Dr. David Eshom's Blueprint for Patient-Initiated Dentistry

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n Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with cosmetic dentist and AACD residency preceptor Dr. David Eshom for a powerful conversation that reframes how dentists think about photography, diagnosis, communication, and case acceptance. Drawing from more than 20 years of comprehensive cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Eshom reveals why extraoral photography—not intraoral cameras, not radiographs—is the single most effective tool for building trust and helping patients clearly see the value of comprehensive care.

Together, they break down a step-by-step new patient workflow that seamlessly blends diagnostics with psychology, showing how simple point-and-shoot photography placed at the beginning of the exam can elevate patient engagement, differentiate your practice, and eliminate the pressure-based communication styles that leave patients feeling skeptical or overwhelmed. Dr. Eshom explains how co-diagnosis—rooted in permission-based dialogue and visual storytelling—helps patients recognize their own conditions, understand consequences, and ask for solutions rather than being sold to.

This episode dives into:

• The most overlooked use of photography in dentistry: real-time conversation with the patient

• How to structure a new patient visit that fosters trust, clarity, and long-term case acceptance

• Why facially generated treatment planning is so effective—especially for patients who "never knew" what their smile looked like

• Communication strategies that shift patients from an "insurance model" to a value-driven mindset

• How simplifying photography (yes, even with an iPhone or point-and-shoot) makes comprehensive exams dramatically more effective

• What to say—and not say—when presenting conditions to avoid making patients feel judged or pressured

• How this method empowered Dr. Eshom to build a fully fee-for-service practice and drop every insurance plan

This conversation is practical, strategic, and deeply grounded in human psychology. If you want a proven communication system that elevates your new patient experience, improves case acceptance, and builds lifelong patient trust—all without feeling salesy—this episode will reshape how you practice.