One-on-One An Interview with Dr. Paul Homoly Simply Beautiful A ...

ing the dentist quoting the fee. What happens when the dentist is gone and the dental assistant, who’s
perceived as a peer, reacts to whatever the patient says about the fees?
PH: Ha, you bet. It’s like going into a restaurant, Mike. Let’s say you and I go to a restaurant, we
look at the menu, and we’re not sure what to order. When the waitress comes I ask her, “How is
your salmon today?” She kind of shakes her head, and says, “You know what…if you want fish,
I would go with the mahi-mahi. But the salmon, I don’t think it’s as fresh today as it usually is.”
You’re going to believe that because the waitress is in direct contact with the customers. But when
the chef comes out and you ask that same question, he might say, “Oh, it’s a miracle. It’s wonderful!”
Well, he doesn’t interact with the customers, the waitress does. And in many ways, the dental
assistant, the dental hygienist, and the dental receptionist offer that second party endorsement and
Comfort
Discomfort
Describe the type of
dental care you love providing:
authentication of what is really going on in the office. So you’re right on. It’s the culture that prevails
in your practice that’s largely going to determine how much stress is surrounding money.
MD: Not only that but the waitress told me the truth about the salmon, and then gave me her opinion,
so I trust that. Almost as if the dental assistant were to acknowledge, “That is a lot of money, however…”
that kind of thing. I also don’t see the waitress being emotionally connected to the end product, taking it
personally how it’s cooked or not cooked. It just happens that the mahi-mahi is better than the salmon,
whereas the chef (i.e., the dentist) is emotionally connected to it. That’s one of the reasons my dental assistant
tries in all restorations without me in the room. I don’t want to put any pressure on the patient to
look at the mirror and go, “Wow, these look fantastic” because I just said how fantastic they look. I want
them to have an authentic conversation with my dental assistant with me out of the room. Then, there’s
no pressure for them to say what they think I want them to say.
Technical - Cosmetic, Implant,
Orthodontics, TMJ, Periodontics
Total treatment fee
(including all specialist fees)
PH: Ah, very wise, very wise. So then, what’s the impact of having the culture of your dental practice
where the crossover number is lower than the treatment plans you’re presenting? Number one is
increased stress. Number two is erosion of confidence—as stress prevails, more and more patients
are going to refuse treatment because they sense the stress in the dentist and team members. When
dentists don’t give off an aura of confidence when talking about money, people become suspicious
and that’s when they leave. To have a lower crossover number than your treatment plan is an avenue
to lose patients. Once dentists realize this,
often unconsciously, they stop quoting fees
above this Crossover Zone. That is, the dentist
pulls back on treatment plans and starts offering
care based on what is comfortable, not
so much on what the patient needs or what
the patient can pay. That, over time, will lead
to cynicism. The dentist will begin to believe
that the population they serve is a bunch of
low-lifes with low dental IQ, and they don’t
value you or your dentistry. And, ultimately,
that will lead to surrender. Dentists will say:
“Dentistry isn’t what I thought it would be.
I’ve missed the boat. I’m too old to change. If
it weren’t for the damned insurance companies,
then this would be great. This economy
is ruining my practice...” Everything kind of
swirls down the drain and the sense of prosperity
is replaced with a sense of desperation.
And as an opinion leader and consultant in
dentistry, Mike, this is something that I see all
Crossover Zone
$100 Fee
$10,000
Interview with Dr. Paul Homoly23