How To Make Your Patient Say "Yes": The BAGEL Method

Often, when patients say "no" after the dentists present them with the treatment plan, it may be related to their own financial issues. Still, in some cases, they do not accept the dentist's offer because of a lack of trust or comfort in the dental cabinet or just due to poor clinician's presentation.

Sometimes, this rejection may harm the patients because they ignore dental problems that can worsen in the future, leading to more severe conditions.

That's why experienced specialists often invent their own approaches to communication with patients that contain strict verbal algorithms and some psychological tricks. In one of our previous articles, we already have described Professor Paul Tipton's insights regarding this topic. Today, we will review the advice of another qualified clinician – Dr. Kyle L Summerford – a dentist with 22 years of practice experience and founder of the Dental Office Managers Community – that he shared with DentistryIQ media.

Dr. Summerford presented his methodology with the acronym BAGEL; let's look at what it stands for.

B - Build trust first

You need to use any possible method of treatment explanation that you have. The best way is to use a visual presentation with some models, images, crown samples, etc. The point is to teach your patient how and why you should fix a particular problem in the mouth in some specific way.

By the way, in Remedico, we made a digital solution specifically for that need – Dentaverse, an app powered by artificial/virtual reality. It can schematically demonstrate the whole procedure or operation process in a user-friendly and interactive environment.

A – Address the problem clearly

You should avoid any specific dental terminology during the dental presentation and explain the presented issues clearly. Try to use "domestic language" and describe the treatment details like you would do it for a teenager.

G – Give visuals and options

Insurance companies provide a pretty unclear description of their responsibilities and services for their clients – usually, it's a 300-page document with dozens of thousands of hard-to-read words. Therefore, it's essential for patients' consent to explain which procedure is covered by their insurance, how much they will need to pay for the procedure, and how much coverage they will have after it.

E - Explain cost transparently

Do not shock your patient with a raw sum of his treatment price. Instead, explain to him a specific stage's or procedure's cost, make a breakdown of all treatment plans, and provide patients with a written copy to be sure that they will not forget it after they leave your clinic. First of all, this approach helps the patient understand which services they should pay for, increasing the chances of consent. Second, if a patient is currently experiencing financial turbulence, there is a higher probability that they will return to you after they reconsider your offer and collect enough funds.

L – Lock in commitment before they leave

That is a psychological trick – instead of asking for money, try to schedule the appointment first, ask your patient about which time is the most suitable for them, etc. Usually, during this stage, the patient may ask you the most concerning questions that you should solve to guarantee patient consent.

The BAGEL method is one of the many tools that may help manage patients' stress and make treatment more accessible and understandable for them. You may find other important insights regarding cooperation with patients on our Newsfeed:

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