Many dental practice owners are looking for ways to increase their income and expand their business opportunities. One great way to do this is by creating a dental membership program. This type of program allows patients to pay an annual or monthly fee for discounted services, access to exclusive offers, and other benefits. By offering this, you can attract new patients, ensure your existing patients remain loyal to your practice, and reduce your dependence on dental insurance.
With a membership plan, patients can receive discounts on routine treatments such as cleanings and x-rays, as well as more costly procedures such as crowns and root canals. Additionally, members are typically entitled to free or discounted consultations, exams, and other services.
How does it compare to Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime is an example of a successful membership program that’s become hugely popular. It offers members a wide range of benefits, including free two-day shipping and access to exclusive discounts. Amazon Prime members spend four times more than nonmembers, and the same is true in dentistry! Dental members spend roughly three times more than nonmembers!
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How to create a membership plan
Creating a dental membership program involves several steps. First, you need to understand the local demographics, such as median income of the areas you want to target, and figure out what type of plan would best suit your patients'needs.
Examples of dental membership plans
Hygiene maintenance plans: These provide discounted preventive care services such as routine checkups, teeth cleanings, and x-rays. Patients can also receive discounts off restorative care services. This is great for uninsured patients. You can charge roughly $35 to $50 per month depending on your location.
Unlimited whitening memberships: These provide members with unlimited whitening services for a fixed monthly fee. This type of plan can be offered to both uninsured and insured patients. I’ve seen practices sign up more than 2,000 members at a charge of between $15 and $40 per month.
Emergency care plans: These offer discounted emergency services and cover the cost of office visits and certain treatments such as extractions or root canals.
Discount-only membership plans: These offer members discounts on all dental services. Once you've determined which type of plan to offer, you'll need to set the price and determine how long the membership will last.
Perio maintenance plans: These cover the cost of periodontal maintenance services such as scaling, root planning, and oral hygiene instructions. You can charge roughly $50 to $100 per month per patient depending on your location.
Once you have a better understanding of your local market, you'll be able to create a plan that fits your practice's goals and pricing. You'll need to decide on the terms and conditions of the program, such as how many treatments are included, what discounts are offered, and any restrictions or requirements. Finally, you'll need to create a pricing structure that fits the local market and median income, and make sure it's easy for potential members to sign up from your practices website.
Here are a few resources to help you create and grow your membership plan.
- Download The Million Dollar Membership Plan e-book
- Watch the webinar about creating your own membership plan
How to scale a membership plan
Once you've created a plan, figure out how to market it to attract and retain members. The most effective way to do this is through a combination of digital marketing strategies such as email, social media, and paid advertising, and start with your existing uninsured patients. Simply reach out to them via text, email, and mail to educate them about the benefits of joining your membership plan.
You can also reach out to new patients by running targeted ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads. Be sure your ads are highly targeted and focus on the benefits of your membership plan.
Finally, consider partnering with local businesses and other health organizations to promote your membership plan. Put together an informational flyer and offer discounts to area businesses who refer their employees or customers to your membership plan.
With these steps, you'll be able to create a membership plan that will attract and retain the members you need to grow your practice. Remember that it's important to keep track of your members, offer them incentives and discounts, and continually evaluate the performance of your plan to make sure it's creating value for both you and your patients.
