"Why?" you might cry, especially if you love Groupon or any of the similar discount voucher sites, in fact you may even have seen offers for for treatment such as tooth whitening or Invisalign.
I did write a really long blog post about the ethics of offering discounts on dental and medical treatment and why the figures don't stack up, and why it might work for businesses like restaurants and beauty salons where they can sell additional items or gain from repeat business.
I've deleted because I think the sort of clients I treat can see that and understand that and don't need it spelling out. There are certain brands you wouldn't expect to see on a discount site, like BMW or Porsche, Armani or Prada, The Ivy or The Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons. If these brands did start offering huge discounts it cheapens the brand, makes it less exclusive, just think what happened to Burberry a few years ago when the products suddenly became just that bit too popular.
So perhaps I'm going a bit far comparing myself to luxury brands, I certainly don't want to make myself and my treatments seem elitist, but much as some people will save up for that certain car, item of clothing or special meal many of my clients are seeing orthodontic treatment as an affordable luxury that will make them feel good about themselves. The true value is not in the cost but in how it makes you feel. Much as a Skoda will transport you, a coat from Primark will keep you warm, or a meal from Pizza Express will fill you up, that cheap braces offer may straighten your teeth, but will you get the same experience, the thing to treasure, to talk about, to make you feel good?
So, please don't ask me for special offers. I don't artificially inflate my prices so I can't offer discounts as this is a business and my livelihood, as well as my passion. I don't even mind if you 'window shop' a bit, by all means visit that practice offering a cheap deal, but come visit me too before you decide.
(If you still don't understand, read about the cupcake disaster, concerns from the ASA and OFT, the problems of time-limited medical offers and the General Dental Council's view of discount offers.)
