Patients are full of excuses. They delay. They hesitate. They resist. They’ve got a million reasons why they “can’t” right now—and let me tell you, none of that is new. It’s the same story we’ve heard for years.
But here’s the catch: the mentality behind those excuses has shifted.
Patients today are more locked into their fear-based control over cash than ever before. Some of them have seen their incomes take a hit, their credit cards are maxed out, and suddenly everything is an excuse to avoid investing in their health.
Now, let me tell you the most important thing you need to know: your purpose and your standards don’t change just because the economy does. We don’t lower the bar because people are feeling nervous about their wallets. No, that’s the worst thing you could do.
Rule #1: Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid
Right now, it’s easy to get sucked into the patient’s mindset. They’re fixated on dollars and cents, and if you’re not careful, you’ll start to do the same. Suddenly, you and your team are talking more about prices than you are about the value of health.
That’s a recipe for disaster.
You cannot let the patient’s financial fears dictate your treatment plans. If you let that mindset creep in, you’re not just hurting your practice—you’re hurting the patient. You’re sending the message that their health is negotiable, that it can wait. It can’t.
What you need to do is refocus. This is about proactive, preventative, possibility-based dentistry. You don’t wait for the economy to improve before telling patients they need care. And you certainly don’t let patients delay their health until they feel “ready.” They need it now, and it’s your job to remind them of that urgency.
It’s not about dollars—it’s about the urgency of what you’re recommending. Health today is always better than health tomorrow. We don’t wait for recessions to end before patients take care of their teeth, and you never, ever put off a good thing if you don’t have to.
Think of it this way: If a patient came in with a cracked tooth, would you tell them to wait until next year because the economy might be better? Of course not. You would tell them it needs to be fixed now before it turns into something worse. The same applies to every aspect of their health. You need to build that sense of urgency into every conversation, every treatment plan.
Rule #2: Money is Flexible—Health is Not
Here’s what most doctors forget: the most flexible thing in this entire situation is money. Not time. Not health. Not the quality of care. It’s money.
Let me say that again: money is flexible. You can move it, stretch it, adjust it. But health? Once that’s lost, it’s lost. Time? That’s slipping away every second.
If you approach every conversation like it’s a tug of war over money, you’ll always feel like you’re fighting the patient. Instead, you need to facilitate the decision. You keep the patient in motion, keep them moving down the path to better health, even if it’s slower than you’d like.
We’re still swinging for the fences with every treatment plan, but sometimes we’ll take singles, doubles, and triples to get there. You don’t change your clinical standard because someone’s finances are tight, but you adjust and keep them on the path. That’s how you win the long game.
This isn’t about going easy or cutting corners. You’re always aiming for the best possible care. But sometimes that means breaking down the journey into more manageable steps. The key is forward momentum. Even if they can’t get everything done today, you’re keeping them engaged in the process.
Rule #3: Never, Ever Diagnose the Pocketbook
This is a non-negotiable. If you want to be known as the doctor who’s all about the money, then by all means, start diagnosing based on what you think the patient can afford. But if you care about the integrity of your practice—if you’re in this because you believe in providing the best possible care—then never diagnose the pocketbook.
Here’s the reality: when you prejudge a patient’s ability to pay, you’re the one who loses. You compromise your own values, and worse, you shortchange the patient. You stop serving their health needs because you’re too worried about their financial situation. And let me tell you, that’s not what great doctors do.
You may think you’re being considerate by tailoring a treatment plan to what you think the patient can afford, but in reality, you’re robbing them of the chance to make the right decision for their health. You’re assuming their pocketbook is more important than their well-being, and that’s where you go wrong.
Great doctors stay committed to the highest standards of care. You hold the line. The only place you flex is when it comes to finances—and even then, you’re not reducing your standard. You’re simply helping the patient get there in a way that makes sense for them.
Rule #4: Flexibility is the Key to Surviving Any Economic Storm
I’ve been guiding doctors through every economic challenge you can imagine—9/11, the 2008 housing collapse, Obamacare, you name it. And I’m here to tell you: this isn’t new. The excuses change, but the fundamental challenges remain the same.
You don’t need to lower your standards. You don’t stop swinging for the fences. But you adjust your approach. You help the patient move forward, even if it’s in smaller steps. You customize care. You get creative.
Because here’s the truth: there’s always a way forward. Maybe it takes a little longer. Maybe it requires more conversations. But there’s always a way to help your patients reach their health goals—even in the toughest times.
Here’s what most doctors don’t understand: the flexible, strategic approach is always the key. It’s how you move patients from where they are to where they need to be. It’s how you get them to invest in their health, even when everything else feels uncertain.
The adjustable, flexible, strategic approach to customized care is always the key. That’s how you help people achieve their goals—whether it’s a home run or a series of smaller wins, you keep moving forward. And that’s how you win the long game.
