Is your practice ready to make the most of this opportunity?
In a recent British Orthodontic Society Survey[1] 75% of orthodontists are now reporting seeing an increase in adult patients seeking private treatment. BOS members believe the rise has been driven by increased awareness of adult orthodontics and the influence of celebrity smiles and bloggers on consumers making adult braces both more acceptable and helping them achieve their goal of the better and more confident smile.
In a corresponding BBC article[2], the increase in patients seeking adult orthodontic treatment was quoted as the number one reason why Barclays Bank has doubled its lending to the dental sector over the past two years as more practices have invested in new equipment and training.
As the number of consumers looking to boost their self confidence in their smile increases, many will turn to Instagram (#smilesquad) and Google, as well as their peers to find the source of their confident smiles. This represents a great opportunity for the agile dental practice with suitable training, experience and equipment to attract new patients to the practice for treatment.
While the cost of orthodontic treatment has historically been a barrier for many with treatment often costing from £2,500 upwards, times have changed. Offering staged payments, subscription plans or interest free credit are now the norm and expectation for many consumers, in addition to those who can afford to pay for the treatment outright.
If your practice is ready to take the next step to make adult orthodontics a larger part of your business, creating a flexible payment plan could be the ideal next step. Since launching our Flexible Payment Platform for practices in 2017, around 19% of patient plans have been for orthodontic treatments. Some of our practices have even become leading suppliers in their areas for the well-known orthodontic and aligner brands creating a healthy new income stream and source of patients for them.
To find out more about how we can help you, have a look at our Flexible Payment Platform or give us a call on 0800 169 9962 to find out more.
[1] British Orthodontic Society survey of members in July 2019.
[2] BBC website article: Adult Braces: Why are more grown-ups getting their teeth straightened? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-49183879
