So what I want to talk to you about in this module is, ways that I have found effective
at creating value for very specific procedures. So I’m gonna use one of my patients. And
this is really hard kind of thing for me in some ways, because this is the patient that’s
been in my practice a long time. So, I’ve seen him over 15 years. I treated
all of his posterior teeth. He loves drinking Pepsi-Cola and I treated all of his posterior
teeth 15 years ago. So 16 restorations – all inlays, onlays, crowns.
He loves having his teeth cleaned. He doesn’t have any periodontal issues per say, he just
loves having his teeth cleaned. And so, he comes into our office every four
months. I see him three times a year. So if you said to me, who’s a patient that
is loyal to my office, trusts me, who has, sees the value of our practice, I would think
he has to be one of the highest valued patients we have in terms of understanding what we
do in my practice. Now what you’re seeing on his anterior teeth
– there’s tons of facial erosion – it’s from the Pepsi-Cola. It’s been patched with
composite. It’s never really looked terrific. He hasn’t slowed down a bit on it.
We’ve talked to him about doing veneers on the anterior teeth. The linguals of the
anteriors have no wear whatsoever on them. And so, we’ve gone back and forth every
four months when we see him about, you know, what’s possible for his front teeth.
On top of that, I’ve actually seen him outside the office, because socially, he enjoys some
hobbies I do. He likes fly fishing, he likes motorcycle riding. So we’ve gone on a fishing
trip for a day. We’ve gone on a motorcycle ride.
Wouldn’t say he’s a good friend. But I want you to get a sense: this is a person
I have a long-term relationship with. I’ve been his dentist 15-plus years. I see
him all the time. Now, there’s a danger in that. And the danger
in that is I start to think that maybe I don’t have to do the same things when I talk to
him that I would if it was a brand new patient. Because my brain says this guy trusts me.
This guy values us. This guy’s loyal to us. Right?
So the bottom line is, when he sees our hygienist who he loves, every four months, she talks
to him about the front teeth, she talks to him about the possibility of veneers. And
he just hasn’t gone anywhere with it. But out of nowhere, finally at one recall
he comes into her and says “You know what? I don’t like my front teeth anymore. I want
‘em treated.” Now, she comes over to me, and I am right
in the middle of prepping a full upper arch. I mean I am as busy as I can be. And she says
“How much time do you have to talk to Phil?” And I said “Wow. How long is he gonna be
with you?” And she’s “Probably an hour.”
And I said “Okay, somewhere in that hour, I’ll be okay. I’ll find time. I’ll come
over, say hi to him. At the end of your appointment, I’ll walk him up to Debbie
our front desk.” He’s known Debbie for 15 years. Debbie
makes all his appointment arrangements. She’s done all his financial arrangements through
all the years on all the teeth we’ve treated. And so I’ll have Deb just go over with him
what we need for the veneer appointment. You know, make sure we’ve got the photos, the
models. Get things sent out for the diagnostic wax-up. It’ll be fine.
And so I found some time. At the end of the appointment I went over, told him how happy
I was he’s decided to treat his front teeth. I took Phil up to Debbie. Umm, Deb checks
that we have some current models. Checks that we have some reasonably current photographs
in order to get the lab communication for the diagnostic wax-up.
And she goes through with him, appointment sequence, basically the prep provisionalize
appointment, and then the seat appointment. And she goes through the fees with him. And
then she sets the appointment up. Everything’s great. So, you know, I wasn’t
part of it. But, I didn’t feel like I needed to be part of it. Because, he’s a long-term
patient. Happy, and I think Phil’s happy and the hygienist is happy. And everything’s
great. For a week. And then a week later he calls.
And I’m back at the chair. This is what the lingual of his teeth look like. They’re
not bad at all. Place some old amalgams with some composites and it’s just a pretty nice
clean veneer case. So he calls back in a week, and he wants to
talk to me personally.