New Insights into Dental Membership Plans by Plan Forward
Plan Forward, a prominent developer of dental software specializing in membership plans, has recently shared important findings from three dental service organizations (DSOs). These insights reveal the financial advantages of cash-pay alternatives. As dental practices evolve to meet consumer demands, these findings highlight how customized membership plans are essential for improving patient care and boosting business performance.
Remarkable Production Increases at Participating DSOs
One notable DSO, which operates 37 clinics across various regions, has crafted its membership framework to enhance production and hygiene appointments, offering premium, service-oriented plans. This approach has led to an astonishing 260% increase in total production for plan members compared to cash-pay patients at the same organization, resulting in an impressive gain of $1,206 per member.
Improved Treatment Acceptance Rates
Another DSO, consisting of 27 clinics in the Midwest, collaborated with Plan Forward to create membership plans aimed at increasing treatment acceptance rates. Since launching this initiative, they have seen a 170% rise in total production among plan members, largely due to a 1.9-fold increase in restorative care, which translates to $551 per member.
Enhancing Patient Loyalty Through Membership Plans
The third DSO concentrated its membership offerings on building patient loyalty and increasing visit frequency. After a period of 17 months, members averaged five visits in their first year of membership, compared to just two visits from cash-pay patients. Notably, over half of the cash-pay patients eventually chose to enroll in a membership plan. This strategy not only encouraged more frequent patient visits but also resulted in substantial gains in overall production for hygiene services (+200%) and restorative care (+140%).
Empowering Dental Practices through Strategic Membership Models
Megan Lohman, Founder and Co-CEO of Plan Forward, commented on the successes of these practices, stating, "These examples illustrate how effectively harnessing our platform and the support from our customer success team can lead to significant benefits. Their tailored membership plans reflect a deep understanding of their patients' preferences, providing a competitive advantage that strengthens their resilience in the industry."
Flexibility in Creating Membership Plans
Additionally, many practices are utilizing their membership plans as strategic tools to diversify their services, including cosmetic treatments, orthodontics, and laser services. Co-CEO Jane Levy noted, "The data we have emphasizes that membership plans are not one-size-fits-all. We created Plan Forward to give DSOs the flexibility to design membership offerings that yield meaningful outcomes in their unique environments."
About Plan Forward
Plan Forward is a leader in providing a comprehensive suite of solutions, featuring an advanced platform that facilitates the seamless creation, management, and analysis of dental membership plans, compliant agreements, and marketing strategies aimed at driving membership growth for practices and groups. Founded in 2018, the company is backed by a team of experienced professionals in technology and the dental field, committed to delivering exceptional service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key findings from Plan Forward’s recent report?
Plan Forward revealed that DSOs utilizing their dental membership plans experienced significant production increases, with reported gains of up to 260% for members compared to cash-pay patients.
How do membership plans enhance patient care?
Membership plans have been shown to increase patient visits and improve treatment acceptance rates, which leads to better overall care and higher production levels for dental practices.
What is the strategic value of dental membership plans?
These plans provide flexibility for practices to customize their services, fostering higher patient loyalty and enabling offices to expand into cosmetic and restorative services.
When was Plan Forward founded?
Plan Forward was established in 2018 and has quickly become a leader in developing innovative solutions for dental membership plans.
Who are the leaders at Plan Forward?
Megan Lohman and Jane Levy serve as the Co-CEOs of Plan Forward, guiding the company in providing strategic tools and insights to dental practices.
