When patients with complex or larger cases are not ready to make an immediate decision, often we just send them home with a written treatment plan. We unreasonably expect them to remember everything we said and, should they want to discuss it a family member, be able to present our recommendations clearly and accurately.
Instead, we have found that sending a post-appointment video is a powerful way to not only reinforce the benefits of the dentistry recommended, but also enable the patient to clearly communicate them to a spouse or other financial decision maker. It helps them re-visit the information, provides clarity, reiterates the benefits of care and gives them a way to share the information with others. Think of it as treatment presentation 2.0. It’s easy to do when you make it part of your daily routine and take just a few minutes at the end of the day to create short, custom videos to send to any patients who left uncommitted to needed or wanted care. Again, we have found the most effective videos:
- Start off by thanking the patient for coming in for the consultation and trusting you for their dental care
- Detail and reinforce the recommendations and benefits
- Remind them that payment solutions are available and share what their estimated monthly payment may be. Many patients may have been uncomfortable asking for financial options while in the practice, so make it a point to let them proactively know they may be able to pay over time. Plus, many people have the CareCredit credit card and it may help them move forward knowing they already have a way to pay.
- Let them know you’re ready when they are ready
Video communication helps us enhance the patient experience.
Author Dr Brian Harris collaborates with CareCredit to develop educational materials for the dental industry. Dr Harris has 400K+ followers on his Instagram account, drbrianharris.
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