Athena Consulting: Dental Practice Solutions

Are you tired of trying to sell, sell, sell with poor results? Are your treatment consultations taking longer to complete? Are you finding that you are answering question after question, even after acceptance of dental treatment? Do you feel you are constantly competing on fees?

Stop trying to sell! Instead, help patients accept. Most people hate to be sold to, but they love to buy.

Dentists make some serious mistakes and they have little to do with the recommended treatment or fees.

Have you ever been sold something and then days or even months later wondered why you bought it? When you came to the conclusion that you were "sold to," how did you feel – about yourself, the salesperson who sold it to you and the company that he/she works for or owns?

However, you've also bought products and services that were "unnecessary" but you didn’t feel the same negativity towards the salesperson or the company. Why? In those instances, you were an integral part of the purchasing process.

Here are four recommendations for making your patient part of the treatment acceptance process and positioning yourself as the dentist of choice.

• Listen to the patient. One of the easiest ways to distinguish the difference between a successful treatment coordinator or dentist and one who needs more skills development is to watch how that person interacts with the patient. When he or she does all or most of the talking, it's likely acceptance of treatment will either be delayed ("I need more information," "I want to think about it," etc.) or denied completely. People really don’t care how much you know or what you can do until you show how much you care.
• View your patient as an ally, not an enemy. Some treatment coordinators or dentists actually believe you have to beat up on patients before they beat up on you. Often a hectic schedule or poorly organized work environment forces short cuts, resulting in loss of acceptance and a poor reputation. The patient would rather see you as a friend than an adversary. Dental professionals should see a patient as someone they want to help, someone they can talk to while both of you work to understand problems and attain dental-care goals.
• Take notes during the presentation process. On a recent coaching assignment I asked the dentist why she didn’t take any notes during the presentation. She said she has a ‘terrific memory’ and besides, she’s heard this same problem five times this week. She missed the point. Yes, she may have heard the same problem, but her patient doesn’t know that – and doesn’t care. By taking notes, we visually demonstrate that we are interested in the patient’s problems. We thus reinforce the value and importance or urgency of the situation.
• Follow-up after a first consultation with a patient. This is one of the most common errors made, particularly in treatment presentations. By taking the time to write a personal note on company letterhead, you help the patient remember you. It can be as simple as: "Dear Mary: Our consultation today provided me with some insight into the challenges that you face concerning the dental care you need. If you need further review of your treatment plan or perhaps would like to bring your husband in so he too may understand your needs, I would be happy to have a second consultation with you. Please call my treatment coordinator, Dawn, and arrange a mutually convenient time. Yours for better dental health, (Sign your name)."
• Super dental presenters know that by listening to the patient they will tell you everything you need to know to gain acceptance of treatment, and referral of their friends, family and coworkers. When your patients provide information and make choices about the options you present, they will make decisions about acceptance and you will be positioned to schedule a time to begin treatment.

Selling is not about the presenter, it is about the patient. Those that excel as sales professionals never lose sight about who is serving whom. Within five minutes of completing your next three presentations, take a minute to:

• assess how much time the patient talked
• identify how you demonstrated how much you cared about the patient’s current situation and problems
• write a personal follow-up note for first-time consultations