Maximizing Treatment Plan Case Acceptance

When a dental team member describes a procedure, as written in the above Standards of Care section, they are stating the basic features, or definitions, of each Procedure. For many new patients who inquire as to why your practice is performing certain procedures, those descriptions may be enough to satisfy the patient. Many patients are wary of being charged extraneous procedure fees for things they don’t understand, or think they don’t want. These patients require more of an explanation of the procedure. For these patients, and as much as possible for all patients and for all discussions with all patients, a practice will get much more compliance by using the F-A-B Method of Presentation.

The F-A-B: Feature, Advantage, Benefit, Method of Presentation

The best business communicators understand that they must communicate in terms and language that their intended listener understands and considers a positive. Especially with any scientific terminology, the average “lay person”—who is any non-professional of the subject matter—will not be familiar with most formal, scientific jargon.

Even those individuals who do not press for a fuller, more complete comprehension of the subject matter, will need to be educated if we expect them to pay for those services we are presenting.

People may nod their heads when presented foreign terminology, but it is our jobs to really make certain they completely understand the services, and how it benefits them. Dentists often wonder why some patients do not go ahead with care. Often, it is because they are asked to pay several thousand dollars for something they really did not understand as a priority or as beneficial.

The “F” in FAB stands for “Feature.” This is basically the description of the treatment, or procedure as defined by the dental community, in our case. In the preceeding Standard of Care Section, many of the “Features” of those procedures was listed. Let’s use the example of a procedure in the New Patient Visit Multi-Code; the Exam itself, with the ADA Code of 0150. Telling the patient that an examination looks at all the teeth is not giving the complete message to the patient. They need to hear an Advantage and Benefit; the payoff for themself. Why is performing the exam an Advantage (the “A” in FAB) to the patient?

Patients need to hear that the Advantage is to have a dental professional check for oral cancer beginnings, or soft tissue abnormalities, potential TMJ issues, periodontal health, and intra-oral photos for a complete evaluation of the overall health of the mouth. More explicitly, there are Benefits (the “B” in FAB) to those Advantages. They are: the dentist is the health care provider most likely to detect the first signs of oral cancer. Of course, the patient benefits from early detection. Same with any abnormalities in the soft tissue. Health care problems can be prevented early on, sometimes preventing diseases, cancer, and other complications.

To really communicate the Benefits to a patient, think of the message you could impart to someone who is or was a heavy smoker. Or the Benefits to someone whose family had a history of oral cancer.

Whatever the procedure might be, you and your team need to practice the FAB exercises for each multi-code procedure. Patients hear what strikes them emotionally. That’s what the FAB exercise does: allows you and your team to communicate persuasively the emotional reasons a patient should accept a treatment procedure. The more specific to their individual situation, the better your case acceptance will be.

You will see in the Internal Marketing Section, you can apply the FAB communication approach to almost anything you ask a patient to comply with: from making appointments, to paying a bill.

Trust and Confidence

The fundamental, underlying principle that exists between a happy, satisfied patient and a dental office is Trust. Without it, their will always be a barrier that can affect any and all interactions, much less case acceptance.

Dentistry has changed dramatically in the last decade. There was a time a dentist would diagnose and present the need for treatment, and the patient would volunteer, “when can we start?” Often times, fees and treatment were not even discussed in depth, because of the level of trust the patient had with his/her dentist.

Today, dentistry is full of rules, regulations and exclusions that are being dictated by insurance companies. These rules confuse patients, dental practices, and even the insurance companies themselves. Patients end up confused to the point where they mistrust the entire process, including our practices. In some cases, all parties—patients, dental practices, and insurance companies—end up in an apprehensive and fearful relationship. This makes it difficult for dentists to feel comfortable diagnosing needed or ideal dental treatment.

Trust, not money, is the number one factor affecting patient case acceptance.

Especially with new patients, even beginning with their initial telephone call to the practice, the patient is determining whether to trust their care to you and your team.

Ultimately, the degree to which the patient trusts you determines in large part whether they accept treatment, or even come to your practice. For this reason, it is paramount to remove any obstacles that convey mistrust, and to instill in everything and everyone in your practice, those actions that do convey trust.

Review the following factors that experts have determined build a trusting relationship. Ask for objective evaluations from staff, friends and trusted patients, whether or not they feel those factors are being conveyed in your practice. Of course, answer as objectively as possible yourself.

Factors the Build Trust Include:

1) Always tell the truth. The number one way to lose trust is to lie. Your credibility is then in question for everything. Sometimes it may seem easier to stretch the truth in the short term. But long term (and you want the patient coming back for years) the truth always prevails.

2) Reliability. Let patients know they can rely on you and your team to address and answer any question or concern. Always “be there” for the patients.

3) Demonstrate empathy. Let your patients know you understand their goals, dreams, needs and wants. Paraphrase them back to the patient to show you really are listening—not just hearing—and you care about them.

4) Provide on-going, consistent top service. Deliver the “wow experience” by giving more than what is expected. Get feedback from your patients as to what you can do better.

5) Don’t rush it. Take your time to build long-term, lasting relationships. You can build patient confidence one step at a time. For patients with a negative dental history, make sure the little steps are done right: be on time, follow-up, be forthcoming on information, etc.

6) Reliability. Do what you say you are going to do.

7) Show respect to all people.

8) Stay neutral and fair. Leave personal bias out.

9) Openness. Be the person anyone and everyone can seek out to talk to.

10) Do your actions match your words?

11) Project competency.

Other qualities associated with Trust and Confidence are: Character, Dependability, Courage, and Loyalty.

Demonstrate the above qualities daily. To everyone. Post them in your staff break room. Read them aloud periodically to the team. Make them your moral compass. Patients will feel the Trust because it will be in everything you do. And you will have established the fundamental concept towards maximizing case acceptance.

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