After reviewing your practice dynamics and patient base, you may well choose to not join a payer network. Building a strong practice relies on marketing and good practice management skills. Consider the following tools to achieve success as a non-participating dentist:
Practice management guidelines
The ADA’s Guidelines for Practice Success provides members with a wealth of information to establish a successful practice. Specifically, check out Managing Patients Introduction: The Patient Experience: What it is and Why it Matters.
Patient education
Help your patients understand what dental “insurance” means through the Why doesn’t my insurance pay for this? brochure, and feel free to provide them with the ADA’s free patient resource: Your Guide to Finding and Paying for Dental Care.
Dealing with assignment of benefits
Some major carriers do not assign benefits to non-participating dentists. Creating a sound office financial policy that helps patients understand that the dental office must be paid in full is an important first step in navigating this issue. Visit Managing Patients Policies: Financial: Collecting Payments and check out the sample financial policy.