How to Bring Patients 'Up-to-Date' on Their Dental Care

I'm sure you have at least a few patients like this. When they open wide, you see what I call a “museum of dentistry.”

From a dentist's perspective the restorations appear obviously outdated, like cassettes and VHS tapes in an age of instant downloads. Fortunately over the last several years, things have come a long way in dentistry with new materials, techniques and technologies.

So how do you tell them that the dentistry in their mouth is below today's standards if you are responsible for creating that museum in the first place? How do you explain that the treatment you recommended to them a few years ago is not considered a best practice solution anymore without losing credibility? It's a two-step conversation:

1. Acknowledge the value of what was Don't just say that the work needs replacing; this can make it sound like the dentistry you do isn't built to last. Instead, start by saying the choices you (and they) made were the right ones – at the time. “When I look in your mouth I see dentistry that has served you well over the years. In most cases it was the best solution we had at the time.” If you do this in the right way and engage their interest, they can't help but be curious, and that opens the door for the next part of the conversation.

2. Create value for what can be Now move them forward by creating a new vision: “I think it's time to look at new solutions that will bring your dental work up to what I consider today's best standards. Would you like me to show you what I mean?” They may not say yes right then, but at the very least you will create a healthy disturbance in their minds. Your patients will begin to think about their possibilities every time they look in a mirror, which can pay off down the road one day.

If you handle this conversation the right way you'll validate the care you've provided in the past. Also, you'll make it clear that you are a clinician who is always at the forefront of new advances in dentistry. Most importantly, you'll create an opportunity to help patients achieve an ideal baseline of oral health, from which you can continue to provide the best ongoing care.