Stop Asking for Referrals—What to Ask For Instead

Meeting with the Primary Care Dentist

Lunch with a general or pediatric dentist doesn't have to be awkward and uncomfortable. You can use a simple formula to make this face-to-face encounter a pleasant and productive method of practice building.

Here's a a format that establishes a reason for the meeting, the content of the discussion, and an element of appreciation:

I. The Reason

There are any numbers of reasons to invite a dentist to lunch, or to meet with him or her. These may range from dental association business to common interests between the two of you. The important thing to remember is to recognize and seize opportunities when they present themselves. More commonly though, no apparent reason exists for taking the dentist to lunch, except to "ask for referrals." And that can be very uncomfortable.

Instead, meet with the dentist to ask for advice. Most people find it flattering to be asked for their opinion. More importantly, the giver of advice has a subtle vested interest in seeing that the advice he/she gives is indeed accurate and useful. Therefore, when you call to arrange a meeting, you should say something like this: "I was calling to see if I could take you to lunch (or meet with you) at your convenience. I need some advice from you."

Give your practice an edge in treatment acceptance with the Preliminary Orthodontic Evaluation.

II. The Content

Now that you have the appointment, what are you supposed to say? First you do a little explaining. You mention that he/she seems to have a nice practice and that he/she appears to be knowledgeable when it comes to practice building. Then you ask these questions:

1) "If you were an orthodontist in my situation, what sort of things would you be doing to establish and maintain a referral relationship with dentists such as him or her?" Listen very attentively.

2) Then you ask, "What sort of things do you look for in a specialist when you are deciding to whom you refer?" This can be valuable information. You are asking to see the scorecard that a "major customer" is using as the selection criteria.

If the dentist has referred patients to you, then you might ask some of the following questions:

3) "What kind of feedback are you getting from our mutual patients?"

4) "Are our practice communications too much? Too little? Just about right? How can we make them better?"

5) "If one of your patients needs to see another specialist, do you have preferences, or should we contact you before referring out?"

6) "Are your patients getting back to your office satisfactorily? If not, is there anything specific that you would like us to do in that regard?" Be sure to mention those things that you are already doing to get the patients back.

7) "How do we stack up in relation to other specialists you work with? How easy are we to work with? What should we improve?"

8) "Is there anything that we can do to take better care of you or your patients?"

9) "If you come across any good practice-building ideas in the future, would you mind sharing them? I'll do the same for you." May I meet with you from time to time to make sure I’m on track?

III. The Appreciation

This is maybe the most important part. You know as well as any professional how valuable a dentist's time is. Be sure to express appreciation for his/her time, advice, and any support which has been given to your practice in the past. Also, try to point out one thing that you admire about his/her practice, patient care, or the dentist himself. Make it a sincere compliment.

Improve patient compliance with on-the-mirror guides.

Tips for a Better Lunch Appointment

Maintain an attitude of humility. This draws the best response.
Don't hesitate to take notes. It shows that you are sincere.
If the dentist offers advice that seems to be critical, try not to get too defensive. Show concern. It may or may not be accurate, but this is his/her perception, and is therefore very important. Show that you are going to get busy on a remedy. If an explanation is in order, you can always get back to the dentist later after you have had time to think things through clearly.
Even if you have a well-established practice, you should explain that you must renew your entire patient base every 24 months or so.
Try to listen about 80% of the time and talk approximately 20% of the time. This is managed by asking good open-ended questions.
Don't overlook the obvious opportunity when orthodontic therapy is part of a restorative treatment plan. Go to lunch and ask where he/she wants you to put the teeth.
Make sure you pay for the lunch. But, don't get into an argument over it. If the dentist insists on paying, you can always send a gift later.
Send a thank-you note within a few days of your meeting. It shows that you appreciate the time and advice and value the relationship.

All of these suggestions are designed to enhance your referral base by increasing the two major growth activities--visibility and relationship building. So now that you know how to use the Reason-Content-Appreciation formula, get on the phone and set up that first lunch appointment.