The dental that was recommended in March and booked in November.
Dentals are the procedure owners postpone most: the pet looks fine, the number sounds big, and nothing forces a decision. A link that prices the plan, separates what is included from what may be needed, and takes a deposit turns "we'll think about it" into a date in the book.
What actually goes wrong
The exam finds grade 2 or 3 dental disease. You explain it well, the owner nods, the estimate is printed, and the folder goes home. Nobody at the front desk has the time to chase it, and the recall list grows.
The number itself is rarely the blocker. The uncertainty is: owners hear "between $600 and $1,200 depending on extractions" and stop listening at the top of the range. What they need is a written plan where the base is fixed, the possible extras are named with a price, and they can say yes to the base today.
A deposit changes the arithmetic on your side too. A booked dental with 30% already paid is a slot that survives a rainy Tuesday.
What the owner sees on their phone.
Sample dental plan: 24 kg dog, grade 2 disease. Example figures, not our prices.
| Line | Status | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-anaesthetic exam and bloodwork | Included | $115.00 |
| General anaesthesia and monitoringIV catheter, fluids, warming | Included | $210.00 |
| Scaling, polishing and full-mouth charting | Included | $265.00 |
| Full-mouth dental radiographsThe only way to see what is under the gum line | Recommended | $180.00 |
| Extraction, per toothCharged only if needed, decided during the procedure | Optional | $85.00 |
| Take-home dental kit | Optional | $40.00 |
- Included
- $590.00
- Approved total, options ticked
- $770.00
- Deposit at signature, 30%
- $231.00
The owner sees the fixed base, ticks the radiographs, and reads in plain words that extractions are charged per tooth only if the radiographs show they are needed. They sign and pay 30% of what they approved.
Say it once, the same way, every time.
Copy these lines into your practice manual and change the names. The point is not the wording. It is that everyone at the counter says the same thing.
How to present it at the front desk
Five lines. Say them while the owner is still at the counter, then send the link before they reach the car park.
- 1
"Dr. Lewis found tartar and some gum inflammation on Milo, grade 2. It is treatable now and it gets more expensive to treat later."
- 2
"I am emailing you the plan now. It has three parts: what is always included, the X-rays we recommend, and extractions that are only charged if the X-rays show a bad tooth."
- 3
"You can tick what you want and see the total change. Nothing to install, it opens on your phone."
- 4
"To hold a surgery morning we take 30% when you sign. It comes off the final bill."
- 5
"Take your time tonight. If we have not heard from you by Thursday, the system sends a reminder, and I will call on Friday."
Questions clinics ask.
What if the extractions cost more than the estimate?
You decide how to handle that and write it on the plan. Most clinics list extractions as an optional line with a per-tooth price and a sentence saying they are charged only if the radiographs show they are needed. The owner has approved the principle and the price before the day.
How big should the dental deposit be?
Clinics we talk to use 25% to 30% of the approved total, or a flat amount like $150. VetApprove does not pick for you: you set a percentage or a fixed sum per template.
Does the deposit go to VetApprove?
No. It goes into your clinic's own Stripe account through Stripe Connect. We are not a payment processor: we take nothing on the deposit, Stripe's fees apply.
Can the owner change their mind after signing?
That is between you and your client. Your policy, written in your words on the plan they signed. VetApprove records what was agreed and when; it never decides whether you refund.
Other situations
Ten clinics. Then we close the door for a while.
We are onboarding the first cohort by hand, one clinic at a time, to get the templates right for your species and procedures. Tell us where you are and we'll send the payment link and a 15-minute slot.