Dentists often tell us that their practice struggles with case acceptance. What good does it do if patients aren’t committing to treatment? It is no surprise that increasing your case acceptance rate will ultimately increase your bottom line, but how do you get there?
You may not realize it but how you and your team members communicate with patients has a lot to do with whether or not they proceed with recommended treatments. Unfortunately, we find that some practices aren’t communicating well with their patients and are ultimately driving patients away from treatment without even realizing it.
Think back to your most recent patient interaction when you were trying to convince the patient to commit to treatment. Do you know where the conversation went wrong? It’s hard for us to say without having been there, but we can take a pretty good guess. You probably started off by telling the patient what was wrong with their tooth (or teeth), using professional jargon they couldn’t understand, and then presenting expensive treatment options that fixed the issues. All the while, the patient doesn’t understand what you really mean and doesn’t find value in the treatments. They may even think that the treatments are way too expensive.
There may be some patients that simply cannot afford treatment, but most, even those that live on a tight budget, will find a way to come up with the money if they can truly see the value in the treatments.
To start, restate why they came to see you and let them know that you found the problem and would like to show them the issue. For instance, the patient presents with a toothache, and the best solution is a root canal. Although you also know that you could pull the tooth to stop the pain, losing a tooth is usually a last-ditch effort.
So, the initial part of the conversation might sound like this:
“You came to see us today about a throbbing toothache. We found the problem. And the good news is we have some options to help get you out of pain.”
Then, ask to show them the problem. Perhaps you can do this using an x-ray or an intraoral camera, depending on the issue you find. Walking the patient through the discovery phase of the problem helps empower them and allows them to confirm your findings. Even though they aren’t a dentist with professional training, you can better help them understand what they see on an x-ray when you point out the infection or damaged area of the tooth.
Next, don’t bombard them with medical jargon and unnecessary information unless they ask for it. In case of this patient needs a root canal, you could proceed by briefly explaining what caused the infection, how the infection could be serious if left untreated, and then explain the treatment options. But you have to highlight the benefits of restoring the tooth versus pulling it because a lot of patients opt for the cheaper option just because it saves them money, but they don’t really understand the long-term consequences of tooth loss. Therefore, briefly mention why you think restoring the tooth with a root canal and crown is the best option. For instance, you might say:
“We can easily fix this tooth by cleaning out the infection and sealing the tooth with a crown. And then your tooth will be as good as new and last for many more years.”
See how we didn’t scare the patient off by saying, “You need a root canal!” That can often send their anxiety soaring because while they may not have had one before, many patients associate root canals with a painful, dreadful procedure. But how you phrase it may help prevent these anxious feelings in your patient.
And then, if the patient asks for more details, you can let them know that you’re very accustomed to doing these procedures and have seen a lot of success from many of your patients. If they ask about any alternatives, you could let them know that pulling the tooth is an option, although you wouldn’t recommend it. And that if it were your tooth, you’d go with the root canal to save it. (Because that’s the absolute truth!)
What if the patient comes into the office and immediately refuses any treatment, insisting on an extraction?
Sometimes, you may have a patient that walks in experiencing pain or has a damaged tooth, and they immediately insist on having it pulled. They may be headstrong on not undergoing any treatment. What do you say?
It’s a good idea to acknowledge their wishes by saying, “We understand that you are in pain today and want to stop it as soon as possible with an extraction. Is there a reason why you don’t want to do anything else to save your tooth?” This gives you a chance to understand where their reasoning. And then, your response may vary, depending on what they say. But you could try stating, “We see your point, but we definitely have some options that could help stop your pain and keep your tooth. Would you be interested in hearing more about those options today?” That way, you’re asking their permission to share the info instead of forcing it on them.
Ultimately, the decision still lies with your patients. It’s up to them to decide whether they will commit to treatment or not. But a lot of their decision can be swayed based on how you and your team members approach the situation from the start. If you’d like to explore some secrets to improving your communication with patients, then check out our newest blog this week!
