#34: The Build-Up Weekly

*Welcome to the 34th edition of The Build-Up, where we deliver insights and inspiration for dentists on every stage of the private practice journey. If this email was forwarded to you, you can click here to subscribe.

Dear friends and colleagues,

January is in the books, and February is here with more rain.

I had an incredibly busy (and productive) January, and I imagine this month will also fly by. Besides my general desire to seize the day, one reason I’ve been working so much is that I am running up against an important deadline.

It’s a due date, to be precise. March 9. A little boy. Our first.

My wife Emily and I are excited and nervous and everything else that you would expect.

But, in the meantime, work continues. Here’s what I’ve lined up for this newsletter:

• Building Trust for Case Presentation, Part 2

• 2024 Dental Market Report [Video]

Let’s go!

Part 2: Sales, Trust, and Persuasion

Last week I talked about case presentation, earning trust with patients, and how you can be more persuasive without being this guy:

Specifically, I referenced a survey from 2007 that identified three essential aspects of earning trust. These are:

1. Integrity: Are you consistent?

2. Ability: Are you capable?

3. Benevolence: Do you have my best interest at heart?

Today I want to talk specifically about benevolence.

How do we convince our patients that we really do have their best interests at heart?

It’s an essential part of earning their trust - and we all know that we are more likely to be persuaded by people we trust.

Trust plays into that gut instinct, that hard-to-put-your-finger-on feeling of safety and being comfortable with the path ahead.

So today I want to share the first 2 of 4 practical tips for showing your patients benevolence and increasing trust - so that they are more likely to say yes to the treatment you recommend.

1. Be Present During Exams

Let’s be real - you’ve definitely rushed through exams before. In fact, this may be your modus operandi for most exams! I’m not here to judge.

There’s always a lot going on. I know it’s hard juggling two patients who both need exams … and your composite patient who won’t get numb … and that other annoying thing your front office keeps doing, etc.

But if we’re going to leave the sales gimmicks at the door, then what we need is real, human connection.

You know when someone is distracted and not paying attention to you. How does it feel?

Not great.

And it doesn’t make you inclined to spend serious money with this person.

So slow down. Be present. Wait 3 seconds and take one deep breath before going into the room with the patient.

I know this advice is super simple, but being present and connected with the patient is the foundation of communication and persuasion. It’s crucial.

2. Discover Your Patient’s Goals

Your patients all have goals for their oral health, but they’ve probably never thought about them.

It’s your job (and your team’s job) to help them identify what they want - what’s important to them about their teeth and gums.

• Most people want teeth that look good, feel good, and will last a long time.

• Most people want to avoid dental emergencies.

• Some patients even have cosmetic aspirations that they won’t share unless you ask (this happens more than you think!).

So how do we discover patient’s goals?

We ask!

When we train teams, we call this the ‘pre-clinical’ or ‘non-clinical’ interview. It’s a series of questions typically asked by an assistant or hygienist before the doctor's exam.

Here’s how it works:

If you can, get some images of the patient’s smile on the monitor.

Then, introduce the interview in a way that feels as natural as possible (“Dr Smith asked me to go through a few questions with you,” or “We’ve been talking with all our patients about their dental goals,” or whatever makes sense to that assistant/hygienist).

Here are the questions:

1. “Do you want to keep your teeth for a lifetime?” This one can almost be stated like, “And I assume that you’d like…”, but it’s also a critical goal that we want them to identify. And it’s great to get them started by thinking about the future.

2. “What would you change about your smile if I could easily change anything?” Some version of this is crucial. It needs to be open-ended (not a yes/no question). If they give you an answer, ask “Is there anything else?” until you get to no. Then ask, “What about your back teeth?” and repeat the process.

3. “Have you ever had a dental emergency?” We want them to identify that avoiding emergencies is a goal for them.

Write down the answers as you go along.

This is a listening exercise, and you CAN make it feel very natural with a little practice. It’s a matter of connecting with your patients and helping them articulate goals or desires that have always remained unsaid.

This is key to benevolence. If we are explicit about helping our patients accomplish their goals, we are demonstrating that we are listening to them and working on their behalf.

And there are a lot more nuances to this process that I’m not capturing here. I’ll continue to address those in the next few weeks.

However, understanding the 30,000 ft view of this process is critical to understanding how it fits into the process of building trust with your patients.

2024 Market Report Replay

If you missed our webinar, here’s your chance to watch it on your own time:

Making an Informed Decision About Your Future

Apples-to-apples comparisons are difficult to come by in the practice sales world. Everyone is selling something and is incentivized to portray their preferred option in the best light.

If you talk to someone promoting DSOs, then they will show you all of the upside and provide a one-sided comparison to doctor-to-doctor sales.

If you talk to someone only promoting traditional, doctor-to-doctor sales, then they may not be straightforward about the opportunities associated with forming a group.

When it comes to dental practice sales, I have the advantage of offering everything. If you own a practice and are considering a transition, we can help you with:

1. a doctor-to-doctor sale,

2. selling to a DSO,

3. or joining our ‘Alliance’ (a group of dentists forming their own DSO while maintaining ownership of their individual practices so they can profit from higher valuations as part of a larger group).

If you want to learn more, you can check out the video I linked to above.

The best way to compare is to have our team take your practice financial information and plug it into our detailed Excel model.

Then we can sit down with you and have an informed discussion about which option fits best with your timeline and best helps you meet your financial goals.

So if you’re considering a sale, connect with one of our practice advisors for a confidential discussion here.

And with that, I hope you enjoyed the 34th edition of The Build-Up Weekly!

With best wishes to you and your families,

Trevor Kimball, PhD

p.s. please use the link below to share our newsletter. 🙂 

These Six Mistakes Can Cost You Six Figures

Download our free guide “6 Mistakes to Avoid for a Successful Practice Sale” here. It’s material that I’ve covered in this newsletter before, but - if you’re contemplating a practice sale - the advice in this guide is crucial.

And if you’re ready to have a conversation with a practice sales professional, get connected with your local Integrity Practice Sales broker here.

It’s worth having a conversation, no matter your current transition plans.

You never know what you’ll discover together