Why can a dental patient shift from yes to no in a single week and what does that mean for response speed? Because dental decision-making at the level of a complex case sits in a fragile state of readiness that life events can disrupt instantly. A patient who saw an ad, felt motivated, and was ready to call the practice on Monday can become unable to act by Friday because a large bill arrived, a family member discouraged the spending, an unrelated stress event consumed their attention, or any of a dozen other ordinary life occurrences shifted their priorities. The states [...]