Private Dental Debt Collection Case Study

Dental Case Study: How We Recovered 84% of a £425,000 Unpaid Private Treatment Fees Book for a Midlands Dental Group

Private Dental Debt Collection Case Study: Key Facts

Debt Recovery Challenges Facing the Dental Practice

A dental group with a network of practices across the Midlands had accumulated a significant book of unpaid private treatment fees, totalling £425,000 over a 36 month period. 

As with many private dental accounts, a number of patients had spuriously disputed charges or become difficult to contact once treatment had been completed, leaving the practices with outstanding balances across multiple sites and no consistent or competent revenue recovery process to recover them at scale.

Our Dental Debt Recovery Approach

Frontline Collections applied a full, structured dental debt collection process to the book, including:

1. Address verification at the outset, to ensure accounts were being pursued against accurate details
2. A multi-channel contact strategy combining letters, telephone calls, emails and SMS texts
3. Account reconciliation, to clarify genuine balances where disputes were raised
4. Liaison with relevant third parties where this helped expedite recovery
5. Agreement of structured repayment schedules for patients unable to clear balances in full immediately, alongside continued pursuit of full payment where appropriate

Real-World Debt Recovery Results

84% of the £425,000 owed was recovered over an 18-month period, through a combination of full payments and agreed repayment schedules. Many accounts saw full payment obtained within a month of instruction, reflecting the effectiveness of early, structured contact.

Client Feedback on the Recovery Results

“Frontline Collections has given us a consistent, professional process for recovering unpaid treatment fees across all of our practices. The combination of prompt contact and flexible repayment options meant we recovered far more than we expected.”
— Dental Group, Midlands

Need a Professional Dental Debt Collection Service?

If you are facing a similar challenge with dental fee issues? Get a free, no-obligation assessment from Frontline Collections’ Dental debt collections team. Complete our enquiry form or call today 0333 043 4425

Frequently Asked Questions about Dental Collections

How much unpaid dental debt can be recovered through professional debt collection? Recovery outcomes can vary by case, but in this instance we recovered 84% of a £425,000 unpaid private treatment fees book for a Midlands dental group over an 18-month period, through a combination of full payments and agreed repayment schedules.

Why do dental practices struggle to collect unpaid private treatment fees? It’s a common pattern: patients dispute charges after treatment has already been completed, or simply become hard to reach once the work is done. Across a multi-site practice, this often leaves outstanding balances spread across locations with no consistent process to pursue them.

How long does dental debt recovery usually take? In this case study, many accounts saw full payment obtained within a month of instruction, showing how effective early, structured contact can be. Other accounts, particularly those involving disputes or third-party liaison, were resolved over the full 18-month recovery period.

What happens if a patient disputes a bill for dental treatment? Disputed accounts go through a reconciliation process to establish the genuine balance owed, using treatment and billing records. Frontline Collections also liaises with relevant third parties where this helps clarify the position and speed up resolution.

Can patients set up a repayment plan instead of paying in full? Yes. Where a patient can’t clear the balance immediately, structured repayment schedules are agreed as an alternative to full payment, while pursuit of the full amount continues where appropriate. This flexibility was a key factor in the recovery rate achieved for the Midlands dental group.

Is dental debt collection regulated in the UK? Not specifically however it depends if credit terms were provided. Any agency collecting unpaid dental fees on behalf of a UK should always act with professionalism and integrity. Frontline Collections operates under FCA regulation, so patient accounts are handled compliantly and professionally throughout.

Will using a debt collection agency damage our relationship with patients? A properly managed recovery process is built to preserve, not damage, the patient relationship. Multi-channel contact, accurate account verification, and flexible repayment options mean balances are resolved without unnecessary friction, which is part of why dental groups often use the same agency across all of their practices on an ongoing basis.

How do I get an unpaid dental fees assessment? Dental Practices and Dental Groups facing similar issues with unpaid treatment fees can request a free, no-obligation assessment from Frontline Collections by calling 0333 043 4425 or submitting an enquiry online.