How do I coach my front desk to ask a patient about emotional pain instead of physical pain?
Train them to understand the question is not about a toothache. The most important question on a new patient call is not where it hurts. It is what happened. What was the last event, the trigger, the moment a person decided I am done, I cannot take this anymore and picked up the phone. People do not want to call the dentist. By the time they do, they are at the end of their rope. So I teach a team member to ask what got you to call us today, then stop talking and wait. The answer might be a grandson making fun of missing teeth at a family dinner. That is the real reason. Your team will resist this at first because it feels too personal. Keep reminding them what the question is for, because they slide back to clinical chatter fast.
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.