POPULARITY
It seemed like a typical situation for any treatment coordinator. The new patient pulled into a parking space, walked into the practice, and went back for his comprehensive exam.Except the situation wasn't typical. The patient arrived in a loud, rusty, beat-up truck. He stepped out to reveal a long, bushy beard… His stocky 6′ 5″ frame was wrapped in a pair of dingy, well-worn overalls.Sitting behind my desk, the wheels of bias were already churning in my head. How would this guy react to the diagnoses? How could he possibly afford treatment? The prejudgments obscured any realization that I was about to make the largest, most regrettable mistake of my dental career.In a practice geared toward KPIs and specific production goals, I kept a prideful eye on my case acceptance percentage. I could get a “yes” out of any treatment conversation. But this guy? No way. Big bearded burly man was about to blow a hole in my shining record of success. That was all I cared about in the moment. And it's why bias and prejudgment is such an important problem to address in dentistry.After his appointment, the doctor dropped a $10,000 treatment plan on my desk. $10,000!? For this guy?! I nearly scoffed as the doctor turned away.It's still hard to recount what happened next. The patient sat down before me and surely read the doubt in my eyes…He heard the bias in my short explanations. He sensed my impatience with his questions, and ultimately, I didn't even offer him an appointment.And then he gave me the response I clearly deserved:“Samantha, the doctor told me that this is what I'm supposed to do. So this is what I want to schedule for. And I want to pay you today, so that I don't have to see you when I come back”.I can't fully explain the regret I felt as he slapped a $10,000 check on my desk and walked away. I promised I would never treat someone that way again.And it reminds me as administrators, our job is simple;We present the information about the investment,We explain the treatment opportunities for the patient.We work with the patient to find an appointment.That's it! The key takeaway: We must find actionable ways to quiet the biases that. pop up in those moments. Whatever our role in the practice, we must be total advocates for those we serve. No matter what they drive, how they dress or look, they are our patients, who have chosen to trust us with their care. And we must to our best to honor that trust.For more ideas and perspective on dentistry, check out our website: www.compassdps.com
Prejudgments and stereotyping? let's talk about them.
Ontology, Methodology, Methods and Unit of Analysis are defined in relation to Phenomenological Psychology
Transcript -- Ontology, Methodology, Methods and Unit of Analysis are defined in relation to Phenomenological Psychology
Ontology, Methodology, Methods and Unit of Analysis are defined in relation to Phenomenological Psychology
Transcript -- Ontology, Methodology, Methods and Unit of Analysis are defined in relation to Phenomenological Psychology