In this day and age of high tech many dentists in our country ponder the question about educating their patients. The next question they ask is, “If we educate our patient, will the patient follow what s/he has learned?” It seems that dentists have reached the conclusion that “Dental IQ” has a monetary barrier. If the total dental work is less than $3500 then educating the patient is important for case acceptance. If the treatment plan is more than $3500 then increasing the dental knowledge may not land the case. Here is what you need to know about dental case acceptance.
Dentists have their own unique way of presenting their diagnosis to each patient. They can do the analysis and then suggest or recommend the best treatment plan to preserve the oral health as well as present a healthy set of teeth.
Too many dentists assume each patient will complete the treatment plan as prescribed by the dentist. This is why it is so important for the patient to know and understand the consequences if the plan is not followed. What the dentist must realize and fully understand, however, is the fact that just because a patient has a treatment plan it does not mean the patient can or will follow through to completion. There are numerous reasons for this such as money, fear, no dental insurance, and other reasons the patient stops to think about it.
Most dentists agree that patients will agree to a treatment plan of $3500 or less. This is because it does not cause too many hardships or inconveniences. The more expensive the services the more chances the patient may decline the treatment plan, or stall and postpone the treatment.
The dentist, therefore, needs to gather some information and learn more about each of his/her patients. It is important to understand, upfront, the concerns the patients has. It is important to know the patient’s situation in regards to finances and if there is dental insurance. This will, in the end, save time for everyone involved.
Other factors the dentist needs to know and understand include evaluating how dentist treatment fits into the life of the patient. Will expensive treatments be an inconvenience or cause problems. What are the financial abilities of the patient as well as the health problems? More information, more personal, such as a newly divorced or a newly married patient, a newborn in the family, a new job each of these plays a role in what a patient might be able to afford.
These situations are often referred to by dentists as the “fit factors.” This involves getting in touch with your patient and understanding their overall situation. Once this information has been obtained it allows the dentist to help fit dentistry into the patient’s situation.
Now we return to “Dental IQ.” Once the dentist completes her/his dental practice consulting homework s/he will have a much stronger background in fully understanding the patient. This knowledge will equip the dentist to make better decisions when presenting the treatment plan to the patient. This knowledge should improve dental practice coaching, which is a good thing since it is so important.