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We don’t just magically see all the dentals in August. For some practices, after dental month is finished, the rate of dental procedures decreases dramatically.
I had a friend tell me the other day, she had never had her dog’s teeth done as she had never been told she needed to do it. I strongly advised her that they had to be done ASAP as both had Grade 4 Periodontal disease with extractions needed.
Now was this really the case that she had never been told by her veterinarian? I doubt it.
It’s just her veterinarian probably didn’t explicitly state like I had, that they both needed a dental procedure due to dental disease. I told her each dog had pus coming from their gums and they had rotten teeth and needed dentals immediately.
Unfortunately, clients hear what they want to hear unless you are very specific & directive in your communication.
The language you use is very important and the way it is delivered. Use the word ‘need’ or ‘must’. Convey certainty with your voice which will indicate you believe in the procedure and its importance for their pet.
If you are uncertain and wavering in your voice, it will unconsciously indicate to the client that you don’t believe in what you are discussing. Saying to a client that they need to ‘keep an eye on these teeth’ will lead clients to believe that nothing was wrong.
How do you communicate the importance of a dental procedure for pets with grade 1 periodontal disease compared to a grade 4? I think most vets have no hesitation advising a dental for a pet with rotten teeth but they struggle at the early stages. I know I did.
Do you feel it is too expensive and clients can’t afford it so you wait until they really need the dental?
(Trust me, I have worked with suboptimal equipment that makes you want to tear your hair out. I hear you!) However, I recognised how much was due to the equipment and how much was my technique.
Do you dislike dentals as you’ve had previous frustrating experiences?
You need to evaluate what is causing your hesitation and take steps to become comfortable with recommending dental procedures.
For every animal you identify an issue and don’t communicate the need, that pet will stay in pain with the condition becoming worse over another year until their next checkup.
There are clients out there who don’t appreciate the importance of clean teeth and a healthy mouth. It is our job to educate them.
Start educating your clients when their pets are puppies so they will know when a dental is needed.
It is helpful to have a chart with varying degrees of periodontal disease so the client can see what grade of tartar and gingivitis their pet has. At all times use layman’s terms. Clients do not understand periodontal disease and are more likely to say no if you confuse them.
This is where you will commonly hear clients say ‘he’s not in pain’ or ‘he’s still eating’. Clients don’t want to feel judged, or for us to think they are neglectful. It is important to explain to clients in a supportive manner that their pet will commonly keep eating until it is so severe that they can’t.
This is very important as you will be managing the expectations of the client with regard to the procedure. Tell them it involves an anaesthetic and why you have to do this. Explain dental radiographs, nerve blocks, antibiotics, tooth removal and anti-inflammatories if indicated.
This is very important!! You need to explain to clients if they choose to do nothing, it will get worse. This leads to increased discomfort for their pets, a larger procedure and an increased cost to them.
Remember to explain that the costs may increase depending on what else may be found. Find a language you are comfortable with. Tom Cat advises using the term ‘Healthcare plan’ instead of an estimate. Others use cost, price, and investment.
Usually, there is another person at home who has to be involved in the decision-making regarding the procedure. Use visual aids and more information to ensure they understand; unfortunately, clients only retain a small percentage of what we tell them. You don’t want the person at home to only hear ‘the vet’ wants to charge $800 for a sore tooth’ as they will most likely say no.
You are reiterating to the client why they made the correct choice in having the procedure done.
When we started doing this clients loved it! It helps clients to see the value of the procedure and the difference a dental has made. Remember most clients don’t even look at their pet’s teeth.
Some pets will require regular cleaning due to misalignment, disease, poor diet or owners not willing or able to keep the teeth clean. It can be frustrating for an owner to hear their pet needs another dental when they believed that because it had one last year that’s all it will need for the rest of its life.
I want you to listen to yourself and become aware of how you are discussing dental health and recommending preventative care and procedures to your clients.
Are you conveying certainty and belief in the benefits of clean teeth and a healthy mouth?
If not, determine what is causing your hesitation and work to overcome that. Follow the steps above and soon it will be second nature.
We are in the business of client education and clients only know as much as we teach them in these areas.
Remember that dentals are a procedure and a very important one at that. Do not discount them in your mind as they are only a ‘dental’. They are as important to a pet’s healthcare as vaccination and heartworm prevention.
I would be interested to hear of any other tips you may have to help educate clients on the importance of dental health. Tell me in the comments section below.
Dr Natasha Wilks BVSc DipCoaching CAPP is a Veterinarian & Coach who is passionate about helping veterinarians succeed in their career and flourish personally. Natasha graduated from the University of Queensland in 1999 and worked predominantly in small animal practice in Australia and the UK. She completed her Diploma of Coaching in 2007, is a Certified Social and Emotional Intelligence Coach, has a Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology and is a Certified Resilience Trainer. Natasha created High Performance Vets in 2011 to help veterinarians with their 3 biggest frustrations in practice: the challenges of the job, client interactions and improving their income.
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