So, you just told the patient why they need a crown and they completely agree that the treatment makes sense. Now comes the hard part, quoting the fee.

You think to yourself, are they expecting it to be this high? The last patient was so shocked by the price and didn’t re-book. What if they don’t go ahead with the treatment? And my crowns aren’t as good as those other dentists I see on Facebook; who am I to charge this much? Perhaps I should give them a discount. They are a student after all. I’ll just get the front desk to email them the quote later.

Sound familiar?

Most of us feel a little uncomfortable discussing fees with our patients. It’s no longer just a conversation about what’s clinically the best treatment option for them; this is what we are trained to do. It’s far more personal and the struggle we have around the subject says more about us, our mindset and biases around money than anything else.

Dr Sam Koh shares his top tips around shifting our mindset so that we can discuss treatment fees with less fear and greater confidence.