Early on in dentistry, I learned that sometimes you just can’t have it all. There are forces beyond your control that prevent you from getting exactly what you want when you want it. Not accepting that leads to procrastination, and that is just a slow, disappointing downhill slide.
My most successful and satisfying cases are patients who have been willing and dedicated to move forward, even if it is extremely slowly. I am amazed when I see a patient that came into the office in dire straits and very discouraged about their oral health, and now three or four years later they have decay and periodontal disease under control. They know what they have to do to maintain their health and are usually anxious to improve what they have—one small step at a time.
It’s hard to do.
You are faced with so many choices and you have to be willing to candidly face your limitations, whether time or money or fear. I have seen patients for a second opinion who were given no choice, basically told “here is what you have to do right now, here is how much that will cost, give us your credit card and we will start tomorrow.”
That is the way many dental consultants tell dentists they must operate.
I find that patients have one or two things that really bother them when they come in. Sometimes it’s not the most important problem from my viewpoint. I explain my findings to them; yet, tell them I would be glad to take care of what they want first if that is still what they want.
If they’re confident about all they want done, well, at least it is a step forward.
Don’t be afraid to find a dentist who will work with you. Get started.
