Every January, people promise themselves they’ll take better care of their health. They’ll go to the gym. Stop smoking. Sleep earlier. Look after their oral health. And then, in December, we still see quite a few treatment plans quietly waiting on the dashboard, politely filed away in a drawer.
This isn’t procrastination. It’s what happens when a resolution collides with fear, uncertainty, money, time, identity, and a very human preference for not opening Pandora’s box.
Helping patients finally start treatment requires more than explaining clinical benefits. It requires behavioural power tools that work with human psychology, not against it. Portuguese psychologist Cassiana Tavares shared several key examples from her specialized coaching toolkit for dental professionals to help you sharpen your communication.
Power tool #1: One question that reframes the decision
Instead of asking patients when they want to start, ask:
“If this problem were already solved, what would that give you in your day-to-day life?”
This shifts the conversation away from cost and discomfort towards outcomes patients actually care about: confidence, ease, peace of mind, or simply “not thinking about it anymore”.
Power tool #2: Suggest pathways, not pressure
Treatment avoidance often hides behind overwhelm. Rather than a single “start now” moment, offer options:
“Some patients prefer to begin with one small step to see how it feels; others want a clear overall plan from day one. How would you like to approach this?”
Choice restores control. Control reduces fear. And when fear is reduced, it stops running the decision.
Power tool #3: Make starting easier than postponing
New Year’s resolutions fail because they demand big leaps. Instead, design a low-friction start:
• What is the smallest first step?
• When could it realistically happen?
• What might get in the way, and how do we adjust?
For example:
“Let’s begin with the diagnostic phase only, and then review together before deciding the next step.”
Starting is the real habit. The rest often follows naturally.
Power tool #4: Normalise hesitation (with a smile)
You can say it out loud:
“Most people delay treatment because it represents change, not because they don’t care.”
This removes shame and defensiveness. Patients feel understood, not cornered. Ironically, that’s often the moment they say:
“Actually… let’s do it.”
Starting treatment isn’t about discipline. It’s about designing decisions that feel safe, meaningful, and reversible. That’s how resolutions stop being annual traditions and start becoming action.
Cassiana Tavares is a psychologist, a PhD candidate in Occupational Health, and an expert in person-centered care, specializing in reducing patient anxiety and improving treatment adherence.