james, Author at The McAnally Selling System

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So far james has created 3065 blog entries.

The Three Things That Make Up Dental Health

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

How do I explain dental health to a patient without confusing them? Break it into three things and never more. I tell every patient their total dental health comes down to three parts. The teeth themselves, the foundation around them which is the gum and bone holding them in place, and the joints, muscles, and ligaments that let everything work together for chewing and supporting the head and jaw. Put those together and that covers both how your teeth look and how you feel. That is the whole map. Once a patient holds those three buckets in their head, every finding [...]

The Three Things That Make Up Dental Healthjames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Showing Dental X-rays Without Confusing Patients

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Should I show patients their 3D scans and detailed X-rays during the presentation? No, and showing them is one of the easier ways to lose a case. Anything three dimensional or genuinely complicated to read does not belong in front of a patient. They cannot interpret it, so it just becomes a source of anxiety and confusion. What works is simple illustration. A clear picture of damaged bone next to undamaged bone. A photo with an arrow pointing to exactly where the problem sits. A high vaulted palate that makes a denture hopeless. And never present an image silently. Show it, [...]

Showing Dental X-rays Without Confusing Patientsjames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Why Build a Problem Solution PowerPoint Template

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Why should I prepare a problem solution PowerPoint template for my implant cases? Build one problem and solution PowerPoint template and reuse it for every case in your niche. You need somewhere to project the patient's own images, and a slide deck is the simplest way to do it. The point isn't a flashy presentation. It's that the patient sees their problem on a big screen, then sees your solution next to it, in a fixed structure you don't have to reinvent at the chair. When you wing it case by case, you talk too much and leave gaps. A template [...]

Why Build a Problem Solution PowerPoint Templatejames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Why Too Many Treatment Options Stall Case Acceptance

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

How many treatment options should I present to avoid overwhelming a patient? Three, usually, and sometimes two. Choice overload is real. The number of options matters more as the decision gets more complex. With something simple like candy bars at the register, six choices is fine. But complex, expensive, emotional decisions are the opposite. Too many options and the patient freezes. Narrowing it down is exactly what they are expecting you to do for them, because you are the expert. So three options is typical for me, and on the truly complex cases I will go down to just two. That [...]

Why Too Many Treatment Options Stall Case Acceptancejames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Add Happiness Factors to Your Treatment Presentation

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Should I include happiness in my treatment presentation or just clinical facts? Include happiness, every time. When you hand a patient nothing but a pro and con list, features and benefits, clean clinical reasoning, you have left a real decision-making tool off the table. People do not buy on the spec sheet alone. They slide back toward whatever promises them happiness. So I make sure the presentation covers what the treatment prevents, the further dental problems, the lost benefits, and also how much happiness it is going to bring. Being able to chew steak again. Smiling in photos without covering their [...]

Add Happiness Factors to Your Treatment Presentationjames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

How a Patient Sense of Control Drives Case Acceptance

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Why does a patient's sense of control matter in case acceptance? Because perception of control drives the decision. The research is clear. When people feel they are in control, they are far more likely to make a choice, and more likely to make a positive one. The moment anything casts doubt on success, their perceived control drops and so does their ability to decide. So I only put predictable treatment options in front of a patient, and I say so out loud during the discussion. I will tell them plainly that I would only do this for a friend or family [...]

How a Patient Sense of Control Drives Case Acceptancejames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Why a Written Case Report Wins More Treatment

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Why should I provide a written case report at the end of the presentation? Because no patient remembers everything that happened in that room, and the ones who try to recall it for their spouse get it wrong. So you tell them plainly: a lot went on today, there's no way you'll hold all of it, so here's a case report, and your financial coordinator will walk you through it. The report carries your recommendations, the options, the photos, and the fees out of the room intact, in your words rather than the patient's fuzzy memory. It's also the natural handoff [...]

Why a Written Case Report Wins More Treatmentjames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Avoid Same Day Decision Pressure on Big Cases

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Should I pressure patients to decide on a big dental case the same day? No, and the doctors who do are usually the ones running the sleazy tactics that give our profession a bad name. I operate on a no-pressure, low-pressure footing, and I always keep a next step. Instead of demanding a decision today, I schedule a questions-and-answers visit in about two weeks, because if you're like most patients, more questions are coming. That serves everyone. The patient never feels cornered, and you stay sane because you're not white-knuckling people into yes faster than is good for them. Using human [...]

Avoid Same Day Decision Pressure on Big Casesjames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

The Takeaway Technique in Dentistry: Ethical or Not?

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

What is the takeaway technique in case presentation and is it ethical? The takeaway is simple. Before you talk cost, you make clear there are things you need to agree on together first, and you signal that you might not be willing to do this for just anyone. As humans we want what we feel we may not get, and that's hard-wired. The instant a patient senses the offer isn't automatic, they want it more. Is that ethical? It is, as long as you're using it to help the patient help themselves toward a decision that's genuinely good for them, not [...]

The Takeaway Technique in Dentistry: Ethical or Not?james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Discussing Fees With Patients: Wait Until After

james2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Should I discuss fees while I am presenting treatment options? No. The first time through the options, there are no fees, full stop. The moment money enters the conversation, you add a whole new layer of complexity and emotion, and it hijacks the patient's attention away from understanding the actual treatment. So I walk through every option on its own merits first. What it does, what it looks like, the benefits, with photos in hand. Only after the patient understands and can picture each path do I bring fees into it. Think of it like test driving cars before you ever [...]

Discussing Fees With Patients: Wait Until Afterjames2026-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

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