After thoughtful testing, we chose drawings over photos or animations because they effectively convey dental problems and solutions without evoking fear. The images are clear enough to be recognizable as teeth, but they don’t include drills, needles, or anything that might make a patient uncomfortable. The result is a visual style that educates without overwhelming.

Another important design choice we made with DDS GP is not to include audio or voiceover in the app itself. That’s intentional. The moment a patient hears a recorded voice or watches a canned video, that narrator becomes the expert in the room, and the personal connection starts to fade. Instead, we want the real expert, you, to guide the conversation. You are the audio. Your words. Your empathy. Your ability to connect at the perfect pace for each individual patient.

The iPad becomes a tool, not a replacement. It keeps the focus where it should be: on a direct, face-to-face interaction between you and your patient. The device itself is not presenting the treatment at them, it's facilitating your conversation with them, side by side. That’s how trust is built.

Because often, it’s not money that stands between a patient and their dental health. It’s fear. And that fear dissolves when the patient senses a genuine connection, feels understood, and trusts the professional sitting beside them.

Dr. Marcus was the first to incorporate DDS GP into his own office, making many improvements based on real-world experience before ever even thinking about releasing the app to other dentists. He was genuinely surprised at how quickly patients embraced the tool, and how dramatically it improved his ability to present treatment in a concise, understandable, and compassionate way. Case acceptance and production rose sharply.