Stop teaching dentistry to your patients
Hardly a week goes by when I don't receive advertisements for "patient education" brochures.The theory being put forward by the companies promoting these brochures is this: If you can just educate your patients sufficiently then they will accept recommended treatment.The brochures have beautifully drawn diagrams and go through, in mind-numbing detail, how procedures are done — usually implants.
I'm going to put a counter point of view.
The large majority of patient couldn't care less about the technical details of how procedures are done.What they're interested in is what the procedure will do for them. The benefits.Once they know the benefits then they want to know the cost and how long it will take.Just to get this straight in your head, imagine if your car wasn't working right and you took it to be repaired.Would you want the mechanic to sit you down and give you a lesson on gearboxes? Would you want a fancy brochure explaining in detail how gearboxes work? Would a wall chart or flip chart with gearboxes be helpful to you?
Of course not! Why do we do it in dentistry?
I once sat through an excruciating 45-minute case presentation where the dentist spent the entire time teaching dentistry to the patient.At the end of it the patient was bored, irritated and confused. They said "I'll think about it."The dentist was disappointed but to me it was totally predictable.Please, stop being a school teacher.
Upcoming SeminarThe Art of Case AcceptanceLearn how to get patients to accept the treatment they need. For example, how to present expensive treatment without the risk of losing the patient to the dentist down the street, and so much more.Perth 2 December - click here for details.Efficient Dentistry - Dates to be advised.
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