Having a pre-clinical conversation with every new patient has become a routine part of our new patient experience.  This has become an invaluable time that we use to begin the process of developing a relationship with the patient.  I choose to do this in a non-clinical setting.  We use a consultation room where we sit in a private setting and can discuss everything from their chief concern(s), past dental history, medical history, circumstances, objectives and more. My hope is that we learn how best we can partner with each individual patient to work with them to achieve their goals and improve their dental condition. Occasionally we discover that we are not the right dental team for a particular patient or that the patient is not looking for what we offer.  This doesn't happen very often, but it can save a ton of time and help manage expectations.