Why do I ask cosmetic patients for an old graduation or wedding photo?
Because it tells me what they are really chasing, and it puts expectations on the table early. I ask for a photo from graduation, high school or college, or from a first marriage. There is a running joke, with truth in it, that people smile more in the first marriage photo than the later ones. What I am after is whether they want to return to a smile they used to have, or reach for one they never had. That distinction shapes the whole anterior esthetics conversation. With a digital smile preview I can show them several versions, what they used to have, or something better than they ever had, and we ground the discussion in what is realistic. It is also another natural moment to match a testimonial to their situation by outcome, sex, and marital status, because people believe in results from people like themselves.
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.