The FORD Concept

Dentists are out of touch with their patients. And you’re no exception! I bet you could look at a patient and remember their exact problem tooth. But if someone asked for their name, you’d be completely stumped. You get in, then you get out. The patient is a complete stranger.

Get to know your patients with the FORD concept. It stands for family, occupation, recreation, and dreams. When you meet a patient, ask questions that fall under these four categories. Here are some examples:

Family: “Do you have any kids?”
Occupation: “What do you do for work?”
Recreation: “Got any plans for this weekend?”
Dreams: “What’s something you’ve always wanted to do?”
Don’t stop there—write down their answers! After the appointment, sum up what they said in the notes section of their chart. This is an actionable step that gives you something to talk about at the next appointment. Patients love it when you remember stuff about them. It shows you’re listening!

You can start implementing the FORD concept right away. But before you do, check out this video to see how it’s done.

Until next time,

Kirk