By Dr. David Rice
CEO and Founder, IgniteDDS
If dental school didn’t get you down, I’ll bet a patient telling you “I’ll think about it” totally does!
Case acceptance is hard enough, even for seasoned pros. Heck, a lot of data shows the average dentist doesn’t even get one-third of patients to say yes to complete care.
Now throw in that you’re a new dentist: “You’re too young,” “You can’t possibly be the dentist,” “You’re just trying to pay off your new car… boat… vacation…” (you name it).
As a new associate, or worse, brand-new owner, getting patients to commit to care and getting your practice off the ground can feel like a drag.
So, what’s really going on?
The Trust Gap
Patients don’t buy crowns, perio, or even aesthetic wants — they buy us. You’re new, skill or no skill — haven’t been taught or had the time to master your communication and trust-building game. It’s not personal, it’s psychological. Patients are likely silently asking themselves, “Do I really need this?” Is it going to hurt?” “Can I afford it?” and perhaps most of all, since you are a new dentist, “Is this the right person for the job?”
Coaching Fix
- Questions are the answer. Whenever you have a statement to make, reframe it as a question. Your goal is to align treatment with what matters most to your patient.
- Leverage artificial intelligence (AI). Even the most trusted professionals are trusted even more when their diagnosis is accompanied with software like Pearl AI, a dental-specific AI platform designed to analyze dental X-rays and provide insights to dentists. We have integrated this technology into numerous practices that we coach. It is amazing!
A Lack Of Process
System-driven doctors are the most successful. Their best practices are documented, shared teamwide and constantly tweaked. Often, however, new dentists may go to a Facebook group or watch YouTube videos produced by self-proclaimed “experts” and end up winging it.
Coaching Fix: Follow a proven framework: clinical clarity, emotional connection, financial transparency and team coordination. Ever hear of the Confidence-Competence loop? If you want to know more, feel free to reach out — I’m happy to help!
Behavioral Blind Spots
I’ve taught a course called “Pizza by the Slice or the Whole Pie for Life” for years. In short, every patient wants a different number of slices of their favorite pizza, when they want it.
Coaching Fix: Learn who wants what kind of pizza and how many slices they want at a time. Learn core principles of human behavior and the Four Disciplines of Execution®. Hit me up if you’re thinking, “Yes, please.”
Bottom Line
As a new associate, your biggest obstacle to case acceptance isn’t your clinical skill; it’s your ability to connect with your patients. When we learn to ask better questions, follow a clear process and adapt to the patient in front of us, treatment plans become personal — and the response becomes “yes.”
Dr. David Rice, founder, CEO and executive coach at IgniteDDS, has almost 30 years of dental practice management experience and has trained at The Pankey Institute, The Dawson Academy and Spear. He has also been a presenter at the Florida Dental Convention. IgniteDDS is an endorsed program of the Florida Dental Association.
For more information or to schedule a no-obligation chat, visit bit.ly/FDA-IgniteDDS.
Beyond the Bite 