There's a Groupon Today for Invisalign in my Area. Would You Recommend This?

My office has done a number of different groupon and living social deals and I would never treat a patient differently to someone who has paid in full.  We offered an invisalign deal and treat the mouth not how much money they paid.  Every office is different but read the reviews and check out the reputation of the dentist before making a decision.

I'm copying a blog entry that I wrote regarding this topic:

 

There have recently been several Toronto Invisalign Groupon sales.  Typically, these deals will offer Invisalign for extremely low fees that are not much more than the lab cost for the doctor.  We get many inquiries about whether or not we price match or can lower fees for potential patients.  We do not match fees, as we know that we are very reasonably-priced in the market given Dr. Tam's expertise in Invisalign and orthodontics.

 

Let's talk a little bit more about these group purchases:

 

1.  In Ontario, our regulatory bodies do not legally allow dentists to split fees with any third party.  Dentists who have engaged in these practices are subject to discipline by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons.  Beware seeking treatment with doctors who are willing to compromise the ethical responsibilities of the profession.

 

2.  Invisalign is not a commodity.  You are not purchasing Invisalign.  You are paying for an orthodontic service that will straighten your teeth using Invisalign.  In other words, your treatment depends on the skill and experience of your doctor and their team, not "how well Invisalign works".  You can read more about choosing an Invisalign doctor here.

 

3.  Often times these deals are from general dental offices.  This is their "loss leader" to get new patients into the practice.  Many will require a full dental exam, xrays, cleanings, and fillings before Invisalign treatment starts and after the teeth are straight, many will offer cosmetic dentistry such as veneers, bonding, and whitening.

 

Remember that you are making a big investment in your teeth.  Beware online sales and discounts for Invisalign and Invisalign Teen treatment and view Invisalign as a technique, not a product.

Some state boards have begun banning the use of Groupons to discount professional services on the grounds that Groupons fall into the category of fee-splitting and can also be deemed kickbacks. Both are not acceptable business practices for professionals according to many states' laws. 

I think a lot of doctors participate in Groupons because it is the hip thing to do right now, but in the grand scheme of things it is pretty unprofessional. If I were a patient halfway through my Invisalign treatment and I saw my doctor offering $1000 off of their normal treatment fee on a Groupon, I would have some serious questions.

As a general rule I'd really discourage shopping for prices when it comes to your smile since braces and Invisalign don't always work the same in everyone's hands. I'd find yourself a doctor who you trust to give you the smile you deserve, and then work out a good financing plan if they happen to be expensive. You'd be surprised how affordable things are per month on a good financing plan.

We have used Groupon and Living Social and it has worked out well for our patients as well as our practice. It is really not so much about the offer as bringing  in a potential new patient from that offer who becomes part of our dental practice. That is what benefits the dentist in the long run.  I think Groupon is pretty straight forward and the contract the dentist signs is pretty explicit. Make sure you read the offer thoroughly and the limitatiions and qualifications. The deals can be very good so do not run the other way just because it is a Groupon deal. It usually makes both the dentist and the new patient very happy!

I am an Elite Invisalign Provider. I offered a Groupon Deal for 3 days. It was very popular.

Make sure to read the  qualifications and limitations. Our offer covered up to so long in treatment and a certain number of trays and retainers were not included. It was very easy to see these limitations, nothing was hidden. All who purchased were very happy.

The most important thing is that you like the doctor. Is it possible to meet them before you purchase the Groupon??

Groupon works by offering a 50% discount to patients. They also take a % cut from the dentist.The dentist ends up working for free. So the inclination is to offer the cheapest Invisalign at the quickest treatment time.

The patient ends up with a raw deal and the dentist ends up with hundreds of dissatisfied patients.

A brand new car cannot be sold for 30% OF ITS BOOK VALUE , without something missing, like door handles!

Since Invisalign treatment is a professional service there are some legal ramifications for offering Groupons or similar discounts for this type of treatment.  Align Techologies, the makers of Invisalign have notified all providers NOT to offer it in Groupons.  Doctors and Align can get in trouble for doing so.  So if a doctor is offering Invisalign in a Groupon, either they are engaged in risky behavior or they are using a cheaper, less effective subsitute. In fact they would have to use a subsitute in order to make a profit.  BEWARE! 

If you have decided to seek need dentistry or elective care, the most important criteria is to find a professional who can provide experience, care, concern and who you Trust. Never let price dictate how you approach your health. If such a dentist offers Groupon, then by all means, save the money. Good luck to you.

Like anything, buyer beware.  Some GREAT offers are out there from some fine places, dentists or otherwise.  But it is hard to tell on paper, and you MAY get what you paid for.  I wouldn't disregard a service just from the fact it was a coupon, but quite often there is a reason for the discount.

I would be very cautious about Groupon offers regarding professional services.  First check if it is actually invisalign they are offering or a similar product.  If the fee is heavily discounted, they may not put as much effort into the individual cases.  Professional services are no a commodity.  It's not like apples to apples.  Different doctors have different skill levels and experience.  Some are also a lot more p[articular about their results.  No doubt different doctors will achieve different results with invisalign.  Do you want a volume practice working on you that may have compromised results in order to generate profits or do you want someone who will take the time and have the experience to get the best possible results.  I would further ask to see before and after results and have the different doctors discuss your case, their expectations and yours.  You have to be a really smart shopper here and its more than just price.