7 Simple Steps to Case Acceptance Mastery – Every Time

Predictable case acceptance is at the root of all ultra-successful dental practices. To make it predictable, you must have a system! Here is the 7-step system that my clients and I swear by:

Step 1: Build Trust. You will know when you have built the right level of trust when the patient believes you can solve their issues and that you are the right person to resolve them.

Step 2: Earn Consent. You will know you have completed this step when the patient has expressed interest in learning about their health problems, exploring a solution to their problems before you present one, and is aligned with you on the cost of the solution.

Step 3: Gain Etiology Agreement. This step is checked off once you make the patient aware of the full extent of their dental issues and the etiology, or cause, of those issues. The best way to do this is to take a 3D scan such as an iTero scan, and show the patient their full dentition, alignment, occlusion, bite pressure, and wear patterns visible on the scan.

Step 4: Set the Vision. In this step, you ask the patient about their goals for their dental health. You get a clear understanding of their goals and show them a vision of what is possible. This can be done via a wax-up of their before-and-after, by showing them before-and-after images of work you have completed for other patients, or by doing an in-the-mouth mockup. 

Step 5: Convey the Emotional Value. You have ticked this box once the patient values their dental health to the point that they are emotionally attached to the solution you propose. They need to fully understand how your proposed treatment can solve their problems and the impact the treatment can have on improving their life. Creating emotional value is the most important aspect of case acceptance. No treatment gets accepted without it, no matter how much they need it. The higher the treatment’s price tag, the higher the emotional value a patient needs to have for them to accept it.

Step 6: Educate, Educate, Educate. Long before a case presentation occurs, a patient should be educated about the inherent value of their smile and general dental health. Place the focus on educating the patient about the physical and emotional benefits of your proposed solution, which is best conveyed using other patients’ stories and before and after images. Patients also need to understand the long-term negative consequences if they don’t resolve the problem before it progresses. Far too many dentists rush to educate their patients on how they will do the dentistry. To prevent this, focus on the patient’s future rather than the technical or clinical details.

Step 7: Ask for Investment. The patient will say yes to treatment and make the financial investment in their health the moment they value what your solution will do for them over the value of the money they will pay for it.

Follow these steps to a tee each time, and you will get more yesses than ever. The key: every time the patient’s emotional value for the treatment is greater than the cost of their investment, they say yes to your treatment plan.

The fastest way to achieve something you have never done before is to find a mentor. I am a coach and mentor exclusively for dentists. I transform my clients’ practices by evolving their skills, income, fulfillment, and freedom, so they can live a 3XLIFE. You were meant to have an impact, make a difference, and live the life you imagine. Let’s find your 3XLIFE together.