Should I compliment a patient during a dental consultation?
Yes, and not as flattery. Tell the patient they made a smart decision coming in to see you, and mean it. They did do something smart. The research on this is not soft opinion. Studies going back forty years and right up to the last decade show that a genuine compliment boosts compliance, meaning people are more likely to take the next step you suggest. The trick is it has to be true. “You made a smart decision to see us today” is honest, because they did. Pause after you say it so it lands and they register that they acted in their own interest. Skip this and you leave an easy, science backed lever on the table. So put it on your checklist and treat it like any other clinical step, not a throwaway nicety.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.