Is keeping a card on file allowed?

Yes, with the patient's written authorisation stating what may be charged. The card is stored by Stripe; the practice never holds the number.

Can we take payment on a phone at the chair?

Yes. Staff can raise a charge or show a QR code from any device signed in to the dashboard.

Do reminders cost extra?

No. Balance reminders and receipts are part of the platform subscription; only card processing carries a fee.

Dental practices

Dental front desk collections: getting paid before the patient leaves

Updated 10 September 2026 · 6 min read

Most outstanding dental balances are not refusals to pay, they are patients who walked out before anyone asked. Collecting at the chair with a card on file, a texted checkout link or a QR code at the counter removes almost all of it, and automatic reminders handle the rest without phone calls.

The balance problem is a timing problem

A balance collected at the desk costs nothing to collect. The same balance thirty days later costs a statement, a phone call and often a discount to close.

Every day between treatment and the ask reduces the chance of being paid in full, so the whole aim is to move the ask earlier.

Card on file, used properly

With the patient's written authorisation, keeping a card on file lets you charge the agreed patient portion once the claim settles, without a phone call.

The card is stored by Stripe under your own account, not on a form in a drawer. Always send a receipt on each charge so the patient sees exactly what was taken and why.

Links and QR codes beat statements

A checkout link texted while the patient is still in the car park is paid far more often than a statement posted a week later.

A QR code at the counter does the same job for patients who prefer their phone to handing over a card, and it keeps the queue moving at the end of a session.

Let dental payment software automate the follow-up

Outstanding balances should chase themselves: a reminder with a payment link at set intervals, and a clear view of receivables ageing so the practice manager knows what is actually outstanding.

What remains after that is a genuinely small list, short enough for one person to work through in an afternoon.

Frequently asked

Is keeping a card on file allowed?: Yes, with the patient's written authorisation stating what may be charged. The card is stored by Stripe; the practice never holds the number.
Can we take payment on a phone at the chair?: Yes. Staff can raise a charge or show a QR code from any device signed in to the dashboard.
Do reminders cost extra?: No. Balance reminders and receipts are part of the platform subscription; only card processing carries a fee.

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