When patients say no to aligners, it’s rarely about money. It’s about trust. Early on, I quoted fees and hoped they’d say yes. But once I started asking better questions and explaining why it mattered, things changed. That's when most of my consults ended with a yes. Try these two shifts to improve your acceptance rate: Ask better questions. Instead of “do you want to straighten your teeth?” ask: “Has anyone ever mentioned your teeth are in an unhealthy position?” Frame the benefits around...

Most docs try to get aligners going on their own. Then feel frustrated when the team doesn’t support it. I was there too. I tried to do everything myself — scanning, educating, managing trays. My assistant was confused, my front desk forgot follow-ups, and cases stalled. When I finally trained my team the right way, everything changed. Here’s how to get your team on board fast: Start with a 15-min huddle: Explain why aligners matter (not just for you — but for patients) Front desk = follow-up...

Every dentist has one fear when starting aligners: “What if this goes wrong?” I remember my first case with rotations and black triangles. It didn’t go as planned. The patient expected perfection. I expected simplicity. We both left disappointed. Then I changed one thing: the way I set expectations. Now I use one simple script at every consult to align goals and avoid future surprises. Here’s the script: “We’re going to make a big difference in your smile — and sometimes, the plan needs to be...