Do you think you have ever caused a patient to feel cheated? Believe me, good intentions, your willingness to comfort, and your expertise are not enough. You can easily fall into a trap that can cost your patient’s trust. What is this trap, and can you avoid it? We will show you in this article!




When you swore your medical oath, you invested yourself in helping people. Maybe you thought this required your expertise and the number of patients you have helped. Should your patients trust you on that basis alone? Not at all.

Your Qualifications and Knowledge Matter, But...

Open communication with the person who is sitting in your chair is as vital to your profession as your other skills. Communication is key! Remember, each patient entrusts you with a precious asset: their teeth. For instance, when patients get in your chair, they might feel insecure, perhaps afraid, too. To compound their potential anxieties, they also pay a quite significant sum. That is why patients need to hear the full price, right from the start.

The Serious Mistake Many Dentists Make

If you are not upfront with your patients during their consultations, you risk losing their confidence. We know it’s not easy, but never forget that what your patient is wants to feel informed! They don’t understand the technical details and skill-sets of your profession, all they have to go on are your ads and price list.

Why is this a problem?

Because in many situations the patients are justifiably expecting a lower price...

Let's Look at a Practical Example!

Many online ads and price lists state, for example, that the implant is only $600, which is strictly correct. However, this price only refers to the implant itself. Your patient might be unaware that an implant might entail additional costs: the surgery itself, an abutment, healing screw, a gingiva-former, and a crown, which raises the price to $ 1,900. Why does this matter? If you’ve advertised the implant for $600 and a patient needs three implants, this patient will expect this to cost $1,800, which will instead cost the person $5,700.



Now do you understand the potential complications if you haven’t communicated clearly about the price?

Have you done this?

Loss of Trust!

Your patient will feel cheated. You didn’t deliver what he (or she) expected. Obviously, you haven’t cheated. On the other hand, not being fully honest about pricing, such as failing to inform the patient about the procedure’s complexities, will cause disappointment and, worse, mistrust.

In some cases, patients will ask for a second consultation giving you the opportunity to explain everything or the individual might take it further and contact a consumer-services hotline. In most cases, the patient will say nothing. They will find another dentist, someone willing to be transparent, upfront.

This is bad.

You not only lost a patient to another dentist, but your reputation has suffered. Dentistry is not like showbiz. Bad press is bad press. Reputation is everything.

What can you do to make the patient happy to choose you?

If you are prepared to provide a detailed treatment plan, if you explain exactly how much this will cost, you will not only have a satisfied patient but a return customer, too.

We know full well that every patient is an individual with specific needs. You don’t want to needlessly scare an already jumpy patient. And discussing money isn’t always easy.

That’s why we’ve developed the DentiCalc app, specifically designed to make it easier for dentists to fully detail the treatment and calculate a pinpoint price instantly. With this app, your patients will easily understand why you are their best choice. Further, they will rest assured that you have provided a fair and accurate price.