How do I talk with patients about money (when it comes to expensive cases)?

One question I get all the time is, “How do you talk to patients about money when it comes to expensive cases?” And the one thing I would tell a dentist or a doctor that’s struggling with this is don’t be afraid to be a bit of a salesman. That’s not a dirty word in dentistry. It’s only dirty if you’re selling a patient on something that’s not in their best interest.

Be an advocate for their health

Being a salesman in dentistry, if you’re doing it the right way, is being an advocate for the patient’s oral health. Our patients are getting bombarded by marketing and sales on their phones, in front of their TVs, even sitting in our waiting room. All the time, 24/7, they’re getting bombarded with sales. In your waiting room they are reading magazines like Golf Digest or a travel magazine where they’re being sold to spend their money on things other than their oral health. If you’re not their advocate, how do you expect them to kind of value that?

So another thing you can do is use some analogies. Compare it to things that they’re spending money on to give them an idea of the value of their oral health. I use car analogies sometimes and it helps patients relate, using the idea that preventative procedures are often far more cost effective and less painful than waiting for something to break.