Future Planning & Value

Many of our delegates want to talk about money. They, like you and me, often want more. 

In fact, on reflection, I have never heard of a dentist complaining because they earn too much. I’m sure I never will.

They start one of our diploma courses and, midway through, things are looking brighter. Their schedules go up. Their principals are more smiley and the delegates weekends get increasingly exotic. Instagram goes crazy!

This is great. Many of them go on to be staggered at how much more they now earn. As soon as they realise it’s their emotional intelligence, their communication, that really turns this tap on, and if it’s in line with an authentic heartfelt belief about the treatment plan and their ability to carry it out, something just clicks for them. Like I said, it’s just great.

The question I want to pose is: What have they done differently?

Now their margins are almost a perfectly smooth 0.3-1.2mm all around, now the crown fits first time every time, now there is no post-op sensitivity, new referrals are coming in, now stress is less…Ok, great, but are any of these individual items the answer to riches and glory? 

No.

What has happened is the same as happens in all successful business ventures since the dawn of time. They have created value. 

Value, value, value.

Guess what? Patients are people, and people will pay for something they value. They do not pay for things they don’t value. Rocket science, I know!

Think about something you purchased recently. You parted with money because you either wanted or needed it (it was probably ‘want’, BTW). At the time of purchase you valued the shiny thing and paid for it. Now, you might have arrived home and regretted it – such is the way with most material purchases bought on impulse – but it was the item’s value to you that made you exchange it for your money. If that decision was a mistake then it’s more likely what you actually valued was the dopamine hit you get when you shop, not the item itself!! 

So, when the value-related dental question comes up, the conversation is usually something like this:

Dentist: ‘I’m doing ok, but I’m working really hard and want to earn more. Should I work longer or try and speed up? What should I do?

Me: Do you have any idea what you wish to earn and any idea what type of lifestyle and balance you want? What do you actually want to happen next?

Dentist: Erm no, maybe let’s say over a 100K…?…?

Me: Is there any aspect of what you do that has a total value worth 100K? If not, how can you create it, how can you become it? To earn 100K you need to create a version of you which is that much in value. Create the value, then guess what, you can earn much, much more if you want it.

Dentist: Ok, so what should I do?

Me: We should talk about what your patients/people themselves value….

What people value obviously has individual nuance, influenced by experience, strongly influenced by the emotions of their self-identity and also by their peer group’s opinions; but, equally, there are universal threads of commonality which haven’t ever changed. Ever.

If I ask the entire UK population for a few words associated with visiting the dentist, what do you think they would say?

“pain, needles, drills, expense, dread….”

I’m sure you can come up with more, but these words aren’t far wrong. Firstly, recognise that this is your competition. The bar is set very low!!! The anonymous average dentist is made up of and considered a purveyor of the above. So, to create the very slightest value all you have to do is beat that. 

Example: 

Providing painless dentistry isn’t always possible but making every effort for it to be so is. 

That takes time, effort, planning, kindness, empathy, emotional intelligence and a number of other things (things that we are very good at developing in you). Showing and explaining your intent for a painless experience is nearly as good as achieving it. Your stated and manifest intention is to keep the appointment comfortable at all times. Wow. The persuasive concept of reciprocation coupled with the gratitude this intent induces are very powerful tools.

Providing painless dentistry is, by far, the biggest and most influential aspect of whether patients think you are a good dentist or not. This is bittersweet for many, including me, as I have spent 20 years practising precision, exactitude and striving for clinical perfection – those skills can win a silver medal at best!

But now here’s the big secret: ‘Good’ dentists are valuable to their patients. They value them. They follow them if they move. Value!

We buy what we value.

If you are keen to begin the journey to increase your income, decrease your stress, become the person you want to be…whatever…if you want any of these things, you need to increase your value.

What have you done in the last, say, six months to increase your value? It may be difficult for you if you already have an enormously high opinion of yourself. If you already think you are mummy’s special little baby and, whilst others do not, her opinion is all that matters, then you’re gonna hit a wall, hit it hard, and plateau.

Value creation is based on the universal themes above, as a foundation to build on. The rest are individual and personal to you. Helping people create this in themselves is one of the aspects of Aspire we enjoy the most. The upgrade it offers is so satisfying to see. You become ever increasingly valuable to other people, so they deeply trust you, they are loyal and generous to you. 

Individual value creation is brilliant and, best of all, permanent. You can stay the improved version of you forever. See you soon on our Advanced Operative Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry course to get started!