Case Acceptance Tip Library
Get answers to just about any issue you have regarding converting new patients – all sorted by topic.
COMPETITION
When Meeting with Shoppers, the Best Advice is Impartial
Many of you have developed a document touting the strengths of your practice, usually titled “Why Choose ______ Orthodontics?” This is a useful document to you, but not nearly so much to your
Competing against In-Network Providers When You’re Out-of-Network
One of my current coaching-program TCs called me this week with a challenge that most of my domestic client practices will run into from time to time; that being in
FEES
How to Present Extended Terms to Patients
As I cover in detail in my book No to Lost Cases, your profession is facing pressure on financing arrangements from two fronts: technology that is reducing the treatment time for patients,
Are You Charging Enough for Treatment?
How do you know if you are charging the optimum price for the services you provide? Should you raise fees? Should you lower them? Let’s take a look at each of
Is No Money Down a Good Financing Idea
Not long after I started my consulting business thirty years ago, I worked with a large, privately owned company in the industrial products business that was having a poor rate of
FRONT DESK
When Handling Phone Inquiries, Less is More
The idea that “time is money” is a principle that most doctors attempt to incorporate into all operational areas of the practice, and rightfully so: finding ways to reduce the amount of time spent
Is a Tour of Your Practice Worth the Time?
When conducting training with practices, I often ask the staff this question: Does your practice take visitors on a tour of your facility? The response was the one I usually get: “no,
How Your Approach to Scheduling Affects Case Acceptance
In my experience, most practices approach the issue of scheduling new patient consultations in one of two fundamental ways: they either sprinkle them into the schedule along with the other
NEGOTIATING
The Orthodontist Dilemna: Dropping Fees to Improve Conversion Rates
In discussions with orthodontists regarding the case acceptance rate, the subject of reducing fees comes up with increasing regularity. Almost all orthodontists in today’s marketplace deal regularly with competitive pressure. I
How to Turn Questions About Financing into New Patient Starts
Three times in the past week, TCs that I am coaching via recorded consults have had decision makers ask if they could finance treatment in a different way than what the
Protecting Your Flank: Structuring Financing vs Low-Cost Competitors
Those of you who have read my books or recently been through my training program know that the most important component of case acceptance is your ability to communicate the
NP CONSULTATIONS
Nobody Likes Surprises
Among the most common complaints that I hear from client teams regarding adult patients is that they are difficult to persuade to start treatment, and once they do, they are
How to Stay on Schedule with NP Consultations
A question that I frequently get from doctors is the appropriate length of time that the doctor should be in the room for an initial, new-patient consultation. From observing numerous client recordings,
Doctors, Ask for Feedback or Pay the Price
As I get more and more involved in helping doctors to improve their consultation skills, I continue to see things that have the potential to derail the start of an
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Is Automation a Good Idea for Patient Communication?
During dinner yesterday evening, one of my doctor clients asked me for my opinion on the use of an automated reminder system that uses a combination of automated phone calls
Motivation and Top-Performing Employees
Some years ago, I gave a retention test to a group of 100 sales professionals following a three-day course that I conducted at their company. I have taught graduate-school curriculum
A Mother-of-Pearl Communication Tip
In my work in the field with orthodontic practices, I regularly see new, innovative ideas that contribute in a small way to the success of a practice and the care
PRACTICE MARKETING
Product Sales and the Principle of Bundling
Virtually every practice that I work with offers their patients ancillary products that provide an enhancement of some kind to the basic value of treatment. Most are geared towards the needs of
Being Smart about Discounting and Promotions
With increasing frequency I am seeing practices try a variety of creative efforts to get more visitors to commit to treatment; some of these efforts are well designed and effective, with others not
Using Video in New-Patient Marketing
One of the key points I make to improve treatment presentations is that people remember much more of what they see than what they hear. When using visual tools to
