Three case acceptance myths

Myth one – It's all about the money

One of the biggest myths concerning case acceptance is that it's all about the money. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Sure, it's nice that you earn good money from doing comprehensive treatment but if all you see when a patient sits in the chair are dollar signs then it will be your undoing.

Patients come with an inbuilt BS detector. If the reason you are suggesting treatment is so you will make your monthly quota or to pay for your new car then they'll see through that in a millisecond.

The proper and only good reason to suggest treatment is because it is in the patient's best interest. The treatment you suggest should be what you would want for yourself if the situation was reversed and you were sitting in the chair.

Case acceptance done right has nothing to do with money and everything to do with giving your patients the best care.

Myth two – It's OK to bend the truth

The more honest and transparent you are in case presentations then the better your odds of success.

Honestly and openly admitting the pros and cons of each treatment option will help you. The more transparent you are the better. "Spin" has no place in a case presentation.

Simple sincerity is a very powerful thing. Patients can recognise it and they very definitely appreciate it. It's much better to admit a drawback to treatment than to try and sneak it by the patient.

Myth three – Pressuring patients works

A patient is thinking about getting some treatment. It's "natural" to try to convince them and get them over the line.

But...

That is 180 degrees the wrong thing to do. Paradoxically the more you try to pressure patients into treatment, the less likely they are to accept. And, conversely, the more you take the pressure off and let a patient freely decide the more likely they are to opt for comprehensive treatment.

This seems strange and counter-intuitive but the best way to convince yourself is to try it.