IDEAS WORTH THINKING ABOUT
Practical ideas for better dentistry.
Thinking on case acceptance and efficiency to create a more successful practice.
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The fee is not the barrier
I once doubled a fee hoping to lose every case that came with it and started winning almost all of them. Here's what that taught me about pricing.
My dentistry got better. My practice didn’t.
I kept improving my dentistry, but my practice wasn’t improving with it. Then, in 1986, I reluctantly took a weekend communication course. By Monday, something had changed.
What patients value
A lady told me she'd pay $200 more for a 30-minute crown prep appointment over a 90-minute one. That changed everything I thought I knew about fees.
Discounting will eat your lunch
Discounting can feel sensible. It isn't. Here's what it costs financially, what it signals to patients, and why your best patients deserve better.
5 case acceptance strategies that work
Why do patients decline treatment they need? Here are 5 practical strategies that improve case acceptance without pressure.
When a patient says ‘no’
When a patient declines treatment, pushing harder or stripping the plan back are both wrong. Here’s what actually works and why it starts with letting go.
Your best dentistry may never get done
Communication is a vital skill yet most dentists don't know they're getting it wrong. A challenge for every dentist who cares about their patients.
Questions patients ask
A practical guide to the tough questions patients ask about cost, necessity, and risk and how to answer them in a way that builds trust and acceptance.
Patients who cost you big time
Some patients cost far more than the appointments they miss or the fees they pay. They drain your energy, unsettle your team and take the pleasure out of dentistry. Here are patient types I’ve learned to be wary of, and why.
Massively increase case acceptance
Clinical skill doesn't matter until a patient says yes. A practical framework to communicate more effectively and get more case acceptance.
Explain outcomes, not procedures
Patients aren't interested in the clinical steps. They want to know what their teeth will look like after treatment. Explain outcomes not procedures.
An epiphany
Occasionally you have a realisation that is so important that it changes everything.
Asymptomatic cracked tooth
Discovering an unexpected crack is one thing. Communicating it to a patient who feels nothing and getting them to act is another challenge entirely.
Problems in practice
Problems will happen. It’s how you deal with them that makes all the difference.