Is Dental Ethical Fee Presentation High to Low?

Is presenting dental fees in the wrong order an ethical issue?

A case can be made that it is. The research is clear: presenting low to high produces worse outcomes for patients because they choose options below their clinical needs. Presenting high to low produces better outcomes because patients anchor on comprehensive care and step down only where genuinely necessary. A dentist who knows this research and continues to present low to high is, in effect, leveraging behavioral science against their own patients. The patients walk out with worse dentistry than they could have had. The dentist saves the discomfort of presenting big numbers. Both lose. Presenting high to low feels uncomfortable initially. It produces better patient outcomes. The ethical case for it is straightforward once the behavioral data is on the table.

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.