Patient Financing Helps Dentist Avoid Compromising on Treatment Plans

Embarking on a quest to build a more fulfilling practice, Rasner began taking as many CE courses as he could, logging 200 to 300 hours per year. He moved his practice into a more visible location in nearby Vineland, New Jersey, which was next to a Burger King restaurant and across the street from McDonald’s. In the new location, his business began doubling each year.

“It was not because people were noticing the quality of my work; it was because my confidence was sky-high due to all of the CE,” he says. “Confidence is such an important factor in case presentation. It allows you to become very good at treatment planning.”

Still, one of the most challenging aspects of his job was dealing with patients who needed more expensive treatment than they could afford. He had to stretch cases and accept structured payments. Often, however, in those situations, patients would stop treatment early if other expenses arose.

“Temporary crowns in the esthetic zone suddenly become acceptable for the patient when a carburetor needs to be replaced or a basement floods,” Rasner says. “That leads to bad results. Temporaries were not made to last for years.”

Approximately 20 years ago, Rasner committed to the philosophy that he would be better off not starting a case if he needed to make it attractive by extending payments for the patient.

“Compromising sounds like a benevolent thing to do,” he says, “but unless you are willing to finish the work before receiving all the payments, it is a bad philosophy. The patient is not happy, and that can harm your reputation even if you were not at fault.”

Rasner still advises patients to make responsible decisions with their complex cases, even if it is not immediately financial beneficial for him.

“If a patient needs a denture with implants for an edentulous lower arch, four implants can cost $18,000, but it can change that patient’s life,” he says. “If the patient only has $8,000, many dentists will place two implants, but that does not have anywhere near the efficacy of four. Furthermore, in a two implant situation, if one of the implants becomes compromised, it can be disastrous for the patient. I believe patients are better off not starting treatment if they do not have the money up front to pay for the best treatment plan.”

With that philosophy in place, patient lending has been a major asset, and Rasner says he uses Lending Club Patient Solutions more than any other option.

“When you talk to patients about financing, it is important to be crystal clear and to present multiple options, because different options are better for different people, and you do not want any patient to have buyer’s remorse,” he says. “Lending Club Patient Solutions does an amazing job with that. It could not be any better.”

Rasner says Lending Club Patient Solutions is one of the few patient financing companies that has demonstrated staying power over the years, but despite that success, its interactions with his office do not feel corporate.

“They are still very hands-on with everything,” he says. “When we call them, they know who we are, and they treat us with a personal touch.”

When any issues arise that need to be addressed, Lending Club Patient Solutions’ representatives are always available, Rasner says.

“They are always right there, and they do not act corporate at all,” he says. “They act as if they are a friend or a part of our staff.”

This reliability and versatility allows Rasner to practice the type of dentistry that he wants to do, which has helped his business continue to thrive. He also lectures on clinical topics around the country.

“When you are not worried about making payroll, and you are able to perform various advanced techniques rather than spending your days doing routine fillings, it makes a difference in your attitude,” he says. “I love what I do, even after 37 years.”

All these years after the “Norman Rockwell” start to his career, Rasner has not gone far from the location of his father’s practice, but he has managed to take his work to a vastly different level.

“I am in a community that is still economically challenged,” he says, “and we are surrounded by corporatized dentistry with a lower fee structure. But thanks in part to Lending Club Patient Solutions, I am able to offer these patients responsible, comprehensive care in a way that they can afford. Now that is a win-win situation.”

For more information, contact:
Lending Club Patient Solutions
844-236-6673
lendingclub.com/patientsolutions