"Wow, that's a lot of money!" - How to respond to the money objection

Handling the “too expensive” objection is like trying to convince someone that pineapple belongs on pizza—it’s a tough sell, but totally doable. When your patients throw this one at you, it’s less about the actual cost and more about their inner debate: “Do I really want to spend my vacation fund on this?” Think of it as them handing you a challenge card in the game of patient care. Instead of jumping into scare tactics or a boring lecture, keep it light, relatable, and encouraging. They don’t need a drill sergeant—they need a friendly nudge that says, “Hey, you’re worth this investment.”

Here's a cheatsheet to help you get started...

1. First and foremost, believe in the value of what you offer. Do YOU have the same kind of updated dentistry in your mouth that you are offering your patients? Are you an active patient in the dental practice in which you work? It's difficult to have value and enthusiasm for something you haven't experienced yourself. Whatever you do, don't make assumptions about what people want or how they think.  It's easy to assume that just because you may not be in a financial situation to prepay for dentistry, or pay for a $17,000 case, that your patients feel the same way.  Imposing your value system on to your patients can be detrimental to the practice, and it's not fair to your patient.
2. Just because a patient says your dentistry is expensive doesn't mean they don't want it.  In fact, money objections are often a positive sign that the patient wants to move forward - they just need to figure out how to pay for what they want. People buy emotionally, then justify their decision with logic. This is a completely normal part of the buying process.  The fact that you're getting a logical objection indicates that the patient has ownership for the solution. This gives you the ability to help them connect the dots from their current challenges/long term desires to the your solutions.  Often it's just a statement that requires no response at all. Agree with them! And whatever you do, avoid trying to justify your fees.
3. Don’t compromise on the value you’re delivering to gain the business. Dealing with perceived rejection is tough. It can certainly make you question the value of the dentistry you provide, and can cause you to consider lowering your fees as an incentive for the patient to schedule. I'm not talking about  the prepayment courtesy, or running a seasonal 'patient appreciation' promotion where they receive a discount.  This is more about being reactive when a patient says your dentistry is too expensive, then offering a lesser fee.   As a consumer, how do you feel when you are considering a purchase and the price is lowered as an incentive to move forward?  In some instances the consumer may not question the negotiation, but many times it 'cheapens' what you provide.  The patient may be left wondering why you didn't just have the lower fee to begin with - they might even continue to try and negotiate even lower fees.  You are also setting a precedence for future treatment, and quite possibly be putting yourself in a financial bind breeding resentment when having to complete a case that's not profitable for the business.
4. Stay firm on your fees, but remind your patients that they are in charge  they can go at whatever pace they'd like.  If they ask for less-expensive options, certainly share what's viable.  'Yes, we can do something less expensive - it won't necessarily meet your expectations, but it is an option'.

Anticipating the money objection...

“What budget did you have in mind to invest in your dentistry?”

"You've asked me to help you come up with a solution that's going to be a good value -  the plan you and I have put together represents most of the dentistry you'll have to think about for a really long time.  It's going to last quite a while, and will result in strong, healthy teeth. "

Responding to the money objection...

"Yes, it's certainly an investment. How can we make it easy for you to have what you want?"

 "You get to go at your pace.  We'll be here when you're ready.  In the meantime,  we invite you back for your regular cleanings and anything else that's important to you"

" I know this is important to you, but it sounds like the timing is a challenge.  When would you like for us to talk about this again?' 

Remember, when you realize it’s not just about the price tag but about how your patients decide to spend their hard-earned cash, you’ll see money objections are  actually golden opportunities in disguise. Your patient is basically saying, “I’m not quite ready yet—convince me I’m worth it!” Respond as their friendly guide, not a pushy salesperson. Skip the scare tactics or TED Talk-level education. Instead, channel your inner cheerleader, and you’ll end up helping way more people than if you tried to strong-arm them into treatment!