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Patients’ stories In all likelihood, your patients will tell you their ‘story.’ Body language, eye contact and active listening will demonstrate to the patients you understand and care about what they are is saying. Your reply is equally important. Depending on a patient’s response, you might say, “If I hear you correctly, you’re tired of being embarrassed about your smile, is that right?” Concluding this question with, “is that right?” makes it a close-ended question (or closed probe). A closed probe can only be answered by yes or no. When you have the patient conclude the exchange with an unambiguous reply, he has have given you an opportunity to satisfy his need (with a treatment plan) or continue probing for more opportunities. For example, you might ask, “Is there anything else we might be able to help you with?” If the answer is yes, simply ask, “What is that?” After your exam, the next step in getting to case acceptance is to show your patient how your proposed treatment will help him achieve his goals. Continuing with the above example, let’s assume your probing determined that your patient has been interviewing, and his self-consciousness about the appearance of his teeth makes him feel anxious and lack confidence during the interview. You might then say, “I can appreciate exactly what you’re saying. While people should judge us on our abilities, it’s often our appearance that tips the balance. Well, I’ve got good news. We can provide you with a choice of solutions to get you to where you’ll look forward to sharing your smile with everyone—friend, stranger, and prospective employer alike—and we’ll be able to do it in time for your next interview.” If your patient responds with something like, “That would be great, doctor!” you’ve just confirmed a need, which is the impetus that drives someone to accept treatment. The next step is to summarize your treatment recommendations, being sure to relate each procedure to how it will address the stated need of your patient. Upon successful completion of this step, the patient is ready to be handed off to your scheduling coordinator to handle the “paperwork.”
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