The Power of Expectation

In one of the dental practices I was in recently, I was observing and overhearing the case presentations. In once instance, the financial coordinator explained, “Mrs. Jones, the fee for all of the treatment we have talked about is going to be $(fee). Would you like to do that or……..(pause).

OR what? It was almost as if the financial coordinator was expecting the patient to say “NO” or to object to the fee. Imagine her surprise when the patient said, “Let’s do it.” The financial coordinator said, “Oh! O.K.”

This was one of those rare occasions when what came back was more than what was expected. Clearly the financial coordinator was expecting rejection or at least an objection.

It is a funny thing about life, you usually get what you expect.

Come with me to another practice. This one is in Florida. A man came in whose wife had set the appointment. He had recently been to the dentist, but his wife wanted him to see her dentist. Early on it was clear that he had big problems. The initial probing readings showed 6 and 7 mm pockets and bleeding. Shortly there after, the hygienist excused herself to get something down the hall. I talked to her on her way. “He won’t accept treatment,” she said. Then followed a long list of reasons why not. “He’s in the military and he can get dental work for free at the base. He’s going to be shipped out soon so he won’t have time for complete perio therapy. He was sent here in the first place. He doesn’t even want to be here.” And the list went on. Upon hearing this long list of “expectations,” I suggested that this hygienist take a break and I invited another hygienist who had higher expectations to complete the appointment. Not surprisingly, the man accepted four quads of perio therapy and paid cash.

Now for every success story like that, I am sure there are many others that did not turn out so great. But, I do know one thing, if you don’t expect a “Yes” you won’t get one very often. But more often than not, you’ll get more of what you expect than what you don’t expect.

So start raising your expectations. You’ll be amazed how patients respond when you expect them to say “Yes.”