Give the people what they want!

Let's say that you have 95,000 miles on your car and the engine has some serious problems. You take it in to the mechanic, and after a thorough diagnosis, he gives you a choice.

Richard H. Madow, DDS, and David M. Madow, DDS.

"If you're planning on keeping this baby for another 100,000 miles, I would recommend totally rebuilding the engine. It will cost around four grand and be worth every penny. But if you only want to keep it around for another year or so, we can get by with replacing the hemulator for 500 bucks. Both repairs will be fine depending on how long you want to keep the car."

Makes sense, right?

But what if you went to the emergency room with chest pains, and the cardiologist said to you:

"Well, if you're planning on keeping this body for a long time, we should do a double bypass. But if you only want to be around a few more years, we can just patch it up. That should at least hold up for a little bit."

Would that be acceptable?

The fact is, most of us want to keep our bodies as long as possible. That includes our hearts, lungs, kidneys, hands, feet, pancreas, and spleen (whatever that thing does). This list includes our teeth and gums too.

So why do we so often offer our patients compromised treatment or a choice of "decent, better, and best"? Freedom of choice is good, but sometimes it can lead to confusion and compromise. And who wants to compromise their health?

It's amazing how many patients want the best treatment, especially once they realize the implications of doing anything else. But as is human nature, when given a choice we often go for something other than the best.

Offer the best! Get excited about it! After all, most of your patients are planning on being around for a long time.

In 1989, Richard H. Madow, DDS, and David M. Madow, DDS, founded The Madow Brothers with the goal of helping their fellow dentists achieve success and happiness in their practices. For more information about their e-letters, audio series, New Patient Mail marketing program, Dental Powerhouse group, their live presentations (including "How To Love Dentistry, Have Fun, and Prosper," "The Ultimate Dental Boot Camp," and especially "TBSE"), and more, check them out at www.madow.com.

The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.