The Word “Yes”: Case Acceptance, Patient Psychology and Trust with Steven J Anderson

Why do so many great treatment plans stall out at “I’ll think about it”? In this episode of Patient Win Insider, host Nick Moen talks with Steven J Anderson, founder of Total Patient Service (TOPS), about nearly four decades of helping practices move from a “find and fix” model to one built on trust, relationships and what patients actually want.

Steven explains why dentistry accidentally adopted the scientific method as a business model, why leading with diagnosis and logic backfires when humans actually decide emotionally first, and how to redesign the entire patient journey around one word: yes. From the first phone call to the morning meeting to case presentation and financial conversations, he walks through practical systems and language that shift the focus from procedures and prices to people and their priorities.

In this episode, you will learn:
How Total Patient Service grew out of applying general business principles to one dentist’s practice and dramatically increasing comprehensive case acceptance
Why “diagnose → treatment plan → present → do” works in science but fails as a business and communication model with patients
How to reframe new patient calls away from “How much is a cleaning?” toward “What’s most important to you about your first visit?”
The core idea that patients do not want procedures, they want what those procedures do for them (peace of mind, confidence, avoiding future problems)
Why dentistry has the highest “relationship factor” in healthcare and how to harness that with deliberate R & R (repeat and referral) systems
How to replace a low-energy “morning huddle” with a focused morning opportunity meeting that looks for ways to be of greater service that day
What to measure on the phones (calls-to-appointments ratio) and why top practices can exceed 100% by turning one call into multiple scheduled visits
How to avoid “pushing treatment” and burnout by creating an environment where it is easier and more natural for patients to say yes to comprehensive care

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