Poor communication can quietly undermine trust, case acceptance, and long-term relationships with patients — even when the clinical work is excellent. In this episode, Kirk Behrendt sits down with Dr. Christian Coachman, dentist, dental technician, and founder of Digital Smile Design, to identify the most common communication mistakes dentists make with patients and teams. You’ll learn why context matters, how confidence and humility work together, why “selling” erodes trust, and how practicing communication changes outcomes. If you want patients to understand you, trust you, and move forward with care, listen to Episode 1002 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

1. Communication skills have a greater impact on patient trust and case acceptance than clinical outcomes alone.
2. Failing to give proper context is one of the most common communication mistakes dentists make with patients and teams.
3. Asking better, more complete questions leads to better answers and more efficient collaboration.
4. Confidence without humility sounds arrogant, while humility without confidence sounds weak; effective communication requires both.
5. Dentists rarely practice communication skills, which leads to repeated mistakes over long careers.
6. Explaining dentistry by “thinking out loud” or using jargon confuses patients and erodes trust.
7. Showing patients visual information builds trust more effectively than selling or persuading verbally.

Snippets:

1. 07:35 Why communication determines how far you go in dentistry.
2. 08:18 The problem with not giving patients enough context.
3. 13:27 Why poorly formed questions waste time and limit answers.
4. 20:44 Confidence versus humility in patient communication.
5. 26:46 Why dentists need to practice communication like a clinical skill.
6. 33:49 How selling dentistry destroys trust while showing builds it.
7. 38:09 Why love and trust come from communication, not clinical work alone.

Dr. Christian Coachman Bio:

Dr. Christian Coachman is a dentist and dental technician known internationally for his work in dental communication, treatment planning, and interdisciplinary collaboration. He is the founder of Digital Smile Design and has spent decades working inside dental practices, observing patient interactions, and teaching clinicians how to communicate more effectively with patients and teams. He lectures globally and consults with dentists seeking to improve trust, case acceptance, and long-term patient relationships.

1. Digital Smile Design: https://digitalsmiledesign.com
2. Dr. Christian Coachman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriscoachman
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More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

1. The Best Practices Show: https://www.actdental.com/podcast/
2. Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
3. Upcoming Events & Workshops: https://www.actdental.com/events/
4. Smile Source: https://www.smilesource.com/
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