Imagine yourself as a ranch hand in the American West about a century ago – I know this is far removed from the world of dentistry but bear with me! Imagine that you need to capture a young steer. What do you do? The only way to exert control is to face the steer, grab it by the horns and pull it to the ground. This may seem counter-intuitive, but it is – or was at that time, the best thing to do to round up a young bull.
Above is why today we use the phrase ‘Take the bull by the horns’ to describe any activity that requires decisive and determined thinking. Switching plan provider is definitely an activity that requires a dental practice owner to be decisive. If you offer your patients a plan but you feel the support of the plan provider has gone off the boil, perhaps you should be considering taking the bull by the horns. You don’t need to be brave; those clients who have made the switch from a branded plan provider to a practice-branded plan provider like DPAS tell us that the change brings immediate benefits. I’ll go on to explore some of these in more detail…
Becoming a more sustainable and profitable business
When most practitioners went to university to study as a dentist, time would have been spent focusing on how to deliver exceptional patient care and on becoming a great clinician, not how to run a business. A good plan provider should work with you to help you realise your practice vision; it should be a company of people with whom you can discuss key business challenges with, or receive invaluable advice from on how to hone your patient journey; they should be so ingrained in your practice culture that they could almost be classed as one of the team! Can you say that of your current plan provider?
Patients believe in your brand
Patient loyalty is so important, not just as reassurance that you are providing your patients with the care they want and expect, but also because when the time comes, a loyal patient base supports your goodwill valuation. Working with a plan provider who helps you build this loyalty by creating a plan branded to your practice bonds patients to you and your team, making them feel a part of your practice and not just a number in a larger organisation. Additionally, taking more control of your dental plan places you firmly in charge, allowing you to make the important decisions, but still feel safe in the knowledge that in the background, your provider is still on hand to give you all the support you need, whenever you need it.
A personal service from an experienced team
No two practices are the same and so ensuring you differentiate yourself from your competition is vital. No one wants to be classed as offering the same as someone down the road. Building your own practice-branded dental plan that comes with unique patient benefits helps to distinguish you from your competition and gives your patients something they can’t get a few doors down. Switching to a provider who treats you as an individual and introduces you to a support team who have worked in the dental industry for years, means that not only do they speak the same language as you, but they’ve got YOUR best interests at heart.
Experiencing a ‘safe pair of hands’
So, have you been thinking about making the switch but not been ready to take the bull by the horns? It’s very easy to put off a change of this kind and I certainly don’t underestimate the amount of thought and planning that goes into making a change to your business structure. But with the right support, guidance and a plan provider with a proven track record in successfully getting you to where you want to be, it can be a whole lot simpler. Practice owners who have made the switch over to us have really valued the experience our team brought to, not just the transition, but also their business as a whole. They’ve said that they felt they were in safe hands knowing we had the skills, ability and experience to make their transition simple and stress-free.
So, if you’re thinking about moving away from your current provider, why not give us a call on 01747 870910 to see how we can make the switch as simple and
pain-free as possible or email us at [email protected]
