Maintaining awareness that dentistry can be emotional in order to strengthen relationships with patients
Patients seek dental treatment for a variety of reasons, the majority of which are emotional in nature. It is critical to tap into the patient’s emotion or “WHY.” Consider walking into a consultation room with no knowledge of the patient who is waiting. What is the best way to break the ice? Where do you begin?
Let’s look at how we can connect and break down barriers as we work with our patients to coordinate treatment.
Hand-Offs
Hand-offs, also known as trust transfers, contain vital information and aid in the transfer of this patient’s advocacy into your hands. This should not be taken lightly; you have the opportunity to assist this patient in reaching their goals and changing their life!
- Ask the clinical team for any intra-oral or extra-oral photos that may be helpful.
- See Hand-Offs for more information
Common Barriers and How to Knock Them Down
- Time
- Cost
- Lack of Urgency
- Trust
- Fear
Utilizing DISC
It is extremely beneficial to mirror our patients’ communication styles. Allowing ourselves to be a chameleon of sorts relaxes patients and allows them to open up and communicate what might be holding them back or what might help them move forward.
DISC identifies our preferred behaviors based on our responses to various environments. Adapting our communication styles to those with whom we are conversing promotes trust, which leads to the desired outcome.
- D – Dominance – How we solve problems (strong personalities)
- I – Influence – How we relate to others (social butterflies)
- S – Steadiness – Our pace and energy level (great listener, serves others)
- C – Conscientiousness – How we respond to rules and procedures (details)
The Do’s and Don’ts of DISC
D -Dominance
Do be precise, brief, and to the point.
Don’t waste their time.
Do focus on facts, not the person.
Don’t come with the decision made.
I – Influence
Do allow time for small talk and socializing.
Don’t leave decisions undecided.
Do listen and let them talk, and put details in writing.
Don’t get lost in the conversation.
S – Steadiness
Do start with a personal comment.
Don’t rush into ‘business’.
Do take it slow and allow time for decision making.
Don’t be demanding or forceful.
C- Conscientiousness
Do prepare.
Don’t be unorganized or messy.
Do provide facts.
Don’t force a quick decision.
Benefits of DISC
- Raise self-awareness
- Improve teamwork
- Make conflict more productive
- Develop stronger sales skills
- Manage more effectively
- Train without judgment
Treatment Presentation
Each patient has their own method of receiving information and communicating with others. As a treatment coordinator, you can use O.A.R to help your patients overcome obstacles.
Observe
Pay attention to the way the patient is speaking to you.
- Are they calm or emotional?
- Are they willingly giving you information or answering questions?
- Are they closed off and short?
Assess
Recognize the personality type of this patient and use this information to assess the flow of the conversation.
- Is the patient active or reserved in the conversation?
- Do they speak with a strong, confident tone, or do they speak softly?
- Are they friendly and willing to talk for a while, or are they more transactional?
Recognize
After understanding which traits the patient exhibits, utilize this information to make a connection with them and help them understand their next steps.
Treatment Presentation Sequence
- Hand Off – Trust Transfer
- Don’t forget something personal!
- Building rapport with small talk
- The norm shouldn’t be to skip over this; this is how relationships are formed on a more conversational level rather than being transactional.
- Confirm the patient’s “why”, and what are their goals?
- Assure the patient you are here to be their advocate and help them get what they want.
- Review proposed treatment to address their concerns and needs to help reach goals. Don’t forget to use any photos and/or x-rays to help paint the picture of what is going on. Pictures tell the story and deepen concern.
- Ask them if there is anything that may hold them back. You can go through the list of barriers and knock them down; don’t rush this.
- Present cost; be prepared to offer payment plans.
- This is where being your patient’s advocate really comes in. Don’t take an easy “NO”. Work with the patient to find a plan that helps fit their budget.
- You can split the treatment into phases, according to the doctor’s recommendations.
- Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions; this is what being our patients’ advocate is all about.
- Visit the Confrontational Tolerance document if you need assistance.
It can be beneficial to use a Treatment Planning Form that is not provided by your dental software. This can keep the patient from “shopping” their treatment plan. Prioritize treatment in accordance with the doctor’s recommendations, and be prepared to provide treatment in “phases” based on time and cost.
Tips and Tricks
When meeting with a patient for a financial consultation, it’s critical to know how to lead and control the conversation. Maintaining a consistent relationship with the patient and assisting them in overcoming any obstacles or objections they may have in order to accept treatment will necessitate multitasking throughout this period.
- When it comes to presenting treatment plans, less is more. Allow yourself to participate in the discussion by asking open-ended questions.
- “How was your visit today? How are you feeling about the treatment you and the doctor discussed?”
- Recognize the importance of silence. Conversations frequently move so fast that participants talk over one another or fail to fully comprehend what the other person is saying.
- The “5-Second Rule” can be helpful in these situations. Allow 5 seconds before responding to a question from a patient. This may feel strange at first, but it isn’t for long, and this often gives the patient more time to finish their thoughts completely.
Unscheduled Treatment
There will be occasions when patients refuse treatment during their new patient appointment. As much as we would like to get every patient started on their treatment right away, it’s fine if they need some time to think about it.
Check out the Unscheduled Treatment Protocol for information on how to handle these situations.
