It's not just about patient education
Educating patients is the first step, but your case presentations can't end there. The goal is to create patients who are motivated to say "yes" to recommended treatment. Many dentists take a passive approach to case presentation. They provide all sorts of education and information, but they never get the patient to commit one way or the other about the recommended treatment.
Ask the commitment question. Many practices spend a great deal of time in consultations only to find patients who either put off or do not accept treatment. Often it's because the commitment question was not asked. The question is: "Mrs. Jones, would you like to have this done?"
Included as part of a motivating case presentation, the commitment question compels patients to consider the full benefits of treatment and make a commitment to better oral health.
Don't stop at educating patients. Case presentation requires dentists to educate and motivate patients. Education is where most dentists excel. The motivation part is where many case presentations break down. To increase case acceptance, dentists should always emphasize treatment benefits, then ask the commitment question. These two steps can help any dentist improve their case presentations.
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