Why are diagnostics described as only 20 percent of the dental case acceptance equation?
Because diagnostics are clinically necessary but operationally insufficient on their own, and the other 80 percent of the conversion work happens in the marketing, selling, and follow-through that surrounds the diagnostic visit. The diagnostic appointment produces the clinical findings the doctor needs to build treatment options. Without those findings, no case presentation is possible. With them, the case presentation has the data foundation it requires. That makes diagnostics necessary. The 80 percent that diagnostics do not cover is the work of getting qualified patients to the diagnostic visit in the first place, surfacing their motivators, presenting treatment options in a way they can absorb, addressing fee discussions ethically, securing the commitment, and protecting the case through the multi-month treatment phase. Practices that overweight diagnostics in their attention allocation invest deeply in advanced diagnostic technology and clinical workups while neglecting the marketing and selling layers that determine whether diagnostic patients ever convert. The result is excellent clinical workups on patients who decline treatment, which is operational failure dressed up as clinical excellence. Balance the 20 against the 80.
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.
