The Hidden Benefits of Choosing the Right Words

I heard about an interesting study recently. Researchers came to find that if you tell people to “not forget” something, they’re more likely to forget than they would be if you say “be sure to remember …”

Why? Putting the focus on the word remember gets people thinking in the right way and plants the right cognitive seed. This is because of the special mental relationships we have with words. They aren’t just symbols; words jog memories, evoke feelings, and can ultimately drive behaviors.

Poets, politicians, and advertisers have all known for a long time that words have a unique power over us. This is something we can all keep in mind in our dealings with patients, other people, and even with ourselves during self-talk. I’ve often said that dentists and their teams should be careful about the terminology they use with patients. For example, cleanings are something the patient does at home; you provide clinical hygiene services.

There are other, subtle ways you can adjust your language to get a patient thinking along the right lines, too. For instance, when you’re explaining a patient’s treatment priorities and start by saying something like, “This is not essential, but …,” it’s quite likely that the words the patient will seize on are “not essential,” which make whatever treatment you suggest after that easy to dismiss.

Compare that with: “If you’re really looking for the perfect smile for you, for an ideal outcome, I would suggest …” By using the word “you” and framing it in a positive way, you’ve now started the conversation by getting the patient thinking in terms of an ideal result to enhance their appearance and emotional well-being, rather than a non-essential expense.

The heart of case acceptance is about finding ways to communicate your very specialized professional opinions to patients in ways that excite and motivate them. Considering what a difference the right words can make, it’s a good idea to take the time to choose them wisely.