How do you handle unmotivated patients?
I saw a new patient in December. He’s 29. Bombed out molars, exposed crown preps, refused SRP. Caries everywhere. He needs a lot of work. He came in again this morning because he has “pain and tenderness everywhere.” I explained that aside from what we discussed at his comp exam, I’m not seeing anything new and the best course of action would be to get started with treatment between myself and the specialists I referred him to for RCTs/extractions. He just doesn’t seem to care or comprehend that treating these problems can solve his discomfort. I really just think he lacks motivation to get the work started.
Considering I can’t just pin him down to the chair and get to work…is there anything I can really do besides continuing to emphasize the importance of treating the issues?