On the up

A look at the benefits increasing fees offers private practices.

As a profession, dentists tend to be averse to money talk, a trait described in an article in the British Dental Journal in 1994 as “the mental-fiscal drag”. Loosely explained, this is when a dentist knows the fee they should quote based on their hourly rate, but find themselves asking for a lower amount to please the patient.

If it is difficult discussing fee increases when times are good, how much harder is it during a pandemic? While it might seem counter-intuitive, dental practices in the UK should still be increasing their private fees, that is the view of Ross Brooke Dental, a specialist business firm led by dental accountants Linda Giles and Nathan Poole.

It’s natural for practice-owners to worry that increasing fees up could add yet another barrier and reduce attendance. Financially, everyone is having to dig a bit deeper and patients might instinctively be concerned about going to the dentist. But Linda and Nathan encourage private practices to banish those fears. If the practice is appreciated by its patients, they argue, they will understand the pressures facing a small business.