Many dentists (and health care professionals) went into their field because they want to help people. It’s hard to ask for payment when you just want to help people. It’s especially hard when it’s a patient that not only has a health crisis but a financial one as well. The absolute worst thing you can do is tell them “don’t worry about it.” If they don’t worry about paying, you will.
A patient that doesn’t pay you is a huge cost, no matter what you did for them. When you have a patient in this situation come in, you should be able to offer several different payment methods whether it’s an in-house payment plan, Care Credit, or even a local charitable organization. Remember, you aren’t a charity… most of the time. Doing charity dentistry is something you are more than welcome to do, but don’t offer it willy-nilly. Do charity events, where it is clear that your services are being donated. Doing charity on the spot creates chaos in your profit and loss, and your production numbers.
The bottom line is this: you should be paid for every patient that comes in. The patient doesn’t necessarily have to be the one to pay you. Have alternative payment methods in mind to offer if someone is struggling to pay. There should always be options for your patients, educate yourself on what those methods will be. Every patient that walks in should translate to a payday for you, and you don’t have to sacrifice charity to do it. Just acknowledge that you aren’t the business doing the charity. You are in business which will allow you to be charitable.