Why does patient financing matter? The team uncovers eye-opening stats: 15-20% of patients walk in unprepared to pay. A practice producing $1.6 million often sit on $2-2.4 million in unscheduled treatment. Michael Clark, a former CareCredit insider, explains how offering payment options bridges the gap, especially for bigger treatment plans like crowns, implants, or clear aligners—where "big" varies from a $1,000 crown to a $25,000 All-on-4 case. Paula shares her own experience as a practice owner, admitting she once cherry-picked when to offer financing, while Co-Host Mike Dinsio highlights a case where a $1.6 million dollar practice only used CareCredit once in an entire year. The result? A massive missed opportunity.

The trio tackles why practices shy away—

• staff discomfort with money talks, 
• misconceptions about merchant fees (not interest!), 
• and the pitfalls of in-house payment plans that rarely get collected after 120 days. 
• They cite Kathy Jamison’s research, revealing in-house plans cost 42 cents on the dollar to manage. 
• Meanwhile, patients finance everything from mattresses to nose jobs—why not dentistry? 
• With 50% of revenue from insurance, 35% from traditional payments, and a growing need for affordable options (average savings under $2,000), financing is a no-brainer 🧠

We discuss options beyond CareCredit as a household name— new options to consider include Covered Care, Clarity Pay, niche players for larger cases like clear aligners. The key? Offer multiple choices (cash discounts, credit cards, third-party financing) on 100% of treatment plans, letting patients decide. Why? Paula notes patients are 50% less likely to schedule once they leave, and Michael Clark adds that 25-30% get treatment elsewhere if they don’t commit day-of. Sponsored by Candid Pro, a clear aligner system built for general dentists to drive predictable outcomes and profit, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.

0:00 Intro
4:26 Why Use Patient Financing
7:46 Statistics, and Opportunities in Your Practice
13:20 Case Acceptance Rate, Verbal Skills, & Options
14:47 Why Offices Are Using Patient Financing
20:47 Why patients NEED Financing
25:01 Increase Patient Care Option
27:38 Which Financing Companies to Use?

Consolidating Startup Unscripted and Acquisition Unscripted into one navy blue and turquoise, tooth-branded hub, Dental Unscripted . This channel will be your go-to for practice management, startup, and dental acquisition gold! https://dental-unscripted.transistor.fm/

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Need help with case acceptance or setting up your practice? Mike, Paula, and Michael have you covered. Visit their consulting firms website for more details on working with a dental consulting firm and what's available. https://nxlevelconsultants.com
 
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