Make Sure You Stay Focused

I have often said that the average dentist can take one look at who is coming into the practice on any given day and predict what kind of day they are about to have. In that sense, experience can be both a blessing and a curse. We all understand the upside of experience but the downside can be quite real too. It occurs when your predictions—"this patient never says yes to anything"—become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Your expectations affect your mood and the story you tell yourself becomes your reality and that reality affects your reactions the next time. This becomes an endless loop of frustration.

This is why I suggest you give yourself the tools to keep focused on the right story. For instance, create a flashcard (whether mentally or physically) to consult before you see patients. This keeps you on task and reminds you of your objectives, regardless of what you know about the patient's history.

You and the team should ask yourselves:

• Have we presented the patient's possibilities completely?


• Are they appointed to begin any accepted treatment?


• Are they appointed for their next hygiene visit?


• Are they complete with respect for payment for today's services?

By consciously reminding yourself of these objectives, you short cut that self-defeating "they're going to say no" story and replace it with a more useful internal conversation. That doesn't mean that they are suddenly going to say yes every time. But it keeps them in a strong relationship with the practice where they can perhaps grow to accept a higher level of care. Just as importantly, it keeps your focus on the objectives of the moment, rather than the patterns of the past or your predictions of the future.

Don't let the stories you tell yourself set you back before you even begin. Use your innate storytelling gifts to your advantage. Create narratives that put you in a starring role in a productive patient visit then go out and play that role with grace, energy and confidence.