Why use both clinical and non-clinical discovery forms in dental pre-consultation preparation?
Because the two surface different information that the doctor needs to deliver a strong consultation. The clinical discovery form is the familiar medical and dental history: medications, conditions, prior treatments, allergies, chief complaint. It tells the doctor what is going on physically. The non-clinical discovery form is the often-missing piece. It asks about the patient’s motivators, perceptions, fears, expectations, and reasons for seeking treatment. Framing the non-clinical form as an application, with language indicating the practice may choose whether to accept the case, leverages a foundational principle of human psychology: scarcity and acceptance. People want what may not be available to them. A patient completing an application becomes more invested in the process, takes the consultation more seriously, and arrives more committed than a patient who filled out only a routine intake form. The doctor walks into the room with both clinical and non-clinical context and can shape the presentation specifically to the person in the chair.
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.
