I’m seeing a national trend of decreasing collections and production, even from large, established practices. If you’ve noticed fewer treatment acceptances lately—especially from your long-time patients—you’re not alone. Many are hearing more of these lines:
- “Let me think about it.”
- “Can I call you back?”
- “I’m not sure I need this right now.”
It’s tempting to think this is just “Sucktember,” but there’s just a lot of weird economic things going on recently, so it could be macroeconomic pressure showing up in hesitancy with our patients.
So what do we do? Control what is within our control: our communication.
When a patient hesitates or pushes back, it often means they don’t understand the problem or feel the urgency. They might not trust the recommendation because we didn’t walk them through the problem.
You might keep hearing the same stall tactics, even from patients who used to be all-in. Treatment acceptance drops, your schedule has more holes, and patients miss their best window to fix things before they become emergencies.
Here’s My Simple 3-Step Method When Presenting Treatment:
- Describe the problem clearly and visually.
“It looks like there’s some cracking on the distal side of that big old amalgam filling on #19.” (And, show the picture: they need to see it to believe it.) - Describe what happens if we do nothing.
“If we leave it as-is, there’s a chance it stays stable for a while. But honestly, there’s a bigger chance it cracks worse, and then we’re looking at a root canal—or even losing the tooth—and if we had to replace it with an implant, you’re looking at $4,000-5,000.” (Anchor them to a high alternative price.) - Recommend a solution with care.
“I’d hate for you to go through that, so I’d recommend a crown now to hold it together and prevent a bigger issue down the road.”
Pick two common treatment scenarios this week (like cracked large amalgam filling or early periodontal disease) and role-play this script in your next morning huddle. Help the whole team practice the rhythm of clear, confident communication.
It’s not about pushing people; it’s helping them make the right decision now, before small issues become big ones.
Be well and do well,
Dr. Addison Killeen
P.S. If you want to join a community with other actual dentists with real experience who can share their strategies, join Dental Success Network! Apply now for a FREE 7-Day Trial for DSN and collaborate with real dentists!
