How offering subscriptions raises the standard of care at Mosaic Dental

Traditional dental insurance reimbursement rates tend to undervalue the very services that can prevent more serious health issues down the line, pushing some providers to focus on more invasive and profitable procedures instead. Dr. Gillespie at Mosaic Dental in Tyler, Texas recognized this troubling trend and made a pivotal decision to shift the practice's philosophy from an insurance-based model to a quality-driven approach. 

By embracing a fee-for-service structure and introducing dental subscriptions through Subscribili, Mosaic Dental not only improved the financial stability of their practice but also elevated the standard of care they could offer. As Mosaic Dental continues to thrive, they are paving the way for a future in dentistry that centers on patient outcomes and sustainable care.

Dental insurance places limits on preventative care, hurting both the patient and the doctor.

Dental insurance reimbursement rates devalue preventative care. This creates a situation where, despite a commitment to managing disease effectively, the financial incentives embedded in insurance contracts place a financial burden on the practice. Consequently, some providers prioritize more invasive and lucrative procedures over certain treatments that would better support the patients’ long-term health. 

Dr. Gillespie’s philosophy is that “quality care is about halting the progression of dental disease” not just creating a lucrative treatment plan. He noticed that “as we were getting bigger, the profit margins weren’t what they needed to be” but he didn’t want to steer away from a focus on patient outcomes. That’s why Mosaic Dental decided to transition from an “insurance-based practice to a quality-based practice” and become an entirely fee-for-service practice.

Patients deserve–and expect–more than traditional PPO dentistry allows. 

Moving to fee-for-service dentistry didn’t just impact the practice’s bottom line either. Without the limitations created by an insurance contract, Mosaic Dental was able to create their own fee schedule, making preventative care a more financially stable option for the practice. They also decided to introduce Subscribili to make care more affordable for patients, without the limits placed on them by insurance. 

Often, this means Mosaic Dental can create more comprehensive treatment plans that not only address the symptoms of dental disease, but actually address the cause. They even saw an increase in their case acceptance after moving to this model, because patients can see how the treatment plan addresses their needs comprehensively and they don’t have to fear any surprise bills after the treatment is provided. Higher acceptance rates for more complete treatment plans leads to better outcomes for those patients.

As Dr. Gillespie put it, “if you can stop the progression of dental disease, then that's going to save the patient money and you're going to have more loyal patients who are going to stay with you longer because they have a higher level of trust in you.”

Why choose Subscribili

Subscribili turned out to be the perfect option for Mosaic Dental as they transitioned to a quality-driven model in their office. Since first introducing dental subscription plans, the team has become more efficient, offering “a higher volume of services” and has seen “a total revenue increase” without requiring more time in the office. In fact, Mosaic Dental has made the decision to only offer care three days a week, allowing the doctor to be more focused when patients are in the chair and to provide a better work-life balance to the team. 

And the front-office team no longer needs to spend time dealing with financial conversations, juggling claims and remits, or even verifying patients’ insurance. As Holly Crumption, Mosaic’s office manager, explains, “we handle the care side of things without having to worry about the finances or administering the membership.”

What’s next for Mosaic, and the future of dentistry

Moving away from traditional PPO models can have a significant impact on a practice’s bottom line and in the ultimate outcomes for patients. 

Mosaic Dental saw a significant increase in revenue, driven by membership plans powered by Subscribili. Importantly, this growth occurred without a significant rise in overhead. WIth the adoption of membership plans, the practice's EBITDA improved from 22% to 33%.They’re even preparing to expand, even hiring a second doctor to offer even more care to the community of Tyler, Texas. 

Dr. Gillespie noted, "Our CFO/CPA observed that while our total revenue increased, our overhead remained relatively flat, with the majority of the revenue growth coming from our membership plans."

“In my mind,” Dr. Gillespie says, “Subscribili is the future of dentistry.”