The Mystery Patient's Guide to Gaining & Retaining Patients by Hardcover

Although this book was written awhile ago, the patient perspectives it highlights are of even greater value in today's market place! Suzanne does a magnificent job detailing what exactly must take place in order to create an extremely loyal patient base that will go and tell their friends, keep coming back -- and accept treatment recommendations! Ignore these common sense, relationship based truths and a practice will never reach its potential -- and in today's economy, it may even fail. Dentists, who most frequently are magnificent clinicians and technicians, may squirm at her findings because they require a tremendous amount of emotional intelligence and communication skill building, but they are right on.

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The Patient Is Not Always Right, September 11, 2005
By Dr Chan (Singapore)

This book, written by a non-dental professional, attempts to present some ideas on how to gain and retain patients by getting opinions from a group of mystery patients over a wide socioeconomic background.

However, most of the useful tips mentioned in the book are either common knowledge or obviously obtained from interviews with experienced private practitioners. The rest of the information comes from patient feedback. This is where the young practitioner ought to be very cautious.

I would not advise any budding practitioner to take the rest of the "straight from the patient's mouth" information too seriously. One should realise that the patient's perspective is often self-centered. Those who seldom visit the dentist would have their own perspectives prejudices. One patient may complain that the lighting in your office is too dim. Another one may complain that it's too bright. Who do you listen to? The majority? No.

Ms Boswell mentions about pushy dentists that some patients dislike. Was the dentist really pushy about the crown like the patient claimed? There are people who don't believe that their endodontically hollowed tooth needs to be crowned and no amount of persuasion from any dentist will work. Should dentists be casual about such indications just because some patients may find them pushy? There are also patients who find dentists pushy for insisting on root canal before a non-vital tooth is crowned. Should the dentist relent and crown those non-vital teeth without root canal if the majority of his patients don't understand?

All the anecdotes of "mistakes" made by dentists, take only the patient's point of view into consideration. This is unfair unless the patient has first been evaluated and found to be reasonable and knowledgeable. The bulk of complaints that the average dental practice gets could well come from patients who are difficult, those do not want or feel like they need treatment in the first place or those who think they can instruct the dentist to do what they want.

If a dentist offends a patient who is keen on treatment, then he is making a big mistake. However, successful practice is all about knowing when to do and when not to do. It's also about knowing who to treat and who not to treat. Some patients are absolute contraindications by virtue of their attitudes. These are people who will have nothing positive to say about you. You will not mind missing a mouth full of implants by keeping them out of your office.

So do I listen to my patients? Yes, I do, but I only listen to a few of my regular A1 patients who want me to be successful in the long term. Yes, like in any other business, it's easier to make money by maintaining and getting recommendations from your current pool of patients who already like you than seeking out prospectives from the unknown. Contrary to Ms Boswell's claims, your tryly good patients will be very interested in the workings and continued success of your practice. I would not change my practices or policies for anyone else. A very successful dental practitioner once said that 80% of your income comes from 20% of your patients. Many beginners make the mistake of trying to grab every single patient that comes through the door. Ms Boswell should realise that the top practitioners in her country often try to cut down on that 80% and increase that 20%.

Budding practitioners would be better off reading something written by an experienced, handson practitioner. Dynamic Dentistry and Wet-Fingered Dentistry are two excellent books that come to mind. Don't ever take any anonymous "mystery patient's" opinions too seriously. Keep upgrading your skills, listen to the leaders in the industry and listen only to your most loyal patients.

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Suzanne Knows Her Stuff, February 08, 2003
By David Hall (Infinity Dental Web, Mesa, Arizona)

There are a lot of books on dental practice management. Many of them are based on ideas that feel good or that worked in one dentist's office. "Mystery Patients" is different. What makes it such a valuable practice management resource is that Suzanne Boswell has taken the trouble to actually research what works and what doesn't. She does this in two different ways.
The first way relates to her use of the title, "Mystery Patient." When she is hired as a consultant, she first makes an appointment with the practice under a pseudonym. She then visits the practice before the doctor or staff have met her so she can see it through the eyes of the patient. You may wonder why the cover shows her wearing a mask. This is so that, if you hire her as a consultant, you won't be able to recognize her when she shows up in your chair--hence, she is the "mystery patient." From these visits, she has an objective view of how real dental practices really treat their patients.

Additionally, she conducts numerous surveys and focus groups to discuss with real people what dental office policies and behaviors turn them off and turn them on. The information she presents in her book is therefore of great worth, being based on actual findings. I have tried her ideas in my practice, and, without fail, they all work. Because of careful, objective research, she understands patients and the dental business. She gets five stars from me for that.

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Best information source on dental practice promotion, March 10, 1999
By A customer

I have attended numerous dental practice promotion seminars over the past 25 years Nothing has grabbed my attention like this book. After 28 years in dental practice you make a lot of mistakes and rediscover a lot of truths that others have no doubt learnt the hard way.

Boy do I wish I had had this book in hand when I first started out. So much of what I see are the truths I rediscovered and so many of them are thing I was just beginning to discover after such a long time This book will short-circuit a very long learning process. Ever page contains a gem every chapter is a storehouse of invaluable money making tips and hints

Dr Jeremy H ROURKE

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