CATEGORY 14 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST INNOVATIONS During my discussions with over 2,700 dental practices in Australia, I have heard these and similar misconceptions repeatedly. As an industry, we seem content to leave millions of dollars on the table and miss the opportunity to provide a treatment that people really want. The teeth whitening market was recently valued at US$6.1 billion in 2021, and it is estimated to register compound growth of 4.95% yearly over the next five years. As a dental practice, whitening should be the cornerstone of your treatment plans. Most adults, including your patients, want white teeth. However, the majority of them are not seeking the help of dental professionals, preferring cheaper alternatives such as over the counter, or online options. So, how do you help to reverse this trend and start more whitening treatments without sounding salesy? My Whitening Project Training Program details all the elements used by the most successful practices to assist in your conversations with patients. Primarily, the proven technique of focussing on How to sell more teeth whitening (without feeling like a used car salesperson!) By Stephen Douglas, Creator of: The Whitening Project Boutique Whitening Australia the problem (staining) rather than the treatment (teeth whitening), means a conversation is based on offering helpful solutions rather than pushing a sale. Discoloured teeth cause both external pain (physical appearance) and internal pain (embarrassment), which means a person might not smile in photos or videos and lack confidence. If you start talking about the treatment first, you will sound like you are selling. However, if you can discuss the issues caused by tooth stains with empathy, you reach out to the patient’s pain points. Put yourself in the patient’s shoes and ask if they avoid social situations, photographs or cover their mouth when they talk. One thing you can implement immediately is to introduce a VITA shade check as part of your consultation process. At the consultation, either take a picture of the patient’s smile and put this on a large screen TV, or simply give the patient a mirror and let them look at their smile. Ask them to point out any issues they have with their teeth, in terms of shape, shade and position. Often, when faced with such an image, patients will write their own shopping list of treatments they want. You should then show the patient their teeth against the Vita shade guide and point out where on the scale they currently rank. Explain to them that with age, their teeth will get darker and move down the Vita guide. Conversely, show them the other end of the Vita guide and let them know that for $x per month, or one-off payment of $y, they can whiten their teeth for a more youthful and aesthetic smile. This is an easy way to begin a conversation about possible whitening and introduce the cost. It works just as well to introduce other treatments such as orthodontics or implants. If the patient does not want to proceed with whitening at this time, then take a record of their shade, so that you can compare in the future if the teeth begin to darken. Better still, if you can take a picture, this can be saved on their file for future comparison. We know from a survey conducted by the ADA, that 5% of adults are considering whitening their teeth. If you do not engage and empathise with them about the problem of stained teeth, they will seek help elsewhere, as we discussed earlier. The process described above, should take around two minutes additional time per patient … is it worth it? Our aim is to get you to start one whitening treatment per day. Five treatments per week is equivalent to $100,000 top-line revenue, so for most practitioners, it is most definitely worth the time. If you find teeth whitening challenging and lack clarity in how to approach and provide the treatment, The Whitening Project Strategy and Training program will teach you step-by-step how to whiten teeth more effectively, with less sensitivity to create a modern and efficient $100,000++ whitening business. To learn more or to sign up, scan this QR Code. Stop trying to ‘sell’ whitening. Engage with the problem (tooth stain). Stephen Douglas ‘I don’t want to sound pushy.’ ‘I don’t want patients to think I am selling them a treatment.’ ‘Whitening is cosmetic and not mainstream dentistry.’
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