More than 50% of people with household incomes under $50,000 have cut back on multiple expenses due to the recent inflation.
55% of Americans consider the affordability of healthcare a huge problem.

Inflation is a part of our lives; we experience it every year. The yearly rise in prices has become the new normal; it doesn’t surprise us now. But when inflation hits every consumer product and transcends to healthcare, making it strenuous on the budget, that’s when you know you need an alternative.

During inflation, healthcare, especially dental, with the kind of insurance coverage it gets, can have a detrimental effect. It isn’t favorable to patients who need the treatments, nor does it provide great outcomes for the healthcare practices. While patients delay their treatments, doctors lose their revenue streams.

The high-deductible health plans make patients hesitant to bear the increasing out-of-pocket expenses accompanying the treatments. Without adequate savings and incomes, cash flow becomes bleak, and treatments become an afterthought.

Bringing aligners into the picture, these high-grade polymer trays are incredibly efficient in treating misalignment issues. Being one of the most advanced innovations in orthodontics, they are also expensive. With each added tray, the cost of aligner treatments keeps adding up, leading to a cash flow crunch for both the patient and the orthodontist.

As an orthodontist running an aligner practice, your goal would be to provide the best treatment to your patients. The best way to do that is to make the treatment accessible. A patient could want and need an aligner solution, but there is no point as long as he can’t afford it. That’s where patient financing comes into the picture.

With 69% of US consumers interested in the Buy Now Pay Later for necessary services, patient financing becomes the ideal choice for aligner practices.

The Dynamics of Patient Financing

According to the American Dental Association, patient financing plans help patients feel financially comfortable to take on a dental treatment more quickly as they get an option to finance the same. As a result, postponements become minimal, and your practice gets the business it needs.

Your aligner practice benefits from patient financing immensely if it’s managed properly. You improve your cash flow, reduce your receivables, and lower your risk of bad debts. Above all that, your patient satisfaction levels peak, creating a buzz of goodwill for your practice. And patient financing also serves as a lucrative marketing tool to attract more leads and convert them.

The concept encompasses both internal and external financing, and both have an equally positive impact on patient conversion and retention. While internal financing may seem like a more hassle-free option, with you providing in-house financing to your patients, the case is the opposite.

Being thorough in understanding the patient’s ability to pay, his payment history, credit score, and the treatment cost is necessary while considering internal financing. Only then can you decide which patient to offer the option to. It suffices to say that you would need additional staff to manage the program. Furthermore, complying with truth and lending regulations, both at the federal and state levels, is another aspect you ought to consider. Of course, the entire liability of unpaid repayments will also fall on you.

Considering all of these, third-party financing is the better option. This is when an outside company or bank provides a loan or a credit card to your patients that would pay for the services you offer them. In this case, the loan would cover the entire cost of the aligner treatments.

Although external financing seems very convenient, you must be diligent in reading the fine print before signing any agreement. You have to understand the workings of the financing, your liability along with how you will be reimbursed. Your staff also needs to be looped into the working, the limitations, and the payment terms of the contract for your benefit and that of your patients.

How Can FXPay Help Your Practice?

FXPay is a financing model that has made aligner treatments more accessible.

We believe everyone deserves the gift of a beautiful smile, and FXPay makes that possible as a finance solution for every patient. FXPay makes dental treatments seem less daunting. And the model is targeted to serve the needs of both the patients and the practices.

While patients get 100% approval regardless of their credit score, as an orthodontist, you get 100% upfront payment, and that too within 5 days. As a result, patients do not have to delay treatments anymore. The plans go as low as $99, making any reason to back out of the treatment void. For your practice, the lucrative financing would bring more conversions, and with an upfront payment, your cash flow would never look bleak again.

Patient financing had one major barrier. This was the stipulation of a large downpayment, but with FXPay that is no longer an issue. With a 0% downpayment plan, all the patients also receive a 6-month 0% APR. This puts absolutely no pressure on the patient’s pockets, enabling you to convert them easily.

If your goal is to treat more patients and capture more revenue, use FXPay to get paid right away with plans that approve every patient. For more information, visit orthofx.com.