If you want to increase case acceptance in your practice

Keeping the patient the center of the conversation is important and is usually one of the first things to be overlooked. Whenever you are discussing findings or information about the patient, always keep the patient in the center of it.

I call it the power triangle. The doctor is in front of the patient and the hygienist/assistant standing next to the patient on the other side. If you keep eye contact with the patient so he can nonverbally be a part of the conversation, you will find he they may add things or even correct you.

Make sure the patient is sitting up. A supine/laying done position makes patients feel vulnerable and uneasy. If there are a lot of questions or if the discussion seems to be turning into a larger case, move the patient to a consultation area or make another appointment to discuss treatment.
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5. You try to decide for the patient.

While consulting with a team it became clear to me that the doctor was in his own way. He had arch photos of a patient in his 30' that had amalgam fillings in all posterior teeth. This patient never wanted to have a dental emergency and wanted to keep his teeth and have them healthy. The patient did not like the silver in his teeth and knew that they were 20 years old. This patient did not have a treatment plan. The doctor said the margins were great and sometimes you are opening a can worms by removing old amalgams.

I asked, "If this patient said I want all my silver fillings replaced what your answer would be?" The dentist said "we can do it." Many of the teeth would need inlays, onlays and crowns—a fairly big case. The problem was the dentist had become the decider on when the work needed to be done, instead of listening to the cues from the answers the patient had given him. Not all patients live by the old adage," If it ain't broke don't fix it" so why do we live by it? dental instruments uk

If you want to increase case acceptance in your practice, It comes down to listening to what our patients are telling us and giving them the information they need to move forward with their treatment plans. Every team I work with is amazed when their production goes up by making these small changes. Stop getting in your own way and let the patient decide! You will love your new bottom line.