A recent news story in the US concerning over-treatment in dental care coined the term “creative diagnosis”.The story attributed this phenomenon to the emergence of corporate dental chains and the availability of dental insurance. It recommended the patient take a consumer approach of asking the dentist and hygienist “why”, “how”, and “show me”.
So is the patient becoming a consumer?
From many accounts, yes, particularly as dental insurance coverage shrinks, and the cost of other medical services grows.
How can the dental team satisfy this new consumer? Involve the patient in his/her diagnosis from the beginning. And then respond to the patient’s primary motivations for attending the practice in the first place — to stay healthy.
Our willingness to pay studies of Prevora show clearly that when the patient participates in the formulation of a treatment plan and then is given the offer of more preventive care when it is justified, the suspicion of “creative diagnosis” disappears.
