Sally McKenzie

Here's the typical scenario. You present the treatment plan. The patient is eager to proceed. Then the financial coordinator steps in and unveils the price tag. The patient swallows hard and asks the question that she intuitively knows the answer to. Will my insurance pay for that? Now what? Avoid those awkward moments by marketing what insurance will cover well in advance.

Educate your patients about insurance limitations and other financial options just as you educate them about proper oral healthcare. Most policies have a per calendar year cap that has not been increased in more than two decades - an important detail that patients often aren't aware of.

The financial coordinator should sit down with patients and review what's covered in their dental plans. Discuss the calendar year cap, deductibles, co-pays, coverage for preventive care, etc. For example, "According to the information you provided and additional information I gathered from the insurance company, your employer has purchased a package for you that includes the following benefits and coverage." Explain those to the patient.

"The plan your employer provides offers a small per calendar year balance of $1,000. This will help cover some of the care you need. In addition, your plan includes a deductible and co-payments." Explain those to the patient.

While it's essential that patients understand the limitations of their insurance plans, it is equally critical that they recognize that the dental team cannot ignore gum disease or other infections of the mouth that may not be covered by insurance any more than the medical team could ignore infection or disease in the heart or lungs.

The six-month prophy versus necessary periodontal treatment is a good example of the common disconnect between insurance benefits routinely offered and treatment often needed by patients. The insurance plan emphasizes the benefit of two cleanings a year and the patient believes this is all they need unless the doctor and dental team regularly educate the patient that neither the practice nor the patient can ignore bacterial infection because of insurance limitations.

Beware of mean people who really don't know that much about the cloud.

If you feel moving your practice to the cloud makes a lot of sense, you're not alone. Hundreds of doctors are recognizing the advantages they could enjoy were they to switch to a web-based application. As expected, there are detractors who would rather focus on the fear, uncertainty and doubt (or FUD) of using something new.

The following list was obtained by surveying the sales team at Curve Dental, specifically asking them to rank, from most common to least common, comments about Curve Dental and/or the cloud that they hear from competitors.  

As a result of the survey, the doctor who is evaluating Curve Dental may use the following information to help them identify FUD and think for themselves.

1. Your IT Pro Says it's a Bad Idea. This is not to say your IT pro doesn't know their stuff. Typically, we find that after your IT pro has a chance to talk with us their opinion quickly changes. Try contacting one of our True Orange Partners for some fresh advice.

2. The Cloud is too Slow for Imaging. Isn't it funny how the cloud is too slow for small, black and white bitewing images, but fast enough for 12 megapixel color images to get uploaded to Facebook? 

3. Curve Dental is New. Everyone has to start sometime, including you. If you've got jitters about doing business with a new company that's been coding for seven years, then ask for referrals or do some research on line.

4. You Lose Control of Your Data. With Curve you can download ALL of your data at any time. Compare that flexibility to your client-server setup. That data may be under your desk but it's actually less available to you.

5. Never Trust Sensitive Information to the Cloud. If you bank on line or manage your investment on line, then you're already trusting sensitive information to the cloud.

6. Your Server is Safer than Their Servers. Kudos to the doctor who spends lots of time and money to keep their servers in pristine condition with multiple backups. To the remaining 99% we say "run, don't walk, to the cloud!"

7. Once on the Cloud You Can't Get Off. This is classic FUD. With Curve your contract is month to month. You can leave, with ALL of your data, if we don't make you happy. Try doing that with a client-server system.

8. The Cloud is Unproven. If that's true, why will US businesses spend more than $14.8 billion on cloud-based apps this year (according to a survey by Gartner)? 

9. Nobody Uses the Cloud. More than 300 doctors like yourself are using the cloud everyday to manage their practice. You're welcome to speak to them. Just give us a call.

10. Their Mothers Dress Them Funny. It's true we look and act a little different. If dental software didn't change and progress we'd all still be using DOS!

Whenever something new enters the market there will be detractors. It's funny how human nature works to discredit that which we don't understand. The more you learn about us the more you'll embrace the cloud.