03/05/2024
STOP TREATING PATIENTS' MOUTH!
We go through dental school, and from day one, we become programmed.
Let us treat patients teeth, gums, tongue or whatever comes in this oral cavity.
We get stuck for years, about how many canals we should expect?
How many cusps should we draw?
What is the minimal space to place an implant?
Is the bone dense enough in this area?
We get praised about how well are the canals obdurated. Those fitting crown margins. The matching shades of those veneers. The ease of extraction of those remaining roots.
We focus too much in the mouth, and we forget this mouth is part of a face, and this face is part of a HUMAN.
Like how many times, you spent hours drawing this molar anatomy. Your back burning, your neck screaming and your eyes strained.
To find the patient telling you:
"Oh that took too long, it wasn't bothering me anyways."
And you felt, it was not appreciated, the patient did not understand the amount of details that put in there.
You focused too much in the mouth.
And don't get me wrong, i am not saying not too.
I am not saying do bad fillings, non fitting crowns, maligned implants.
NOT AT ALL!
I want you to Zoom Out.
Focus on the human you are treating as much as the molar.
Listen to the human as much as you'd listen the bur sound.
Read their body language as much as you'd read your X-rays before you start your treatment.
Scan their wants, their fears, & their expectations as much as you'd scan their impressions.
Let me break it to you clear and simple.
Humans are emotional.
Their feelings lead them most of the time.
(very few humans who can separate their feelings from their decisions)
A patient would choose an average filling, with a good patient experience.
Over a top notch filling with below average patient experience.
Every Single Time.
Because simply they do not know Dentistry, but they for sure know and value their feelings.
A patient who is well greeted, given the time to be listened to and to be deeply understood.
What THEY want?
What are THEY expecting?
What are THEY worried about?
What is THEIR top priority and main concern?
VS
A patient greeted in rush, expecting from few X-rays that you understood them.
What YOU think they need?
What YOU think their expectations are?
What YOU assume they are worried about?
What YOU guess is their top priority and main concern?
The first will recall those little things in their subconscious.
Remembering a good feeling and a good experience about your office.
AND when anything goes wrong in the Dentistry part (which happens), they will understand that it happens.
The latter would feel something was wrong. They did not have enough time, even if you spent 2 hours doing their teeth.
AND if god forbids, something went wrong in Dentistry, Good luck my friend.
The first will brag about you and your office to his family and friends.
Will write a nice review online.
(you should have a system for it, but that's for a latter topic)
Will recommend you whenever someone's ask in public about a good dentist.
Will come back.
Will bring a family member.
Will pay on time.
Will not negotiate much financials.
The latter will whine about their experience whenever they meet someone.
Will write bad review if anything dentistry went wrong.
Forget about asking them to write a nice one if dentistry went well.
Will rarely recommend someone.
Will not come back until they are in pain.
Will definitely come alone.
Will delay and negotiate payment.
Patient experience should be your ultimate priority in your practice.
It affects directly everything.
Marketing..
Operations..
Practice Growth..
Online Reputation..
Team Efficiency & Cooperation.
It's time to stop treating patients' mouth and treat humans.
Follow A Better Dentist to become a better dentist everyday!
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