Support Patients With Dental Anxiety About the Cost of Care

When you hear the term "dental anxiety," what may come to mind is a patient with a fear of dental tools and procedures. However, many dental patients suffer anxiety about the cost of dental treatment, especially those who may not have budgeted for such expenses.¹

Communication and compassion can help patients feel confident about the dental work they need, and can help you empower them to move forward with the recommended treatment. The more informed a person is about the cost of their dental care, the better equipped they are to make the best decisions for their financial and dental health.²

Your dental team has the critical job of educating patients about the lifetime cost of dentistry while delivering positive patient experiences and manageable financial solutions. Here's what they need to know to talk confidently about care costs and financing solutions while building trust and long-term patient loyalty.

Recognize and Understand Patient Concerns

Not everyone may share the mindset that dental problems must be addressed immediately. Perception about the cost of care and a patient’s understanding of dental benefits can affect how they make decisions about their dental care.² Dental cost anxiety is a significant patient concern that may keep them from getting the care they want or need.¹

• Facing unexpected costs. No one wants to be surprised at the dentist, whether it’s about the work that needs to be done or how much it's going to cost. Unexpected or higher-than-anticipated costs for dental treatment can make patients worry about not being able to move forward with care or ignore getting a procedure due to costs.²
• Concerns over high-cost procedures. Many patients might fail to consider that not getting treatment now due to cost concerns can lead to more complicated issues later and even more costly repairs. Dental teams can convey the complications of not proceeding with treatment, regardless of associated costs.
• Past experiences with dental billing. If a patient had a negative past experience with dental billing, it could affect if they choose to move forward with treatment. Having transparent cost conversations, offering dental patient financing solutions and welcoming financial discussions can help empower patients.²

Educate and Communicate With Anxious Patients

A patient may not move forward with dental care if they allow dental cost anxiety to win over oral health needs. A dental team’s guidance in explaining the average cost of care can help patients better plan ahead and feel more financially prepared for their treatment needs.²

• Be upfront about costs. Provide detailed information about procedures and associated costs from the start. Use brochures and visual aids to help add clarity, deliver cost explanations and identify dental payment options.
• Offer bite-sized details. Break down treatments and costs into small segments, so you can transmit information and cost details to an anxious patient in easily digestible, bite-sized pieces. Avoid technical language and use clear, simple language to help patients feel more comfortable and informed about a procedure.
• Explain ways to prevent future high costs. Help patients understand that preventive care and early intervention for dental problems can help mitigate the need for further treatment later, as well as future high costs. Delaying treatment may lead to ongoing discomfort and potentially higher costs in the future.³
• Encourage open discussion. Ask patients about their financial concerns and be clear about the various payment options available, billing options, insurance benefits and patient responsibility for payment. Cultivate a judgment-free zone so patients feel comfortable voicing financial concerns and asking questions.
• Leverage tools and technology. Cost estimation tools, payment calculators, patient management systems, digital communication, feedback surveys and other online resources can help patients better understand their dental healthcare costs. These resources can enhance efficiency and patient communication, allow for consistent engagement with patients and help patients digest financial information at their pace.⁴

Introduce Solutions to Help Manage Patient Dental Cost Anxiety

As part of ongoing discussions with dental patients, introduce solutions to help manage their anxiety about the cost of care so they can see if the dental work they want or need is financially possible. Present their financial options early and explain the tools you use to simplify cost management.

• Cost transparency. Transparent pricing can eliminate uncertainty and may help patients feel they are making informed decisions. Sharing patient financing options allow for an easier and faster decision-making process.⁵
• Flexible payment options. It is important to offer a range of flexible dental payment options to help ease cost concerns.⁶ This can include patient financing, in-house coverage plans, payment plans, acceptance of FSAs or HSAs and more.
• A holistic approach to finance. Patients who can see a direct connection between dental treatment and overall well-being may be more likely to grow confident in their decisions. Resources like the CareCredit health and wellness credit card can help patients move forward with dental care as well as in other areas of health and wellness.

It's not just the cost of care for dental treatment that patients are considering; it’s the weighing of this cost against other expenses and financial priorities. Perceived value can be a key factor in patient decision-making. Payment flexibility, trust in the dentist and understanding the value of care combine to create a positive dental patient experience.

Build a Supportive Dental Office Environment

Communicating successfully with patients can start by communicating effectively with your dental team. By creating a supportive environment in all areas of your dental practice, you can feel good about patient engagement, especially when it comes to quelling dental anxiety about the cost of care.

• Train staff to note and address financial anxieties. Work long enough in dentistry, and your staff may learn to tell the difference between a confident and a nervous patient. Train your staff to kindly bring up the difficult conversations to help patients face their concerns about dental costs and feel better sooner.
• Present educational workshops on dental cost management. The more your team knows and understands, the better they can educate your patients or potential patients about paying for their dental care.
• Make good use of digital tools. Some dental patients may need hand-holding through various stages of their oral health journey. Your dental team can use your dental portal or other digital tools to communicate with patients at appropriate intervals if they’re waffling about saying yes to treatment.

Acknowledge Anxiety About Dental Costs to Support Your Patients

There can be an overlap between anxiety about dental care and anxiety about dental costs, feeding each other in an endless spiral and making it difficult for some patients to contact a dental office. Oral health problems are then more likely to develop into larger problems, which in turn can increase treatment recommendations and further anxiety about dental care costs. Considering the emotional and psychological responses of patients to dental care and costs is a full staff effort, with the goal of balancing short-term discomfort — physical and/or financial — with long-term benefits.

A Dental Patient Financing Solution for Your Practice

Want to help more patients move forward with the dental care they want or need? Consider offering the CareCredit credit card as a financing solution. CareCredit allows patients to pay for out-of-pocket dental care costs over time while helping enhance the payments process for your practice.

When you accept CareCredit, patients can see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score, and those who apply, if approved, can take advantage of special financing on qualifying purchases.* Additionally, you will be paid directly within two business days.

Learn more about the CareCredit credit card as a dental patient financing solution or start the provider enrollment process by filling out this form.

Author Bio

Elizabeth Weiss is a freelance writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience in content development for dentistry, orthodontics and cosmetic dermatology. She focuses on making healthcare topics accessible to readers and contributes to many fields, from family and estate law to industrial services and landscape design.

Healthcare payment and financing solution

The CareCredit health and wellness credit card helps improve the payment experience for patients and clients, and your financial performance.

Get Started