While most dentists would love to focus on preventative care, most patients who step into a dental practice are looking for solutions to acute or chronic problems. However, before you start getting your dental treatment plan template from Dental Intelligence ready, you need to be able to convince the patient that they need the dental procedures you’re proposing — and that can be more difficult than it initially appears! Let us help with your dental case presentation skills.

Patients have various reasons to be wary of the dentist’s recommended treatment plans. They may worry about the costs of larger procedures, or they may have concerns about pain or the procedure itself. They may even feel that treatment is unnecessary and that the practice is out to exploit them for additional money. While dismissing these concerns may be easy, doing so only worsens the problem of reduced treatment acceptance. 

So what can you do to ensure the best patient outcomes? In addition to honing your persuasive skills, a planned dental case presentation focusing on patients is a great place to start.

What Should a Good Dental Case Presentation Contain?

Having a clear framework makes planning the case presentation significantly simpler. While each patient’s case is unique, a template helps dentists address all major components of a successful dental case presentation. 

These include:

• The patient’s concern, outlined as simply and clearly as possible
• The patient’s medical history
• The patient’s dental history
• The patient’s social and family history
• Justification for any special tests and investigations
• An explanation of the dentist’s intra-oral observations
• A clear diagnosis related to the patient’s initial concern
• A case prognosis if left untreated
• A proposed treatment plan and guide to dental treatment plan phases

Focus on the Problem

It’s easy for an experienced dentist to forget that while they clearly understand the implications of a particular dental condition, the patient doesn’t. Many patients with dental concerns may not have any symptoms, so they are unlikely to accept treatment for something that doesn’t appear to them to be a concern. Contrast these patients with those who come in with an emergency — who are usually more than willing to accept a proposed treatment plan. 

It’s best to start a dental case presentation with a thorough explanation of the diagnosis, how it affects the patient now, and how it will affect them in the future. Once patients understand the implications of their diagnosis, they are usually much more willing to accept treatments that address their future and current concerns. 

However, avoid exaggerating the problem and “scaring” patients into treatments. Dental patients must make informed decisions based on accurate information — and scaremongering may drive them away. 

Dental Case Presentation Best Practices

The best dental case presentation combines speech with non-verbal cues and visual aids, such as diagrams or photos. 

Other best practices include: 

• Holding the dental case presentation in a private consultation room, especially for major restorative work or patients needing multiple appointments
• Using layperson's terms whenever possible and explaining any technical phrases
• Discussing the reason for the treatment, what to expect during and after the treatment, and the risks associated with the plan or leaving the condition untreated
• Speaking calmly, encouraging questions and feedback, and addressing their concerns without dismissing them
• Confirming understanding by asking the patient questions about their proposed treatment. Note that simply asking a patient, “Do you understand?” will generally get a positive answer, even if the person doesn’t understand. This miscommunication can result in erroneous assumptions and catastrophizing on the part of the patient, leading to lowered treatment acceptance.
• Presenting information in small blocks and confirming their understanding before proceeding.
• Supporting your presentation with visual aids that help patients visualize the problem and treatment options. Common visual aids include physical models, photographs, and brochures.
• Avoiding using any high-pressure tactics — the consultation must be a conversation, not a sales pitch

Many patients are embarrassed when talking about financial concerns. Keep these conversations limited to a private space and reassure the patient that the dental practice has financing options to help ease the financial burden of major dental treatments. 

Ultimately, dental practices want to deliver the best service to their patients, which involves providing the best possible treatment for their condition.

Strong presentation skills, established best practices, and a proven template can greatly improve your treatment acceptance rate, resulting in happier and more loyal clients.

For more ideas on how to take your dental practice to the next level using a dental case presentation, contact us today and schedule a demo of our all-in-one solution!