When we tell our patients they need a porcelain onlay replacing the palatal cusp on #4, we expect that they\u2019ll walk to the front and schedule. But often patients check out without making another appointment and then life gets in the way. Our teams frequently hears:<\/p>\n
There are many valid reasons why people leave our offices with unscheduled treatment in their mouths. Good intentions often get lost in hectic lifestyles, and a long list of demands jostle for part of a family\u2019s budget. But patients don\u2019t always understand the value of our recommendations. Unless they\u2019re in pain, they may not feel motivated to act today. If they\u2019re considering elective care to enhance their smile, they may justify delaying until a \u201cbetter time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yet if patients don\u2019t understand the value, maybe we\u2019ve failed to educate and motivate them. As skilled technicians, that\u2019s hard to admit. But here\u2019s the problem:<\/p>\n
Our patients trust us, but we\u2019re trying to lead them to a big decision in a short span.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re asking patients to make a buying decision when we present treatment to them. We may see it as a healthcare decision, but the consumer mindset usually takes over. They start weighing, justifying, and procrastinating as they do for many financial decisions. We\u2019re now trying to help them move from initial awareness to purchase in seconds. And frankly, most of us don\u2019t have the refined skills to turn clinical findings into a marketing decision that quickly. But we can\u2019t beat ourselves up. Business Wire found that 88% <\/a><\/span>of all purchasing decisions occur at home, and 89% of those decisions are made by consulting with others.<\/p>\n Clinical dentistry demands the majority of our energy, and most of us don\u2019t like to sell. But that\u2019s precisely what we\u2019re doing when we present treatment to our patients. And the statistics suggest we need help nudging our patients along. The American Dental Association reports that the average practice has $500,000 to $1 million worth of unscheduled treatment in their charts! Any amount indicates a significant opportunity and reflects the challenge we face.<\/p>\n If most purchasing decisions take place outside our offices, how do we influence the process? What tools do we need to convert even 20% of unscheduled treatment into hours in our operatories? Consider these three areas to review and bolster up in the new year:<\/p>\n 1.Put Yourself In The Patient\u2019s Chair<\/strong><\/p>\n We deal with implants, grafts, Class V resins, and apicoectomies all day long. Too often, our language reflects that familiarity. Most patients only face one bone graft or anterior bridge in their lifetimes. And they don\u2019t want treatment; they want the benefits of treatment. As we describe obturating a fourth canal on #15, they\u2019re wondering what\u2019s in it for them. To help the early part of the conversion process, remember to:<\/p>\n We can help our patients accept more treatment by merely refining the awareness and educational steps. We can change some of this today, and other components we can discuss with our digital support team for refinement.<\/p>\n 2. Send Patients Home With Evidence<\/strong><\/p>\n Patients that step out of the office without an appointment have already decided to delay further treatment. They\u2019re likely taking some time to weigh their options and move through the buying process. Make sure they walk out with everything they need to help them. This may include:<\/p>\n Give your staff the tools and training to help patients move to the next step. Since our patients often discuss their appointments at home, supporting evidence and solutions help them set beneficial health priorities.<\/p>\n 3. Nurture the Decision-Making Process<\/strong><\/p>\n We can\u2019t personally check in with dozens of patients every few days to see if they\u2019re ready to proceed with their treatment plans. If we did, we\u2019d need to make sure we follow a well-designed format that does more than just ask them to schedule. We\u2019d want to provide thoughtful information about their specific needs, concerns, and fears for maximum effectiveness. We\u2019d need to:<\/p>\n The consumer purchasing path looks slightly different in each setting, but the basic principles apply to dentistry. We often overlook these critical components, and patients fail to receive the care that improves their lives. Plus, if the average practice has at least 1500 active patients, managing a complex psychological process routinely takes more resources than we have.<\/p>\nBeating the Stats Is Asking a Lot From Clinicians<\/h2>\n
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Turn complexity into simplicity and profitability<\/h1>\n