Your Phone is Your Opportunity to Grow your Practice

When a person phones your office asking about the cost of treatment and they are not a patient in the practice it is up to you to decide how much time you want to spend on this call.

Many times the patient is “shopping”  to see what you charge and this can be viewed as a waste of time on your part.   Think of this encounter as an opportunity to book an appointment and your mind will change.

Generally, patients from another practice will call to see if the fee they were quoted is reasonable because they think their dentist is overcharging or they just don’t know what a crown or other treatment should cost. Often the office has not created rapport or trust with that patient nor have they provided enough information and now the patient has doubts and that is why they are “shopping.”

You can say,  “I would be happy to answer your questions.”

“May I ask you a few questions?  My name is _______. What is your name?  Nice to meet you_____.”

“Who told you that you need a crown(treatment)?”  (Sometimes they haven’t been to the dentist and they are self-diagnosing)

“Did you receive a written treatment estimate?” ( Usually, they have and it is in front of them.)

“Were your questions answered about why you needed a crown(other treatment)?”

“We can offer you a complimentary consultation and a written treatment plan and I have an opening tomorrow at 2:00—would that be convenient for you?”

“We are dedicated to providing high-quality crowns(treatment) and we are confident that you will receive excellent service in our practice.”

Shoppers are not necessarily looking for the cheapest option.  If you must quote over the phone make sure it is a range such as, “We do many types of crowns and the fees range from $1300 to $2500, however, we must verify your situation with a consultation.”

If the patient has out of network PPO insurance, you must verify that they have eligibility, benefits and what the UCR is to determine co-insurance payment.

Do not quote for substandard restorative that you do not intend to provide.

Treat each phone call as an opportunity and you will increase practice growth.