4
DENTAL TRIBUNE
Practice Matters
Asia Pacific Edition
PATIENT COMMUNICATION
Increasing Case Acceptance
Roger P. Levin, USA
Introduction
Case presentation is not
about the newest fad, trick, or
gimmick that guarantees 100%
case acceptance on any dentistry proposed to a patient. The
temptation for a “quick fix” that
guarantees a foolproof case
presentation is strong. For this
reason, a multitude of theories
exist to meet this demand.
However, no matter which theory you use, the truth is that
none of them produces overnight
results.
4. Many dentists lack the motivation to present comprehensive
cases because their low acceptance rates do not seem to
warrant the time and effort the
presentation takes.
with standard scripting to educate patients about all the potential services in the practice.
2. Have supporting educational
materials, such as brochures,
available to reinforce services
No one can have an overnight
rise to perfection when it comes
to case presentation or patient
case acceptance. Success demands a longer process of improving communication skills.
Why Is Case Presentation
Such a Challenge?
After working with more than
8,000 dental practices over the
years, I can tell you that case
presentation is probably one of
the most difficult skills for any
professional to master. There are
several reasons for this:
1. Most individuals who pick a
professional field such as medicine or dentistry are not naturally oriented toward giving
motivational and influential
case presentations.
2. Due to their training, dentists
tend to focus on the technical and
clinical features of cases, while
patients are typically far more interested in lifestyle benefits.
3. Given the pace of most practices
today, it is becoming increasingly difficult for doctors to sit
down and take enough time to
talk patients through all aspects
of medium to large cases, answer questions, and work
through all issues to help the patient make the best decision.
Unfortunately, Levin Group
statistics indicate that only 7%
of all practice production is elective in nature. This is a clear sign
that patients still view dentistry
mainly as a need-based activity.
Consequently, dentists must
develop different styles of case
presentation depending on the
type of case being presented.
Several key factors regarding
the consultation should be noted:
There is no science or stepby-step methodology that works
every time with case presentation. When interacting with patients, you deal with human beings whose thinking may or may
not match yours. While “onesize-fits-all” methods do not
work for increasing case acceptance, most dentists can do a number of things to gradually increase the rate at which patients
say yes to treatment.
We live in an era where, as a
dentist, you are sometimes made
to feel that if you cannot close
every case that comes into your
practice, something is wrong.
Similarly, if every case isn’t more
than $15,000 (U.S.), you are made
to feel as if you are not achieving
the extraordinary success other
dentists are experiencing. You
start believing that everyone else
is closing all their cases and that
you are the only one left with a
practice that treats single teeth
on a regular basis.
while a $3,000 bridge or $5,000
porcelain laminate veneer case
does.
Case Presentation
Takes Time
Case presentation requires
training, education, and perhaps
most importantly, time. In my
practice management seminars,
I often spend 16 hours working
with doctors and team members
through the educational process
of case presentation. My goal is
to educate them for long-term
change, not create overnight,
temporary change.
I further explain to doctors
that for the next two weeks they
will probably increase case acceptance simply due to their
higher levels of motivation and
enthusiasm. After about 1–2
weeks, motivation begins to
wane and case acceptance rates
typically go back to their previous levels. It is at this point that
the training and education must
be used consistently and, in time,
the doctor and team will improve
considerably in their effectiveness in gaining patient case acceptance.
Making Case
Presentation Work
You know what services you
offer. Your staff knows what services you offer. However, do your
patients know? Often, they don’t.
The following steps should be
implemented immediately to
help create a higher level of
awareness and motivation on the
part of patients.
1. Every patient should be educated about all of the practice’s
services, preferably during a
hygiene visit. Levin Group recommends calling this visit the
periodontal maintenance and
oral cancer exam appointment. The hygienist has more
time than the dentist to educate patients who may need
treatment. Use hygiene visits
discussed with the dental hygienist. Remember that a good
brochure can effectively reinforce what has been discussed.
As an example, Levin Group
developed
a
cosmetic
brochure to look similar to the
cover of a glamour magazine
(70% of all cosmetic patients
are female), and it is having a
tremendous effect on patient
interest in cosmetic dentistry.
3. If the doctor does not have time
to fully discuss a potential case
during a hygiene exam, the patient should be rescheduled at
no charge for a consultation. I
recommend that the patient be
rescheduled for a 20- or 30minute uninterrupted appointment to meet with the doctor to
discuss the potential case. If
these appointments are handled well, a majority of patients
will accept treatment and practice production will rise.
4. Finally, any patient who has received a case presentation and
does not schedule for treatment should receive a followup phone call from the front
desk staff the next morning.
Many patients are extremely
interested in having treatment
and just need a slight additional prompt to schedule. By
having a front desk staff call
the next morning to schedule
the patient, there is a greater
chance that the patient will decide to have treatment.
Next, you must focus on what
happens during a patient consultation. Whether it is a new patient
returning for case presentation
or a scheduled patient, separate
appointments should be set aside
for treatment plans totaling
more than $1,000, an amount
that seems to be a cut-off dollar amount for many patients.
Therefore, a $700 crown does not
require a separate consultation
1. The consultation room or
treatment room should be designed for the doctor and the
patient to be comfortable during the case presentation.
2. Educational aids, such as models, should be readily available to help the patient understand the potential treatment.
3. Consultations should start on
time because patients become
concerned about running late,
especially if they have another
meeting or have to pick up their
children. Starting case presentations on time not only shows
respect for the patient, but keeps
them from feeling rushed or as if
they have to squeeze in the discussion. Any rushing during
case presentation is viewed
negatively and decreases the
level of case acceptance.
4. Except for true emergencies,
do not allow any interruptions
during a case presentation. As
the case presentation progresses, it gains momentum. An interruption will stop that momentum, thereby sabotaging
any patient motivation that is
being built.
5. Be prepared for questions and
objections. Patients will want to
know more about certain aspects
of treatment if they are going to
spend their time and money.
Questions and objections should
be anticipated, calmly answered,
and worked through to help the
patient become comfortable.
6. Have the Financial Coordinator
prepared to come in and present
financial options. Most cases
are lost during the discussion of
fees and payment methods. Offices that understand how to
guide patients through several
financial options have a much
higher close rate than others.
This higher close rate typically
amounts to approximately
$200,000 (U.S.) or more per year
in additional production.
7. Have patients schedule appointments immediately or
follow-up with them the next
morning.
Summary
It is time to realize that there
are no tricks or gimmicks when
it comes to case presentation.
There are literally a hundred
things you need to do when pre-
senting a case, but no one thing is
going to be the key factor.
Case presentation and selling
are both about honesty. It is about
developing a relationship with
patients and demonstrating that
you are sincere, that you care,
and that what you are recommending is in their best interest.
A key factor in the success of
any dental practice is case presentation. Even if all other systems are in place and operating
efficiently, failure to master case
presentation skills will restrict
growth of the practice. Practices
with insufficient case presentation skills will depend on a high
volume of patients for production, with a disproportionate
number of cases focused on single-tooth, need-driven treatment.
Case presentation skills have
not reached a high level of effectiveness in most practices,
and this is causing practices to
strive for volume rather than
comprehensive dentistry. The
goal should always be to reduce
the number of single-tooth appointments. The easiest way to
do that is through comprehensive diagnosis and excellent
case presentation skills. DT
For a free sample of
Levin Group’s Cosmetic
Dentistry patient education
brochure, please call us at
+1-888-973-0000 or e-mail at
consulting@levingroup.com.
Contact Info
Roger P. Levin, DDS, MBA, is the
founder and CEO of Levin Group,
Inc., which since 1985 has focused
on improving the lives of dentists
by helping their practices to run
more profitably and with less
stress. Levin Group has consulted
to more than 7,500 practices over
the last 19 years and Dr. Levin
speaks more than 100 times a year
at major trade shows and many
seminars. Dr. Levin has authored
49 books and more than 2,500 articles on dental practice management. Levin Group can be reached
by E-mail at consulting@levingroup.com, or by regular mail at:
Levin Group
10 New Plant Court
Owings Mills, MD 21117
U.S.A.