentistry since March 2020; last September, a ‘Safe Smiles’ campaign was launched, to highlight the risks associated with going it alone.[iv]
The problem with being a consumer
If patients are consumers, how do all consumers get the best value? By shopping around. The modern patient knows they are not tied to one practice, they can use the internet, social media or word-of-mouth to find a great deal. But as consumers ourselves, we know that having too many options isn’t always the most positive experience. Whatever the treatment is, a dental appointment should never be seen in isolation, either. To keep it stable and beautifully maintained, it must be considered as part of a long-term investment into better health and wellbeing. Ideally, this means establishing a loyal relationship with the practice where it was delivered. When the patient has a good relationship with the dental team, their treatment plan will have been uniquely tailored to take account of anything that could compromise its success.
The cost of dentistry is no ‘black and white issue’ because there is also strong evidence that, just as some patients are looking to avoid dental costs, many are more willing than ever to invest in elective treatment. There has been a recent surge in interest for cosmetic dentistry, for example, attributed to people being more conscious of their smile and wanting to pay for things like bonding to correct something that is bothering them.[v] The pressure is therefore on practices to not only meet demand, but to offer competitive, high-value treatments and deliver results that get people talking for all the right reasons.
Being the cheapest isn’t necessarily going to put you ahead of the competition. Exceptional treatment, that looks naturally beautiful and endures, is worth its weight in gold. Value isn’t only about price, it’s about the level of quality and patients will pay for the highest quality.
Give every patient added value. Ensure your service is impeccable, from the second they enter the practice, or get in touch. Pre-consultations should be comprehensive, including clear instructions for how to maintain the result. Tell them that you only use the highest-quality equipment and materials, for treatment that is fast, comfortable and that preserves the integrity of the surrounding dentition. Along with supporting minimally invasive dentistry, your patients need to know that the products you use are hard-working, reliable and give predicable, stable results. COLTENE offers a restorative range that that will help you deliver stunning, conservative treatment safely and successfully, including materials to help dentists optimise efficiency. For example, SoloCem™ is a self-adhesive cement that is multi-use. You can use it alone, or boost adhesion by combining it with ONE COAT 7 UNIVERSAL bonding agent. You’ll gain unbeatable bond strength and reduce your stock requirements – less cost to you, better value for patients.
The cost of dental care may be rising, but you are also running a business – and to offer an exceptional, high-value service, you must operate a successful, smooth and efficient one which never cuts corners. Competitive, yet fair pricing, that is appropriate to the level of care you offer is fundamental both to your reputation, as well as profit margins. It will also keep your patients committed to continued investment in protecting their oral health, ultimately lowering rates of dental disease.
Nicolas Coomber COLTENE National Account & Marketing Manager
For more on COLTENE, visit www.coltene.com,
email info.uk@coltene.com or call 0800 254 5115.
[i] Increasing costs provoke fall in dental visits. Oral Health Foundation, 16 August 2019. Link: https://www.dentalhealth.org/news/increasing-costs-provoke-fall-in-dental-visits (accessed November 2021).
[ii] Dentists respond to Which? ‘Clean up dental costs’ campaign. Dentistry, 16 June 2015. Link: https://dentistry.co.uk/2015/06/16/dentists-respond-clean-dental-costs-campaign/ (accessed November 2021).
[iii] Private and NHS dental charges. Which? 3 September 2021. Link: https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/dentists/article/private-and-nhs-dental-charges-al0jA6J1Swyl#nhs-dental-charge-price-rises-for-2021%20-%20Which?%20(Sept%202021) (accessed November 2021).
[iv] Introducing Safe Smiles – new campaign set to champion the benefits of safe dentistry Oral Health Foundation, link: https://www.dentalhealth.org/news/introducing-safe-smiles (accessed November 2021).
[v] Rise in cosmetic dental work “off the Richter” scale since the onset of Covid. Belfast Telegraph, 28 March 2021. Link: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/rise-in-cosmetic-dental-work-off-the-richter-scale-since-onset-of-covid-40248165.html (accessed November 2021).
