(Continued...)

"They took x-rays, the doctor did an exam, then he took me into a consult room, put a piece of paper in front of me and said that I needed $12,000 worth of work!" 
 
But wait... it gets worse! Rhonda continued, "Then he told me he could make my smile look better-and I like my smile!" 
 
I could still see the shock and hurt on her face.
 
My consultant persona had kicked in by this point, of course, and I began to ask questions. During the exam, had the doctor asked her questions about her satisfaction with the appearance of her teeth? Did Rhonda communicate any goals about changing her smile? Other than a few questions about her medical history, she said, the doctor hadn't said anything about wanting to change her smile-and she certainly didn't ask.

Rhonda left the office, called her husband and told him what had happened. Her confidence was shaken and she was upset.  Her husband was equally annoyed. "What's wrong with your smile...I like it!"
 
Not surprisingly, Rhonda found another dentist - one she and her family are both very happy with.
 
As a dentist, I hope you're already calculating the (huge) cost of this missed opportunity. I hope you're thinking to yourself, "My staff and I would never treat a new patient like that! Of course she went somewhere else. I would, too!"
 
Are you, or has this story so far made you a little uncomfortable? Are you missing opportunities like these in your own practice?
 
The NP exam is fundamental to your success, and deserves your time and attention. How would you answer these questions, for instance?
-- Do your new patients feel they were treated with kindness and professionalism on their initial call?  
-- Is the patient greeted graciously upon arrival?
-- Is the dental assistant a skilled communicator? 
-- Do you make it a point to learn what is important to your new patients, as well as what their concerns are?  
-- Do you spend at least one hour with every new patient?
-- Is your behavior and demeanor consistent with what it takes to build trust and long-term relationships?  
-- Is your case acceptance 85% or higher?

And finally, if the answer to any of these questions is no, or not always...
 
Are you willing to take a serious look at your own new patient process, and invest in making needed improvements?
 
Let's stop here and do a little math. Put your own numbers in, based on your own fees and history.
 
-- Missed lifetime $ from Rhonda: $?? (Certainly in the thousands.)
-- Missed lifetime $ from Rhonda's family: $?? (Probably in the tens of thousands.)
-- Bad PR from what Rhonda will tell her friends: $ Beyond value
 
Cost to put a training/consulting plan in place to help you structure and conduct a great NP exam: $ Minimal compared to the cost of the lost opportunity.
 
What impact would it have on your bottom line if case acceptance in your practice went up even 15%? How much would it help if your assistant was a skilled communicator who could partner with you in helping the patient commit to the value of treatment before they ever left the operatory? 
 
Here's what I learned in my 20 minutes with Rhonda:

-- She is an attractive 49-year-old.
-- She recently finished building a 5-bedroom home so that when their grown children come to visit, they all have their own rooms.
-- Her first grandchild is on the way.
-- Her husband travels with business frequently and they have traveled the globe.
-- She loves to shop and explore while traveling.
-- They rented a home in Napa for a week last fall-brought the entire family.  
-- Next week they are all leaving for a vacation in Turks and Caicos.

Rhonda was an interesting, warm and friendly woman who certainly seems to have the means to pay $12,000 for treatment she wants or needs, but that's not the point.  The point is that the dentist in this scenario did not take the time to learn anything about her. He did not ask questions which would set the stage to determine if she had an interest in cosmetic dentistry. Had he done just those two simple things, Rhonda would probably still be his patient.  
 
If he were a client of ours, here's what we would tell this dentist to say to Rhonda...
 
"Rhonda, I know from experience with a number of my patients who have achieved certain milestones in their lives-their children are grown and are out of the home, for instance - is that they are feeling more independent, and feel that, "Now it's my turn to take better care of myself.".  They may want to improve something about their smile or make some other change. If that sounds familiar to you, or is something you may have considered, I'd be happy to make that assessment when I begin the exam." 
 
Could you use help and guidance in mastering communication skills like this? Would you like every member of your team to have the ability and confidence to communicate this effectively? 
 
The bottom line is that productivity increases when patients feel as though you are really hearing them, and understanding what they have to say. "I'll think about it," becomes "Yes, let's get started!"
 
And you can achieve this result in your own practice, but not without work and investment.
 
Here is what we know as dental consultants who have listened to many, many stories like this of missed opportunities: If this dentist had taken the time to learn the things I did about Rhonda (in 20 minutes, remember), and if he had listened and used similar verbal skills to the example above, she probably would have said, "I like my smile, but sure, if you see things that could be improved I'd like to know what they are." 
 
Why?  Because Rhonda would have felt her new dentist was a kind, intuitive and interested person!  She would not have wanted to say no to him. She probably would have thought, "Why not, I'm almost 50 and maybe I should be looking more closely before I have a problem." She would have trusted him.  Instead she left the office distrusting him and feeling bad about herself. 
 
Rhonda and her husband "love" their new dentist. After her exam she said she needed a crown replaced -- "and I understand I'll probably need to begin replacing the others" -- and "deep scaling"...her words. And guess what else? Her husband is having eight veneers delivered before the family leaves on their Turks and Caicos vacation!  
 
The missed opportunities just keep rolling!
 
Slow down. Ask the right questions. Respect the patient's individuality.  Learn to make the most of the new patient experience by investing time and resources with consultants like us who can help you build patient relationships that are more gratifying, and a practice that is far more productive.
 
One other "pearl" from Rhonda.  Without any prompting from me, she told me one of her girlfriends has a dentist who has "one of those machines where you never have to leave with a temporary. I hope my dentist gets one before I need those other crowns replaced". 
 
Hmmm...a line item on your Expense Projection Worksheet for next year-or sooner?
 
This Case Study raises vitally important questions you need to consider:

-- Are you tired of missing opportunities?
-- Are you tired of hearing patients say they can't afford treatment, but just returned from an exotic vacation?
-- Are you ready to make changes that will unlock the potential in your practice, and break through your production "plateau"?
-- If you're ready, we're waiting to hear from you. Take advantage of our know-how and experience to make lasting, transformational changes in your practice.

Instead of the "Missed Opportunity", make ever new patient a case of the "Most Opportunity".