Ulrika Skalberg explains how children fit into the transition from NHS to private dentistry and her motives for handing back her NHS contract.
A desire to have the freedom to do the right thing for her patients was one of the prime motives behind dentist and practice owner Ulrika Skalberg’s decision to hand back her NHS children’s contract.
Having bought the practice with her husband more than seven years previously, her business model always included signing up as many adults as possible to her membership plan to reap the benefits of a stable, regular monthly income. However, as has been the case with so many other things, COVID changed all that.
The administrative burden and the restrictions on treatments she could offer had always been a bone of contention for her. However, rumours during the pandemic that NHS dentists would be forced to ignore their regular patients in favour of emergency cases ‘off the street’ proved to be the final straw for Ulrika. As she says in this short video, her desire was to build a practice with a loyal patient base and so, she decided to hand back her contract.
‘It made sense to add children to the mix’
Although apprehensive initially about how parents might react to being asked to pay for their children’s treatment, she encountered little objection to the change. With such a large base of plan patients, it made sense to add children to the mix.
She has a long-standing relationship with her Practice Plan regional support manager, Amy Hansford, and describes her as part of her practice family. Ulrika is grateful for all the support she received from Amy and the wider Practice Plan team during the conversion, especially with communicating the change to patients.
Ulrika says her transition from NHS to private was smooth and seamless, and she credits this to all the help she received from Practice Plan. She even goes so far as to say she couldn’t have done it without Amy and Practice Plan. Praise indeed.
If you’re considering your options away from the NHS and are looking for a provider who will hold your hand through the process while moving at a pace that’s right for you, why not start the conversation with Practice Plan on 01691 684165 or book your one-to-one NHS to private call today: practiceplan.co.uk/nhsvirtual.
For more information visit the Practice Plan website: practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.
Going to Dentistry Show London on 6 – 7 October? Join us on stand D30 for a chat!
