Why do patients sometimes comment that a dentist is being well-compensated for their “thinking time”?
Because the fee for time spent diagnosing and planning treatment looks higher per hour than what most patients pay in their own working lives, even when the dentist’s fee fairly reflects the years of preparation, equipment costs, team overhead, and clinical risk involved. Patients see a one-hour visit and a substantial fee and do the simple per-hour math. They are not factoring in the doctor’s eight years of post-secondary education, multiple post-graduate continuums, decades of accumulated clinical judgment, the cost of running a fully staffed practice, the malpractice insurance, the equipment that made the diagnosis possible, or the post-visit hours the doctor will spend building the treatment plan. The doctor who internalizes this can hear the comment without flinching and respond confidently. The fee reflects the full professional capability, not just the visible hour. Practices that underprice diagnostic fees out of discomfort with the per-hour math train their patients to expect underpriced clinical work too. Hold the line on diagnostic value.
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.
