Academy of Dental Management Consultants Corner: 5 keys for a "bodacious boost" in brand insistence and case acceptance

There are key words and talents to master for a "Bodacious Boost" of opportunities to changes people’s lives with a smile makeover.

In today’s dental practices, it is becoming more difficult to manage the challenges involved with patient care. Many patients still see dentistry as an elective service and not the preventative medicine it truly is. With that in mind, patients could present with medical problems that could delay, prolong, or even rule out dental treatments they want or need. Additionally, dentistry is unique in its level of patient decision-making. In other forms of medicine, once a diagnosis is reached, treatment is selected and performed. In dentistry, a diagnosis is made, recommendations are discussed with the patient, as well as what esthetic goals they have. Ultimately, the patient decides the course of treatment.

Knowing how to engage in presenting and delivering optimum outcome care driven elective cosmetic treatment to patients each day is possible when you follow this “always” sequence.

Interview questions

Ask every patient these three questions at his or her next hygiene appointment:

If you could change anything about your smile, what would you love to do?

Why have you always wanted to make these changes?

Tell me what you need to envision a new smile that would transform your confidence.

Expectations

Ask the patient, “Are you trying to recreate a smile you once had or one you’ve never had?” That opens the door for realistic conversation about the true desires of the patient in considering the cosmetic makeovers and optimum outcome expectations for all.

Photography

Master and take photos that illustrate before challenges and after outcome results. Photography and intraoral camera images are the best aid for the patient to see what the doctor sees when you begin to create a beautiful and functional transformation. This visual process, along with intraoral images, keeps realistic expectations in place and can help with the decision-making processes between the patient and multidisciplinary doctors involved.

Present a photo gallery of other cases that you and your multidisciplinary team has done to give patients the hope that they can have an as good (if not better) outcome and life-changing event.

Multidisciplinary team

Choose a master dental lab technician who is introduced to the patient and willing to be a part of the engagement process to deliver customized case needs and multidisciplinary care enhancements.

Collaborate (face-to-face, email, electronic records, models, photos, etc.) with a specialist who you know will make the right contribution to ensure the right outcome.

Financial consultation and resources

Reinforce the care appointment sequence, then present the investment it will take for the patient to obtain their optimum outcome “feeling.”

Follow your offices sequence of financial solutions: Cash, Check, Credit Card, insurance, and third-party option to your patients during the consultation (consist of diagnoses, clinical case synopsis and financial options) that may help or allow them to say yes. Anytime a patient can qualify for any type of credit that is interest-free for a period of time, it is a true motivator to move forward.

The brand insistence of your practice will be echoed in the community by more patients when the “feel” they were heard and understood. When the entire care driven team underpromises, keeps it real, and has a follow-through not just follow-up, your brand insistence becomes a “roar” not a “whisper” in your community.

Editor's Note: For more information on the Academy of Dental Management Consultants, please click here.