1. The Disruption (Challenge the Model)
Patients believe that their "Annual Maximum" is a medical recommendation.
"My insurance won't pay for it, so I guess I don't need it yet."
This is dangerous. The insurance company is an algorithm designed to save money, not teeth.
When you let the insurance dictate the timeline, you aren't practicing medicine. You are practicing Accounting.
2. The Anchor (The Familiar Experience)
Imagine you have a $50 Gift Card to a nice Steakhouse.
You go to dinner. The bill is $150.
Do you stop eating after the appetizer because the gift card ran out?
No. You use the gift card for the discount, and you pay the rest because you want the steak.
3. The Reorganization (The "Oh" Moment)
Dental Insurance is just a Gift Card.
It is a pre-paid benefit of roughly $1,500. That's it.
When a patient says, "I'm maxed out," they are confusing the Gift Card with the Meal.
4. The Why (The Mechanism)
This is "Anchoring Bias."
The patient anchors their expectations to $1,500. Anything above feels "excessive."
You must re-anchor them to the Health Risk, not the Dollar Limit.
5. The Solution (Compression)
The Coupon Re-Frame:
Stop calling it "Coverage." Start calling it "Aid."
The Script:
"Mrs. Jones, your insurance is a wonderful coupon that gives you about $1,500 off your care this year. For the rest, you are responsible for the balance, just like with car or home insurance. The benefit helps, but it doesn't dictate your health."