Do you have a stubborn friend/family member that refuses to see the dentist?
Of course you do! We all do.
Working within a dental practice we hear patients on a regular basis express their concerns for a relative or a friend that simply just refuses to see the dentist. Whether it is because of fear, finances or principals it can be extremely frustrating.
What did it take to get him to the dentist?
One of our staff members has a father who suffers from two things:
1. Dental phobia due to poor experiences as a child.
2. Fear of cost and affordability.
For years, our staff member has tried to get him in. His last dental appointment was in the late 1970’s. Her father is in his mid 70’s. Finally, one day he called her and reported, “I have a toothache that I cannot shake.” This was music to her ears. She scheduled him immediately. His toothache was periodontal disease related. Dr. Johns was able to educate him, explain the procedures and our financial coordinator was able to show the patient how this could be done economically for a retired patient who does not have dental insurance. (Our practice offers a voucher program which assisted the patient greatly).
The patient was able to undergo treatment. It was affordable. He was comfortable. The health of his mouth continues to improve with each appointment. But overall, this has had a tremendous effect on his overall health. The patient, a longtime Type 2 Diabetic who admittedly struggles with his blood sugar, suddenly reported that his blood sugar had stabilized. He had also recently been diagnosed with Congested Heart Failure. His diagnosis can be treated, but his report to the Cardiologist that he has recently been seeing a dentist and having his periodontal disease maintained, triggered the Cardiologist to congratulate and encouraged him to keep on the right track.
So do you have to wait for pain to arise to get your stubborn patient seen? Maybe! But even scheduling a time for the patient to stop by the practice for a tour, meet some team members and go over financials and expectations can go a long way. The staff at Johns Family Dentistry excels at making that connection with a stubborn patient and converting them to a life long patient.
By the way, the dad….couldn’t be more pleased. And cannot figure out why it took so long to come back. Dentists no longer resemble Steve Martins character from “Little Shop of Horrors.”
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