With stipulations on what treatment you can and can’t provide, recruitment for NHS dentistry impossible for many principal dentists, and the concern of clawback year on year, is now the time to become a fully private dental practice?
If you’re still not ready to make the leap, read more on the benefits a fully private dental practice could provide.
Greater control over treatments offered
A fully private dental practice has greater control over its services. This allows the practice to focus on providing high-quality dental care, investing in the latest technology and equipment, ultimately leading to better oral health for your current NHS patients.
Increased revenue
Care and health are high priorities, but let’s not forget that your practice is a business that needs to make a profit. By transitioning to fully private dentistry, your practice can attract a wider pool of patients willing to pay more for personalised care with varying, more expensive treatments.
With private dental practice plans in place, you’d also benefit from a secure monthly income, allowing the opportunity for financial forecasting and budgeting.
Improved working conditions
Principle private dentists often have more control over their hours, workload, and pay. This can improve job satisfaction and work-life balance, resulting in better patient care and a happier team.
Reduced administrative burden
NHS funding requires detailed records of treatment provided and meeting certain requirements to remain eligible. A practice can reduce the laborious admin by becoming fully private, allowing staff more time to focus on care rather than paperwork. Even if a dental plan is in place, converting NHS patients to a dental plan does not mean a tonne of admin for the team—quite the opposite!
Stronger brand and reputation
The perception of ‘your’ fully private practice in the local community would be that the dentistry offered is exclusive and superior. With fewer NHS dentists available, patients are more receptive to private dentistry (we are at the point where there isn’t really much of choice in many parts of the UK).
With dental plans making private dentistry manageable for most with small monthly payments, it isn’t as hard as many dentists believe to convert loyal patients into private plan-paying patients.
Alleviate any recruitment crisis in your practice
With fewer NHS dentists available, dental practices reliant on NHS funding may struggle to recruit and retain associate dentists. By transitioning to a private dental practice, a practice would attract a wider pool of talented dentists looking to work privately. Again, this leads to an improved work/life balance for the practice principle and improved patient outcomes.
Overall, transitioning to private dentistry can be a smart strategic move for dental practices looking to avoid the challenges that NHS dentistry presents.
If you would like to discuss transitioning to a private dental practice further, get in touch. We will arrange an exploratory meeting to review the opportunities this transition will bring you professionally and personally based on your own bespoke circumstances.