You can have the most advanced equipment, offer the best services, and have a full schedule, but if patients aren’t accepting your treatment plans, revenue will plateau or even decline. Improving case acceptance is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to increase revenue by 50%. After all, you’ve already invested time and resources to diagnose the patient and present care — converting those opportunities into accepted treatments is where growth happens.
Most practices have an average case acceptance rate between 40%–60%. Boosting that to 70%–85% can result in tens of thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) in additional revenue each year.
Understand Why Patients Say “No”
Before you improve your acceptance rate, understand the main reasons patients decline treatment:
- Lack of understanding — They don’t fully grasp the diagnosis or urgency.
- Perceived lack of value — They think the procedure is cosmetic or optional.
- Financial concerns — It’s too expensive, or they don’t know financing options exist.
- Fear or anxiety — Past negative experiences make them hesitant.
- Poor timing — They need more time to think or coordinate with family or work.
Knowing these objections lets you proactively address them with empathy and clarity.
Educate with Clarity and Visuals
Most patients are not dental experts — and a few X-rays and a quick explanation won’t convince them to spend thousands on treatment they don’t understand.
1. Use Visual Aids and Analogies
- Intraoral cameras: Let patients see the problem in their own mouths.
- Before-and-after photos: Help them visualize results.
- 3D imaging (CBCT): Enhances trust in your diagnostic skills.
- Models or animations: Explain complex procedures like implants or bridges.
Pro Tip: Avoid clinical jargon. Say, “This crack is like a pothole in your tooth” instead of “You have a fractured cusp on #14.”
2. Focus on Benefits, Not Features
Don’t just say what you’ll do — explain what it means to them.
- “We’re placing a crown” → “This crown will prevent that crack from turning into a painful fracture and avoid a root canal or extraction later.”
- “You need deep cleaning” → “This will stop bone loss and help save your teeth in the long run.”
Patients buy outcomes, not procedures.
Present Treatment Confidently
Confidence and communication style matter. If the dentist or team seems unsure, rushed, or overly apologetic about cost, patients sense hesitation and often decline care.
1. Use a Structured Presentation
Present treatment in three parts:
- Problem — “Here’s what we found.”
- Solution — “Here’s what we recommend.”
- Benefit — “Here’s what it will do for you.”
Then pause and ask: “Do you have any questions about that?”
2. Be Honest About Urgency
Avoid scare tactics, but don’t sugarcoat either.
- “This cavity isn’t painful yet, but if we wait, it may need a root canal later.”
- “There’s infection around the tooth. Waiting could mean bone loss or extraction.”
When patients understand the consequences of inaction, they are more likely to commit to treatment now.
Use a Treatment Coordinator
If you’re not using a dedicated treatment coordinator, you’re likely missing out on accepted cases.
Why it works:
- Some patients feel rushed or intimidated when talking directly with the dentist.
- A trained coordinator can take more time, answer questions, explain financing, and follow up.
- Coordinators create continuity, build trust, and remove friction from the decision-making process.
What they should handle:
- Present full treatment estimates in writing
- Explain insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs
- Offer financing options (CareCredit, in-house plans, etc.)
- Schedule next steps before the patient leaves
ROI Tip: Practices with treatment coordinators often see 10–20% higher case acceptance rates.
Offer Flexible Payment Options
Sticker shock is a major reason patients decline treatment — even when they want it.
Implement Multiple Financing Options:
- Third-party financing: CareCredit, LendingClub, Cherry, Sunbit
- In-house payment plans: Break large cases into installments (with safeguards like auto-pay)
- Membership plans: Include discounts for major treatments
Fact: Studies show practices offering financing see over 30% more accepted treatment, especially for cases over $1,500.
Bonus Tip: Display a small sign at the front desk:
“Ask us how to make your dental care affordable!”
It starts the conversation.
Follow Up Persistently (but Politely)
Many patients say “I’ll think about it” — and then you never hear from them again. The secret to increasing case acceptance lies in your follow-up system.
Follow-up best practices:
- Call or text 48–72 hours after initial presentation.
- Have your treatment coordinator reach out personally: “Hi Sarah, just checking in — Dr. Taylor wanted to make sure all your questions were answered about the treatment we discussed.”
- Use email reminders or re-present options at recall appointments.
- Create “unscheduled treatment” reports in your practice management software and revisit them weekly.
Patients appreciate the follow-up — especially when done professionally and empathetically.
Track Case Acceptance Metrics
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Regularly track your:
- Case acceptance rate by dollar value
- Case acceptance rate by procedure type
- Case acceptance by provider or treatment coordinator
- Pending treatment value per patient
Use tools like Dental Intel, Jarvis, or built-in reports in Dentrix/Eaglesoft to measure progress and identify coaching opportunities.
Set monthly goals (e.g., increase acceptance from 60% to 70%) and celebrate wins with the team.
Train Your Whole Team to Support Treatment Plans
Case acceptance is a team effort, not just the dentist’s job.
- Assistants can reinforce the importance of treatment during exams.
- Hygienists can educate patients about disease progression and urgency.
- The front desk can normalize financial discussions and handle objections.
Conduct regular role-playing exercises during team meetings to practice:
- Presenting benefits of treatment
- Handling “I need to think about it”
- Discussing financing with empathy
Example Script:
Front Desk: “We completely understand that cost matters. That’s why we offer multiple options to make treatment fit your budget. Would you like me to go over those with you?”
Summary: Turning Diagnoses into Revenue
Improving case acceptance rates is one of the most immediate, controllable, and impactful strategies for increasing revenue in your dental practice.
When patients understand their condition, see the value in the solution, and are given options to afford it, they say yes more often.
Even small improvements — say a 10% bump in acceptance on $500,000 worth of diagnosed but uncompleted treatment — equals $50,000 in added revenue. Now scale that across a full year and multiple providers, and you’re on your way to that 50% revenue growth target.