You may fantasize about being a famous football player, musician, or scientist. You might dream you’re Troy Aikman throwing a perfect game-winning touchdown pass with only seconds remaining on the clock, or Celine Dion singing the title track from The Titanic, or Albert Einstein delivering a paper. Annually, during the 3^rd week of March, I turn into an Oscar Awards fanatic. Picking my ballot is a serious, thought-filled effort, and I watch the show with reverence, imaging myself giving an acceptance speech.

I observe film characters' behaviors as I watch movies because they provide us with great studies on human nature. In considering trust, there are five classic films that show us the must-have attributes for establishing trust with others. People do business with people they know, like, and trust. The bottom line in treatment acceptance and successful ongoing relationships with your patients is that "Trust Factor".

If you want to create The Trust Factor in your practice here are the movies you want to learn from.

Matt Damon, a janitor at MIT, hangs around the old neighborhood, but downloads contents of whole libraries into his photographic memory. Good Will Hunting is the story of how this working-class kid's life edges from self-destruction to personal and professional success, due to his gift of genius.

Lesson No. 1: Show your knowledge.

The good news here is that you already are knowledgeable. You bring your unique experiences, your years of education and work, and your many hours of continuing education to the table. BUT, I ask you, are you conveying this knowledge to your patients? Do they grasp how much you know in the short time they are in your offices? Are you telling them, face to face, or in your newsletter, or in your brochure, about 1) your CE accomplishments, 2) your accreditations, 3) your team growth workshops, etc.? Are you describing 1) your uniqueness (why the patient should buy from you, and not the dental shop up the street), 2) your benefit statement (what the patient will gain from being treated by a quality dentist), 3) your practice mission statement?

Louis Armstrong once said, "There's some folks, that, if they don't know, you can't tell 'em." We may not be geniuses, like Matt Damon's character; but, don't keep your cutting edge knowledge a secret. People trust people who know what they are doing.

Roberto Benigni, an adult class clown, constructs an elaborate fiction to comfort and protect his young son in an Italian concentration camp during the Holocaust. Benigni shows how he uses his gift of optimism and humor as his weapon against evil. This movie is about rescuing whatever is good and hopeful from the wreckage of dreams.

Lesson No. 2: Have a positive attitude and a sense of humor.

Although you typically do not face this magnitude of adversity, you are confronted with many daily hassles and obstacles. Your computer crashes, your hygienist is sick and you can't get a temporary, your patient calls in saying, "You're not on my dental insurance list…", you're running late because the crown doesn't fit. You can face these challenges in 2 ways, get upset or, find the humor or positive angle. In fact, sometimes the ONLY aspect you can change in an unpleasant situation is your mental approach.

By finding the silver lining in a dark cloud, and by communicating your positive attitude with your verbal and nonverbal behavior, you will enhance the emotional trust connection with your patients and team.

Life Is Beautiful falls into two parts. One is pure comedy. The other smiles through tears. Your dental practices are not meant to be "A Night at the Comedy Corner", but, at times, you do need to smile through the tears and aggravations.

The evil Empire has all but triumphed in the galaxy. But rebel forces assault Death Star with the help of Princess Leia, R2-D2's computer, the robot C-3PO, idealistic Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and wise Kenobi. Good overcomes evil.

Lesson No. 3: May the force be with you.

Simply stated, you must have passion for what you do. You've heard the old adage, "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." You need to have BOTH the knowledge, and a passion for your work. Your patients can sense your level of enthusiasm, and they translate that into your level of interest for their well being.

Does this mean you need to become an outgoing cheerleader, if you're more of an introvert? No. But, it does mean that you must be cognizant of showing your passion for dentistry within your own personality style.

According to Roger Ebert, "James Bond is a hero, but not a bore. In one adventure after another, he saves the world, defeats bizarre villains, gets to play with neat gadgets and seduces, or is seduced by, sexy women. When it comes to movie spies, Agent 007 is full-service, one-stop shopping." Ebert goes on to say that, "Of all the Bonds, Goldfinger is the best, and can stand as a surrogate for the others." Sean Connery, with his sleek self-assurance, has become the most classic Bond.

Lesson No. 4: Convey confidence and self-assurance.

Connery has some sticky moments in Goldfinger, just as you do in your office. Auric Goldfinger has captured Bond and has him under his complete control. Before Goldfinger can laser Bond from stem to sternum, Bond dissuades him with some quick thinking. Once again, the enemy is foiled by Bond's suave confidence.

While you don't need to reincarnate as James Bond, here are some ways to convey confidence and self-assurance in your practice.

1. Maintain effective eye contact.
2. Be present in the moment.
3. Greet your patients, before they are lying flat in the chair.
4. Provide a firm handshake.
5. Keep an open facial expression. Smile.
6. Listen effectively.
7. Walk with good posture.
8. Use your patient's name a couple of times.
9. Dress appropriately.
10. Have fun.

Humphrey Bogart, plays Rick Blaine, the hard-drinking American running a nightclub in Casablanca when Morocco was a crossroad for spies, traitors, Nazis and the French Resistance. Bogart obtains a letter of passage that will allow two people to leave Casablanca for Portugal and freedom. Rick wants to use the letter to escape with his true love from the past, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) who suddenly appears at his club. Yet, he contrives a situation in which Ilsa and her current love interest, Victor Laslo (Paul Henreid), a legendary French Resistance hero, escape together.

Lesson No. 5: Maintain integrity.

Bogart does the right thing in a tough situation. He gives away his girl for the greater cause. He's a hero. He's sincere, honest, and sound…the definition that Webster's offers for integrity. Billionaire Robert Dedman writes, "Integrity, good health, family and friends are worth more than money can buy." The trick is that integrity begets personal and professional success, and it's a vital component of the Trust Factor. Your patients and team can sense if you are "doing the right thing" whether it be with assessing a treatment diagnosis, redoing a laminate case, figuring out a profit sharing system, or handling a computer crisis. Communicate with integrity and your patients will trust you.

Trust is the bottom line in effective communication skills, especially in the age of managed care, infectious disease concerns, and increased competition. Without trust, you will not sell dentistry or create long term relationships with your patients and team. So, follow the advice illustrated in these five films, and you will emotionally connect with others.

Image that you are nominated for an Academy Award. The category is "Exhibits the Trust Factor Consistently." You win. You ascend the stairs. You look out in the auditorium and see all of your patients. You take the Oscar and you say, "Thanks for trusting me."

Now let's play film critic, and review our movie lessons that convey the Trust Factor.

Lesson No. 1 --- Show your knowledge. Make sure your patients realize how much you know.

Lesson No. 2 --- Have a positive attitude and sense of humor. Find the silver lining to dark clouds. Sometimes the only thing you can change about a disaster is your reaction.

Lesson No. 3 --- May the force be with you. Your patients and team want you to have passion and enthusiasm for your work.

Lesson No. 4 --- Convey confidence and self-assurance. Even on bad days, pretend you're James Bond defying the odds.

Lesson No. 5 --- Maintain integrity. You have the ultimate responsibility for setting the tone in your practice. Be the model for "doing the right things."

At the conclusion of Casablanca, Bogart stands on the tarmac watching Ingrid Bergman fly away without him. He mutters, "It doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world". In dentistry, the little things do mean a lot, and what you do does amount to more than a hill of beans.

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