When patients have a lot on their treatment plans, they are typically the most in need of great dental care; however it is commonly a struggle to get these patients to schedule. The cost of care along with dental phobias are the usually the biggest barriers. Fortunately, there are strategies you can follow to greatly improve the likelihood that patients will schedule.
Since the cost of treatment is a primary barrier, dentists and their teams need to firmly establish the value of what has been proposed. Intra-oral cameras are important since the photos are so effective at communicating why treatment is needed. In addition, co-diagnosis between clinical teams and the dentist is critical, especially when everyone is using value-building phraseology that motivates patients such as cavity, disease, and infection.
Even if everything is done right chair-side, it is still common for patients to feel overwhelmed at the sight of a large treatment plan. That is why treatment consults work so well. Instead of rushing to go through everything during the exam, dentists and teams can give patients an overview of key points and schedule the patient back for a consult. Then everyone has more time to discuss the best course of treatment.
Finally, even if patients are unable to tackle a large treatment plan, it is important to at least get them started with something, even if it is just one filling. Patients do not always realize they can start small; they mistakenly believe it’s all or nothing. Creating momentum with a series of positive chairside experiences often leads to patients to schedule bigger items on their treatment plans.
By taking the appropriate steps, you can increase treatment acceptance when patients have big treatment plans.