May 24, 2025

A Patient Walks In Barefoot – or How To Provide More Treatment!

18 minutes

What do barefoot patients, expensive coffee, and a small shoe factory have in common? In this episode of The Dental Practice Fixers podcast, Dr. Rich shares a strange but true story from a Seattle café and ties it into a powerful lesson about opportunity, mindset, and making the most of what’s right in front of you.

You’ll also hear a business fable with a surprising dental twist — and learn why your credit card fees might not be as fixed as you think. And then – mystery shopper calls! Don’t miss this one!

Key Takeaways

Clinical Opportunities & Patient Communication

Periodontal Disease is Underdiagnosed: Most practices under-treat perio, often with rates as low as 3%, despite over 50% of adults having some form of the disease. This is a major missed opportunity for both care and revenue.

Use the “Talk Over” Technique During Exams: Narrate perio probing in plain language as you do it. This engages patients, builds understanding, and increases acceptance of needed treatment.

Educate with Simplicity: Use simple, relatable language when discussing diagnosis—e.g., “bleeding means infection,” “low numbers are good,” etc.—so patients clearly grasp the problem and ask what to do next.

Financial Strategy: Credit Card Surcharging

Surcharging Can Protect Revenue: Consider passing credit card processing fees to patients—a legal and increasingly common practice. This preserves 100% of your fee without increasing prices.

Be Transparent and Compliant: Use platforms like CardX (recommended in the podcast) to ensure compliance and ease of use when implementing surcharging.

Mindset Shift: The “Barefoot Island” Metaphor

Turn ‘No One Wears Shoes’ Into Opportunity: Don’t assume patients don’t want or can’t afford services like fluoride, clear aligners, or perio therapy. Instead, assume they haven’t been offered them clearly and confidently—yet.

Reframe Obstacles as Growth Areas: Challenge internal team beliefs like “our patients won’t go for that” and explore whether those beliefs are based on reality or reluctance to lead.

Here are some very important and easy ways to help enhance your practice and your life!

1 – Sign up for our e-newsletter. It’s filled with up-to-date practice building tips, event announcements, and more! madow.com/newsletter

When you sign up for the newsletter, you are automatically enrolled in our drawings for your own personal Dental Practice Fixers coffee mug!!

2 – Download our special free report, “The Dirty Dozen: HOW TO ANSWER THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTIONS THAT PATIENTS ASK!” madow.com/ask

3 – Schedule time on Dr. Rich’s personal calendar to discuss any practice issues or ways to improve! (This is for practice-owning dentists only!) madow.com/calendar

4 – Save money every single month on autopilot by paying a low, flat, monthly fee for credit card processing! Stop wasting money, and lower your overhead with one call! madow.com/save

5 – Get the absolute most for your dental scrap with Southern Dental Refining. Deal directly with the owner, cut out middlemen and salespeople, and get some real mailbox money! madow.com/gold

6 –Boost your practice with SimplyClear aligners from OrthoBrain. Skip the middlemen and work directly with US-based orthodontists for top-notch care. Make your patients smile and watch your practice thrive! madow.com/ortho

7 – Attract the perfect new patients with Simple Impact Media’s expert SEO, tailored just for your dental practice. Skip the generic and get a free consultation and audit with founder Evan Lazarus. Elevate your online presence and watch your ideal patients come in! madow.com/simpleimpactmedia

8 – Meet up with us in our private FACEBOOK group to continue the discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dentalplace123

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By Dr. Richard Madow

4.9

5555 ratings