Don't squeeze your patient

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about what to do when someone says that they want to "think about it".

That response often comes from a patient when you've pressured them or confused them or both. For today let's talk about pressuring them.

The question is, how do you present good comprehensive dentistry in a manner that the patient will not perceive as pushy (i.e. that you are not trying to sell them something)?

The answer is to offer the patient choice.People can be irritated by being pressured but they are never irritated by being offered choice. The more you place yourself in the position of an impartial adviser with no axe to grind the better off you will be.

Your job is to lay out the options with the pros and cons and then let the patient decide. If you do that you will find something remarkable.

The less you try to steer the patient the more likely they are to pick ideal treatment. Or to say it in the reverse, the more you try to steer the patient to ideal treatment the more resistant to it they become.

Relax. Think of yourself as the patient's trusted dental adviser. Don't steer, just give options and consequences.

You might be amazed at what happens.