--- title: Breaking down the new patient exam description: What are the most important aspects of a new patient exam? The clinical exam, the presentation of treatment, or the chit-chat in the beginning. The answer is that all aspects add up and make the patients want the dental treatment that you offer. In the Primespeak course, we break down the three phrases in detail. image: https://3107308.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/3107308/npe.png --- ## [![Primepractice](https://3107308.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/3107308/Primepractice_June2018%20Theme/Images/logo.png) ![Primepractice](https://3107308.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/3107308/Primepractice_June2018%20Theme/Images/logo_small.png) Prime PracticeThe Dental Management Specialists](https://primepractice.com.au/) Give us a call: [+61 2 8935 0600](tel:+61%202%208935%200600) [Log in »](https://engine.primepractice.com.au/login) #### Newsletter registration ** *Our newsletter is full of the latest news in practice management* # Articles - [Dental Patient Communication (16)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/dental-patient-communication) - [Dental Practice Management (14)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/dental-practice-management) - [Practice Ownership (11)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/practice-ownership) - [Compliance: Infection Prevention & Sterilisation (10)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/compliance-infection-prevention-sterilisation) - [Leadership (9)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/leadership) - [Patient Experience (7)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/patient-experience) - [Team Management (7)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/team-management) - [Team Development & Growth (6)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/team-development-growth) - [Business Acumen (5)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/business-acumen) - [Associate Dentists Academy (2)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/tag/associate-dentists-academy) - [Dr Phillip Palmer (87)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/dr-phillip-palmer) - [Simon Palmer (43)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/simon-palmer) - [Client Interview (33)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/client-interview) - [Dr Michael Sernik (32)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/dr-michael-sernik) - [Brett Churnin (16)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/brett-churnin) - [Megan Sharpe (8)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/megan-sharpe) - [Daniel Midson-Short (6)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/daniel-midson-short) - [Anita Roubicek (5)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/anita-roubicek) - [Patric Moberger (5)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/patric-moberger) - [Bethan Flood (3)](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/author/bethan-flood) # Breaking down the new patient exam **Brett Churnin, October 2018 ** ![npe](https://3107308.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/3107308/hubfs/npe.png?width=600&name=npe.png) Most patients aren’t really concerned about their missing tooth. It’s long gone and there’s no pain. But as dentists, we know that it’s effects are causing more problems. So, we recommend a bridge or an implant. When we tell our patient "I recommend an implant" what is their typical response? "*How much is that going to cost me?*" "*Why do I need it?*" "*My other dentist didn't say that!*" This reply puts us, as dentists, on the back foot. We are forced into explaining our recommendation. We begin to educate not realising that is comes across as a justification. This is the exact reason that many dentists discover their names on dental review sites with the words "She tried to sell me expensive treatment." Is there a solution to this conundrum. Yes, there is. ##### **Breaking down the new patient exam** If we look at **the structure of a New Patient Exam**, it's broken into three phases. **Phase 1: ***The Pre-Clinical Discussion* - we talk with the patient before examining the mouth. **Phase 2**: *The Clinical Exam* **Phase 3**: *The Consultation* - the discussion we have before the patient leaves. **Dentists tend to hear most objections during the *****Consultation***** phase**, just after making a recommendation. When they hear those objections, it's natural to try and handle them by explaining the reasons for our treatment plan. **Here’s the the problem with this approach: it's entirely reactive**. We've actually inadvertently *caused* a problem and now we are *forced* to try and rectify the problem. Chances are, we made a recommendation before the patient absorbed the full nature of the problem. **This is the classic error of ‘solution before the problem’ instead of problem before solution**. An alternate approach which we teach in our Primespeak seminar  is to **sow seeds of information **during the *Pre-Clinical Discussion phase *and also during the *Clinical Exam* phase. The earlier the patient begins to understand their problem, the more they will own it. In the early phases of the exam, the focus should be on 'priming' the patient with information that relates to a problem, not a solution. Of course, this process has to be done carefully. If it's done crudely, it can come across as '*this dentist is just trying to scare me*', which is not the intention. However, done well, it will result in a patient developing a clear understanding of her clinical condition as the first step. It's all about sequencing information correctly. Once he or she is clear that a problem exists; specifically that the problem is not static and it leads to some undesirable outcomes such as… **When presented or communicated in such a manner that the patient comprehends the true problems, most patients will want to know what can be done to prevent an unpleasant outcome.** **[Find out more about the Primespeak approach to the new patient exam here.](http://www.primepractice.com.au/primespeak)**  ### More articles If you enjoyed this article, you might enjoy the following articles too: [How effective is your practice's Recall System? ](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/how-effective-is-your-practices-recall-system) Dr Phillip Palmer, August 2019 [Money Matters: Discussing price and payment options with patients ](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/money-matters-discussing-price-and-payment-options-with-patients) Kin S Yuen, July 2019 [Build patient trust with your Position Statement ](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/build-patient-trust-with-your-position-statement) Brett Churnin, November 2018 [What do your patients remember from their appointment? ](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog/what-do-your-patients-remember-from-their-appointment) Brett Churnin, November 2018 [All articles »](https://articles.primepractice.com.au/blog)