How patients make dental care purchase decisions

When patients need dentistry that requires an out-of-pocket investment, on average it takes them 69.8 days to go through a complex decision-making process before they choose to purchase recommended treatment. This was one of the key findings in the Patients' Path to Dental Care Purchase Study conducted by Rothstein Tauber on behalf of CareCredit.

The study surveyed patients who had recently made or were planning on making a dental care purchase. The study found that even though 60% of patients believed dental care to be an absolute necessity, the decision to purchase was lengthy and was influenced by cost, time, insurance benefits, and perceived need.

Not surprisingly, the majority of patients (56%) selected the dentist they already had a relationship with for the treatment they were considering, but they wanted and needed information on both the care and cost to make a decision. In fact, on their path to purchase, more patients (67%) asked about and researched cost and finances than did the treatment (58%). If the treatment was not introduced at the practice, or if the patient chose not to schedule care on the initial visit, they often went home to do more research and fact-finding. Seventy-one percent of patients who researched treatment and/or cost and financing visited a practice for information, 28% asked family and friends, and 34% sought information online. Of those going online, 51% went to a medical advice website, 38% to websites that provide reviews, and 46% to a provider's website.

The survey found 52% of patients were not aware of financing as a payment option. However, 47% of respondents who did not have CareCredit said they would consider financing through a health-care credit card like CareCredit if it enabled them to receive care right away. This option became more attractive as the cost of care increased, with 29% of all respondents indicating they would be likely or extremely likely to apply for and use CareCredit for fees of only $200. Almost half (49%) said they would be likely or extremely likely to apply for and use CareCredit for fees of $1,000. The average out-of-pocket investment for the survey participants was $1,177.80.

The survey also included patients who had previously used CareCredit to pay for health care for themselves or their families. These patients said if CareCredit had not been available they would have gone to a different provider who accepted CareCredit (29%) and/or would have chosen not to have the dentistry done (39%). There were many reasons patients found CareCredit to be useful. A vast majority (87%) said financing is a tool that helps them with unplanned healthcare expenses and 82% found CareCredit allows them to be responsive to their family's healthcare needs and not delay care.

Based on the study findings, dentists and their teams can help make patients' path to purchase easier and less stressful by having information on care, cost and all payment options, including financing, readily available and easily accessible during their treatment and fee discussion and on their web and social media sites.

Source: http://www.dentaleconomics.com/articles/print/volume-105/issue-10/practice/study-how-patients-make-dental-care-purchase-decisions.html

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