Every dentist who goes from average to exceptional reaches a point in their training where they undergo a fundamental shift in thinking. When this mindset shift happens, they never look at patients the same way again. In most cases, it marks the beginning of a new maturity in their evolution as dentists.
It's the moment where they take responsibility for the "no."
Before that mindset shift occurred they found it easy to rationalize why certain patients were rejecting treatment, and the reasons they found usually centered on the patient. "He can't afford it." "She is too insurance-minded." "He doesn't care about esthetic issues."
These reasons are often true on the surface but they don't tell the whole story. These reasons don't acknowledge the possibility that the patient might be capable of changing that perspective. As a dentist, you play a crucial role in helping your patients change how they think about dentistry.
When you come to this realization, everything changes. You start to look at the "no" in a different way. You realize the value process is a journey and that "no" doesn't necessarily mean never, it can also mean that the patient doesn't see the value right now. So you give them the best care for where they are in their journey today, with an eye on what you can do to move them to a better appreciation tomorrow.
The other part of this realization is that you have time; time to build the relationship; time to get patients to see the value. Every patient interaction is an opportunity to move them a step forward to "yes." For some this decision will come in a single leap, and for others it's a slow evolution over years. The important thing is, you have to take responsibility, because the patient doesn't know how to move forward from "no." You do.
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February 28th, 2013