Dental Debt Collection ✔️ 5 Tips to avoid Unpaid Dental Fees

5 tips To Avoid Dental Debt Collection

Do you require dental debt collection solutions to recover unpaid fees from non-paying patients? It is a growing issue in the dental industry as highlighted by Dentistry.co.uk

In recent years, it has become increasingly common for dental practices to experience patients not paying for treatment.  Included in the plethora of businesses that Federal Management works with, we recover unpaid fees for Dental Practices via our partners Frontline Collections. Debt Collection for Dental practices is becoming increasingly common within the Dental industry.

When you think of Commercial Debt Collection, these types of companies may not be the first that you would think of.  However, more and more dental practices within the UK are needing a dedicated solution for dental debt collection.

As this becomes more frequent, many practices are turning to the help of debt collection agencies to help recover money owed.

Knowing how to avoid unpaid dental fees is a trait that many dentists and dental practices should have within their armory. In reality, it is a case of having the right expertise and experience to successfully recover dental fees.

We have produced this insightful guide to advise on the best 5 ways to avoid dental fees from becoming unpaid. In turn, this will prevent the need for debt collection for dental practices and unpaid dental treatment fees.

Avoiding the Need for Dental Debt Collection

It is no secret that dentists, and those that work within dental practices, are extremely busy individuals.

When dental patients fees become unpaid, they may not have the capacity to spend lots of time trying to recover these.

Following the below guidelines will help to reduce the regularity of dental practice patient debts.

Get the Patient to Pay Dental Fees Upfront

In the modern world, there is a list of ways that payments can be made for services rendered.

One of the most obvious ways to reduce the number of times that dental fees become unpaid is to simply get this paid upfront.

This will work in more cases than none, however, some may have the means to pay for the treatment at the onset.

Discuss Payment Obligations With the Patient

If the patient isn’t able to produce the payment upfront, it is best to discuss payment obligations during the initial consultation. The consultation is used as a way to discuss the treatment and answer any questions the patient may have.

This is why it is a good idea to outline when the payment for the treatment should be during this. Typically, payment is either made in part or full, however, many dental practices offer finance options these days.

Get the Payment Obligations and Any Other Documentation Signed

Now that the patient is aware of their payment options, they can choose which they are most comfortable with.

This should then be agreed upon in writing and all documents related to the treatment/payment should be signed by the patient.

If the patient signs a document agreeing to a specific date, this will negate any excuses being made related to forgetting when they needed to pay.

The need for practices to use a dental debt collection agency will also be reduced as a result.

Contact the Patient to Remind Them of the Payment

If the patient fails to make payment on the day that was discussed, you must contact them to make them aware. Whilst this may be a genuine mistake on their behalf, the fact remains that you need to be paid for the services you provide.

Any contact with the patient should remain professional and can be done so through phone, email or letter. This is a great way of collecting overdue dental fees and shows how serious you are for getting paid.

Should this fail to produce any payment, we recommend that you take stricter action by using a dedicated debt collection service.

Instruct a Dental debt collection specialist for dental practices

Federal Management is an award-winning, leading dental debt collections expert that provides its clients with industry-leading recovery rates.  Since 2004, we have provide debt collection for dental practices to assist in recovering what is owed to them from non-paying patients.

We are also the debt recovery specialists in this field for unpaid invoices for dental equipment to outstanding fees for dental training.

Some of the main benefits of using Federal Management to recover dental fees are:

• We maximise the success rates of our cases whilst minimising the cost.
• Leading dental debt recovery rate of up to 90% and above on undisputed debts.
• We have a qualified dental clinician on hand to advise on any unpaid dental fee cases.
• Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
• Our team of debt recovery experts have over 100+ years of combined experience.

If a patient has undergone dental treatments and is then refusing to pay, you will have peace of mind that we can help you to recover this. Working with a specialised Debt Collection Agency for your dental practice will bring added value to your weekly cash flow.

Sometimes treatment paths can vary. Maybe less or more treatment is provided than originally outlined. Often a settlement sum is agreed on this basis. Non payment of the settlement can cause issues. This is why it is strongly recommended that all treatment is documented.

It is important to remember that no dental practice has ever lost a patient just because the patient was required to pay. Unpaid treatment fees is a constant thorn in the side of many dental practices.

No business deserves to be left unpaid for the services they provide, contact our dental debt recovery experts today.

What is dental debt collection?

Dental debt collection is the process of recovering unpaid fees from patients who have been provided with dental care treatment but have not paid for that privilege.  This could be for services such as braces, fillings, crowns, veneers, missed treatment appointments and other dentistry related services. Professional Dental Debt Collection can involve a variety of methods including letters, phone calls, agent visits and even court action if absolutely necessary.

Should we use a Dental Debt Collection Agency?

Absolutely yes but remember that not all Dental Debt Collection Agencies are the same. The best is not the cheapest. You will recover more if you work with the best. It pays to take a professional approach to debt collection matters as it should with any area of the practice.

Dental Debt Collection is a specialist field and it is important to use the best agency for the job. A reputable Dental Debt Collection Agency can help you recover these fees quickly and without any disruption to your practice. They also have experience in understanding customer behavior, which helps them negotiate effectively on behalf of the practice or dentist.

By using a Dental debt collection agency, practices can save time and money.  They can also help to protect your reputation as a professional practice, by taking a firm but fair approach to debt recovery. In addition, the agency will be able to provide advice on how best to approach customer accounts that have become overdue and offer practical solutions.

How much does Dental Debt Collection cost?

It varies from company to company. Generally speaking, average commission rates start from 15-40% depending on the debt amount. Our commission rates for Dental Debt Recovery start from only 8% for larger values. We can also help with smaller values, we are here to help dental practices of all sizes.

A Free Pre-action appraisal is provided to ensure the unpaid dental fees are recoverable. If it is deemed the debt is substantiated and recoverable, a small instruction fee is applicable and this is added to the debt value. We endeavor to recover this fee back as well as the principle sum.

Best dental debt collection service?

Federal Management and our sister company Frontline Collections have recovered millions in unpaid dental treatment fees. Since 2004, we have helped thousands of dental practices recover unpaid dental fees. We also have a specialist dental advisor on hand to advise on difficult cases. This ensures we maximise collection efforts.

We are an FCA regulated organisation and have advised on dental debt recovery matters for dentistry.co.uk, dentaltown.com and dentistrytoday.com

 

Posted on April 28, 2023