Mistake #2
You didn’t build up the value of the treatment
Why is this essential
Most patients either have too much misinformation in their heads or know almost nothing about their treatment. Neither version is good. Your job is to put their heads in order and make them understand what is the best option for them.
Using visual elements can save a lot of time and effort. A picture is worth a thousand words.
"Afterwards, there were no patients who asked us to explain the difference."
My personal experience
I have been working for 10 years with a clinic specialising in one-phase implants. For a while we wrote at length on our website about the procedure, tried to explain the procedure very simply and clearly, but the patients did not understand how the implants can be immediately loaded, why they did not need a sinus lift, etc. It took at least 10-15 minutes for each consultation to get them to understand the procedure.
So we created some pictures and put them on my website, showing the difference between conventional and one-phase implants.
![The importance of explaining the dental problem](/assets/img/blog/consultation-mistakes/implant-difference-illustration-3.jpg)
Afterwards, there were no patients who asked us to explain the difference between the two system as they cheked them on my website and undestood it.
Patients don't want to know all the details of their treatment, but they want to understand the basics. Visuals, photos and videos are a great help.
The power of personalization
The sense of value can be further enhanced by presenting the solution in a personalised way.
If you are jogging and want to buy a pair of running shoes, you go to a shoe store with a million shoes. One has a sole like this, one has a sole like that, one fixes the ankle like this, one fixes the ankle like that, one absorbs energy like this, one absorbs energy like that, there are too many information and too many options and you have pick the right one, which is not easy.
But how would you feel yourself if a salesman comes along, scans your feet, analyses your measurements, how much you weigh, how old you are, on what kind of cover you're going to run, what distance, etc., and after you've told him all that, he takes off the shoe that's right for you and says, it's the right one for you, and tells you that it has the tread that's best suited to the geometry of your foot, it has a rubber sole to absorb the hardness of the asphalt, and because you're running in the dark, it has a phosphorescent surface to be seen. Up until a few minutes ago, that shoe was just one of many for you, but now you look at it differently because it's your shoe. It has an increased value to you because it gives you a personalised solution to your problem, your needs.
It works the same way in dentistry, if the patient gets a personalised solution, it becomes even more valuable to them, they will feel it is special because it is their own.
"Up until a few minutes ago, that was just one of the many for you, but now you look at it differently. It gives you a personalised solution."
More techniques to enhance the value
The value can be further enhanced by explaining the steps of the treatment, what to look out for and who will be working on it, as most people don't even realize the steps involved in an implant surgery, the expertise required to choose the right size and type of implant, calculate the forces on it and place it so that the dental technician can do a beautiful job. If you talk to them briefly about these things, they will see that dental treatment depends on many more factors than they thought, and that the value of their treatment will be much greater.
Patients don't know that when making a crown you can file down the tooth tangentially or create a shoulder, how important edge closure is, that crowns and bridges can now be designed by computer and there are machines that can make them to an accuracy of a hundredth of a millimetre. Tell them about the unique things you do, things that reinforce in the patient your dedication, your commitment, your professionalism.
The next step to close the consultation
If you've gotten this far in the consultation, you've superbly built the first two pillars, the problem awareness and the value of their treatment. By building a problem awareness, the treatment became more important and urgent for the patient, and by building the value of the treatment, it became much more valuable for them than it was originally.
![Ideal Dental Consultations - build strong foundation of trust](/assets/img/blog/denticalc-calculator-use-before-insurance-coverage/014_DentiCalc_Calculator_Use_Before_Insurance_Coverage_szovegkozikep_02_lg.jpg)
We've reached the top of the consultation, the patient just wants to know how much it will cost.
Now comes for the 3rd pillar of our consultation success formula...
Want to know more?
From our upcoming "The Art of Dental Consultations" ebook and "Dental Consultation Masterclass" webinar you'll get invalueable knowledge:
- the secrets behind stress-free dental practices
- strategy & tactics for successful consultations
- methods to greatly improve your explanations
- the value of connecting with your patients
- the importance of asking back
- the art of presenting prices and plans
- preventing complaints and misunderstandings
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![Dental Consultation Masterclass Ebook](/assets/img/webinar/ebook.jpg)
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About the author
![](/assets/img/webinar/tibor-botos-3.jpg)
I am Tibor Botos, founder of Tibor Dental, and a practice owner. I've been in the dental industry for almost 20 years. We have held more than 10,000 consultations.
Based upon this massive amount of experience, we have created the Dental Consultation Masterclass, which teaches dental professionals how to transform patients who are normal, or even skeptical, into ideal patients in the first dental consultation.