Let's Be Honest: Many Patients Feel Like They're Being Sold Dentistry

When people hear that the doctors at Honest Practices are salaried, they usually have the same reaction: "Wait... isn't that how all dentists are paid?"

Actually, not always. While most patients never think about how dental professionals are compensated, it may help explain why so many people leave dental appointments feeling confused, pressured, or skeptical.

Why Do So Many People Feel Like They're Being Sold Dentistry?

Let's be honest. Many people have had a dental appointment where they felt like they were being sold something.

Maybe you went in for a routine cleaning and left with a treatment plan you weren't expecting. Maybe you were presented with multiple treatment options and felt unsure which ones were truly necessary. Maybe you left wondering whether the recommendations were based on your health or on something else.

If you've ever felt that way, you're not alone.

While every practice is different, many dental offices use compensation models that are tied, at least in part, to production. In some cases, dentists, hygienists, treatment coordinators, or office teams may receive incentives based on the amount of treatment performed or revenue generated.

To be clear, this doesn't mean the treatment being recommended isn't necessary. The vast majority of dental professionals genuinely want what's best for their patients. But, it can create a dynamic where patients feel like they're having a sales conversation instead of a healthcare conversation.

We wanted to build something different.

Why We Chose a Salary Model

One of the first decisions we made when creating Honest Practices was that our doctors would be salaried. Not because we think every other compensation model is wrong. We wanted to remove as many potential conflicts as possible from the patient experience.

When our doctors walk into an exam room, they're not thinking about production goals, quotas, or commissions.

They're thinking about one thing:

What's best for this patient?

That means they have the freedom to recommend treatment when it's needed. They also have the freedom to recommend doing nothing when treatment isn't necessary. Sometimes the best recommendation is treatment today. Sometimes the best recommendation is monitoring an area for six months. Sometimes there are multiple reasonable options. And sometimes the most honest answer is, "Let's keep an eye on it."

Patients deserve to hear all of those possibilities.

What This Means for Patients

Being salaried allows our doctors to focus on education rather than persuasion.

Our goal is for every patient to leave understanding:

• What we found

• Why we're recommending it

• What could happen if it's left untreated

• What alternatives exist

• What the costs will be

• Whether treatment is urgent or can wait

Patients should never feel rushed into making a decision.

They should feel informed enough to make the decision that's right for them.

Honest Dentistry Doesn't Mean Doing Less Dentistry

It's important to understand that honesty doesn't mean avoiding treatment recommendations. Sometimes treatment is absolutely necessary.

A cavity won't heal itself.

An infection won't disappear because we hope it does.

Gum disease can worsen over time if left untreated.

Our responsibility is to identify problems early, explain them clearly, and help patients understand their options. The difference is that our recommendations are based on clinical findings, not production targets.

The Kind of Dental Office We'd Want for Our Own Families

When we built Honest Practices, we asked ourselves a simple question: What kind of dental office would we want our own family members to visit?

The answer wasn't the cheapest office. It wasn't the office with the most technology. It wasn't the office that could perform the most procedures.

It was the office where we trusted that the recommendations were being made for the right reasons.

That's why our doctors are salaried. That's why we encourage questions. That's why we welcome second opinions. And that's why we believe patients deserve healthcare conversations, not sales conversations.

Because the best treatment plan isn't always the biggest treatment plan. It's the right treatment plan.

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