What Are Patient Payment Plans in a Dental Practice?
Patient Payment Plans are structured financial arrangements that allow patients to spread the cost of routine or advanced dental care over regular instalments.
They can be in-house plans managed by the practice or external plans managed by providers such as Denplan or Practice Plan.
Why Do Patient Payment Plans Matter for Dental Practice Owners?
Payment plans improve both access and affordability for patients while providing practices with predictable recurring income.
Benefits for owners include:
- Improved cash flow – regular monthly income regardless of diary gaps
- Higher treatment acceptance – patients say “yes” more often when costs are spread
- Increased retention – patients on plans are less likely to churn
- Valuation uplift – recurring plan income increases goodwill at sale
Example:
- 500 patients on £20/month hygiene plan
- Monthly recurring income = £10,000
- Annual recurring income = £120,000
This forms a stable baseline for overheads and staff wages.
What Types of Patient Payment Plans Exist?
| Type | Description |
| Capitation Plans | Fixed monthly fee for routine check-ups and hygiene (e.g., Denplan) |
| Treatment Plans | Patients spread payments for Invisalign, implants, or cosmetic cases |
| Hybrid Plans | Mix of preventive care + option to finance advanced treatments |
How Does DentPulse Track Patient Payment Plans?
| Feature | Function |
| Revenue Recognition Engine | Ensures plan payments are recorded as earned only when care is delivered |
| Hybrid Revenue Model Forecasting™ | Balances plan income with NHS + private |
| Patient Retention Metrics | Links plan participation to churn and lifetime value (LTV) |
| CFFP™ (Cash Flow Future Pairing) | Forecasts plan inflows against practice outflows |
DentPulse ensures plans are not just recorded as income, but linked to profitability, retention, and valuation impact.
DentPulse Tip™
“Payment plans aren’t just a patient benefit — they’re a business stability strategy.
Every plan patient is one less financial unknown.”
Related Glossary Terms
- Denplan – one of the UK’s leading capitation plan providers
- Patient Lifetime Value (LTV) – extended by strong recall and plan participation
- Hybrid Revenue Model Forecasting– NHS + private + plan blend modelling
- Revenue Recognition – ensures plan income is aligned with service delivery
- Cash Flow Forecasting – includes predictable monthly plan income
Glossary Summary Table
| Term | Meaning |
| Patient Payment Plans | Monthly instalment schemes for routine or advanced dental care |
| Purpose | Improve affordability, boost retention, and stabilise cash flow |
| DentPulse Advantage | Tracks plan income in real time, links to profitability and valuation |
