In recent years, dental practices have witnessed significant changes in the dental industry, including increasing costs, changes in regulations, and growing patient expectations to name a few. Many practices find it challenging to meet these demands with an NHS contract and are contemplating whether to continue their NHS contract or transition entirely to going fully private with your dental practice.
In this blog, we will explore why it might make financial and clinical sense for a dental practice to consider handing back their NHS contract and go completely private, taking complete control of their practice. By encouraging all patients to sign up to an affordable pay-monthly dental plan, both the dental practice and its current NHS patients can benefit from this transition.
Reduced Administrative Burden
NHS contracts come with various administrative tasks that can be time-consuming and costly for dental practices. By transitioning to be fully private, a practice can streamline its administrative processes, allowing them to focus more on patient care and practice growth.
Benefits for Patients
Introducing dental plans to your existing NHS patients presents numerous advantages for them. They have the ability to effectively manage their dental fees monthly, while continuing to receive care from their preferred dentist usually in more relaxed and less rushed appointments. Furthermore, this encourages patients to schedule regular appointments, leading to improved oral hygiene and the early detection of any potential issues. Consequently, this proactive approach minimises the necessity for costly and invasive treatments in the future.
Financial Benefits For The Dental Practice
By encouraging NHS patients to sign-up to a dental plan, the practice can benefit from a steady stream of recurring income to replace NHS remuneration. With a rise in plan revenue, a practice can make informed decisions regarding practice investment, and allocate the additional resource to plan for future growth and enhanced patient care.
Personalised Patient Care
Private dental practices often have smaller patient lists than those serving NHS patients. This enables dentists to spend more time with each patient and build stronger dentist-to-patient relationships.
Transitioning from a combined NHS and private practice to a fully private model can be a strategic move that brings substantial benefits to both the dental practice and its patients. By embracing this transformation, the practice opens up a world of possibilities for creating an enhanced patient experience which in turn, leads to a stronger reputation within the local community.
If you own a practice that offers both NHS and private dentistry but are unsure whether being fully in control with a completely private practice is right for you, speak to a member of our team and we will be happy to explore options that will indicate the best route for your business.