Should I credit the exam fee a patient already paid toward their treatment?
Yes, and patients love it. They have already shown up and paid for a film and an exam. When you apply that money to the next step, they feel like they are not paying twice for the same thing. To them it reads as a discount, and that small piece of goodwill nudges them toward the next yes. This is basic reciprocity. You give a little, they feel obligated to move forward a little. It costs you almost nothing because the money is already in your account, and it removes a quiet objection before the patient ever voices it. So roll the consult or exam fee into the complete dental physical. The patient sees fairness, you see momentum, and the case keeps moving instead of stalling on a feeling of being nickeled.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.