Pricing Consultations and Treatment Plans for Chennai Clinics

"Evlo aagum?" How much will it cost?

It is the first question on most calls to a Chennai dental clinic. And in most clinics, the answer is a number: the implant price. The caller writes it down, calls two more clinics and a big hospital, and compares three numbers that describe three completely different things.

One clinic quoted the implant alone. Another included the crown. The hospital quoted a package with scans and reviews. The patient has no way to know, so the lowest number wins, or worse, the patient decides it is all too confusing and does nothing.

I will use dental implants as the example here, because the problem is so clear. The same thinking works for any treatment.

Why do Chennai patients compare prices so closely?

Patients here tend to be careful with big decisions. They ask relatives, they compare, and they want to understand exactly what they are paying for. That is reasonable. The trouble is that most clinics give them nothing to compare except a single number.

So the fix is not to drop your price. It is to change what you are pricing.

What does pricing the plan look like?

Price the outcome, with every step included, as one number.

When the patient decides once, for the whole result, they are far less likely to stop halfway and blame you for a half result.

How do the three options work?

For every plan, build three honest versions and recommend one.

• Basic: a safe, effective result with the essentials.
• Recommended: what you would choose for this patient.
• Complete: everything in Recommended, plus extras for the longest-lasting result and the best experience.

Example: say a single-tooth implant plan at your Chennai clinic comes in three versions at ₹45,000, ₹60,000 and ₹75,000. The difference might be the type of crown, the number of review visits and a maintenance plan for the first two years. Present them after the diagnosis, from Complete down to Basic, explain why you recommend the middle one for this patient, then say the price and stop talking.

Every option must be genuinely different in outcome. Never build a fake option just to push people upwards.

How should you answer "evlo aagum?" on the phone?

Never refuse, and never just read out a number. Give the desk one simple shape, in Tamil and English:

1. Acknowledge: "Sure, I will explain."
2. Ask: which tooth, how long it has been missing, whether they have had any scans.
3. Range: "It usually ranges between this and this, depending on the bone and the type of crown that suits you."
4. Invite: "The doctor will examine and give you the exact plan in writing. I have Tuesday at 11 or Thursday at 5."

A price without a diagnosis is just a number to compare. A written plan after an examination is something a family can actually decide on. Our front desk and conversion work builds these scripts and the fee sheet behind them.

Should you charge for the consultation?

Yes. A paid consultation signals that the time is valuable and brings in patients who are serious. If you want to soften it, adjust the fee against the plan when they go ahead. When a caller mentions that another clinic offers a free check-up, the desk should not argue. It should explain calmly what the consultation includes, the examination, the scans if needed and the written plan, and let the patient choose.

What about discounts and payment?

Do not discount. Not for slow months, not for special days, not for bargaining. A 20% discount on a plan that costs you 40% to deliver means you need 50% more patients just to earn the same profit. And it tells every patient your price was never real.

When a patient asks for "konjam kammi pannunga", a little less, the desk and the doctor should both say the same calm thing, in Tamil or English: the fee is the same for everyone, and if the budget is tight, there is a simpler plan or an easier way to pay.

Then change the scope or the timing:

• Move to the Basic plan if the budget is truly tight.
• Use milestones: a part at the start, a part when the implant is placed, the rest at the crown.
• Offer EMI through two or three lending partners, with the monthly figure printed next to the total. ₹60,000 over 12 months is ₹5,000 a month.

Remember that "no-cost" EMI usually costs the clinic a fee to the lender, so build it into your pricing. Many older patients in Chennai make these decisions with their children, so make sure the written plan and the payment options reach the person who is helping to pay.

How do you know the price is right?

Watch which option patients choose. If most pick Basic, the Recommended plan is either too expensive or not explained well. If many pick Complete, it may be time to raise prices or add a higher tier. If your consult conversion stays above 50% for a full quarter, you are probably underpriced. Review prices once a year, on a fixed date, raising for new patients first and honouring every existing quote.

For dental clinics, see our dental page, and Good Doctors Go Broke has the full pricing system. We work with clinics across India, including Chennai, mostly on video calls. See our Chennai page.

The short version

• Price the full plan with every step included, not single visits or parts.
• Offer three honest options, recommend one, and say the price last.
• Answer "evlo aagum?" with a question, a range and two slots, never a bare number.
• Never discount. Change the scope or the payment, and show the monthly figure.