As we enter the second half of 2022, both dentists and patients are looking for some level of consistency and stability. Yet, we anticipate three trends will continue to impact practices through the end of this year.
- Continued staffing challenges
The Great Resignation has touched nearly every industry — and dentistry is no exception. The American Dental Association recently reported that the majority of dentists seeking to add to their teams report recruiting difficulty, categorizing hiring for key roles as “extremely challenging” compared to pre-pandemic.
- Changing payer landscape
We’ve seen a notable shift on the payer side in recent years as insurance plans bundle adult dental coverage with their larger health plans. In fact, bundled coverage offerings have more than doubled since 2018. However, standalone dental plans still hold the majority of the market.
With a variety of dental insurance options within reach for patients, they may have coverage for at least a portion of their care. However, there is still often a gap between insurance coverage and the total cost of care. Letting patients know (and especially the 12+ million CareCredit cardholders) they may be able to pay for care with flexible financing solutions may make it easier for them to keep appointments and accept needed dentistry.
- Evolving patient payment preferences
The continued trend toward consumerism in dentistry will continue to focus practices on creating a patient experience that is quick, easy and convenient. This will include a shift toward digital patient communication and payment options. Partnering with a reliable, established third-party financing company to provide those digital payment solutions for patient out-of-pocket costs can help. For example, at the more 250,000 provider and health-focused retail locations that accept CareCredit, patients can see if they prequalify and apply for the CareCredit credit card privately by scanning a QR code using their smart device while they are in the practice.
When providers make it easier to accept and pay for needed and wanted dentistry, scheduling and treatment acceptance may become more consistent and predictable for the practice and a healthy and beautiful smile more accessible to patients.
