How many dental treatment options should be presented to a patient?
Three. Maybe two for the most complex cases where the patient is overwhelmed. The behavioral research is overwhelming. A famous study at a jam-tasting booth found that offering 28 flavors with a discount coupon produced 3 percent buying. Offering 6 flavors produced 30 percent. Same coupon, same jam, ten times the conversion. The lesson translates directly to dental case presentation. Patients given more than three options struggle to compare, default to the most familiar choice (usually the cheapest), or freeze and choose none. Three options anchored on the comprehensive plan, stepping down to lesser but still legitimate plans, produces the highest acceptance. Adding a fourth or fifth option to ‘give the patient more flexibility’ is a kindness that backfires.
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.
