All of us want our patients to move forward with treatment to maintain and improve their dental health. It can often seem like a mystical process, with some patients saying yes and others saying no, and we are unable to predict which choice they will make.

We all learned a simple process of exam, diagnostic plan, present in school, and then we expect the patient to move forward with care. This simple approach works for some patients, and with some treatment plans, but not as often as we would like. We will analyze how we talk to patients, observing how our language and beliefs affect how they proceed. Our job is to help the patient understand the risks and the present condition of their health, and then to offer them possibilities to improve and maintain it. Their responsibility is to choose the path that is the best fit for them, but we can be a strong advocate in the process.

Learning objectives

• Helping Patients learn about and own the present condition of their dental Health
• Utilizing the concepts of risks and benefits to help patients choose between treatment alternatives
• Initiating the process of case acceptance starting at the first conversation we have with our patients