Why include a fourth “do nothing” option alongside the three treatment options in a dental Case Report?
Because patients deserve to understand what will happen if they decline treatment, and the do-nothing scenario is often the most motivating element of the whole document. The three treatment options describe what the practice can do for the patient. The do-nothing option describes what the situation will become if the patient picks none of the three. Bone loss continues. Teeth fail in sequence. Functional and aesthetic outcomes degrade. Other systemic risks compound. Spelling out the do-nothing trajectory is not a scare tactic. It is honest disclosure of the clinical reality the patient faces. Behavioral science is consistent on this: people work harder to avoid loss than to capture gain. The do-nothing option activates loss aversion directly. Patients who were leaning toward deferring treatment see the cost of deferral spelled out and reconsider. Including the option is also part of the dentist’s professional duty as a medical practitioner. The patient is informed about the full landscape of choices including the consequences of inaction.
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.
