The Power of Words That Transform: From Fee to Investment
JoAn Majors, RDA, CSP, CVP - Co-Founder, The Soft Skills Institute
JoAn Majors, RDA, CSP, CVP, helps dental professionals improve predictability, profitability, and passion for service. With four decades of experience in the industry, she specializes in transforming difficult conversations into scalable systems that build stronger conversations and connections that create an exceptional patient experience. Fondly referred to as the “verbal word surgeon,” JoAn co-founded The Soft Skills Institute, a nationally recognized AGD PACE provider, with her husband, Dr. Chuck Majors. TSSI’s online library allows those serious about implementation and traction to follow up training in the practice with high-value, short (snackable) style videos.
Published in over 25 magazines and the author of five books, JoAn’s most recent book, Permission to Be Honest, is now available on Amazon. She believes in and promotes a culture of curiosity, and asking questions is her superpower. Her platform voice and writing voice are unique to her story-telling style. Always friendly and fun, she is candid but not crude. Her programs are prescriptive but not preachy.
JoAn has earned the highest designation for a professional speaker, the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), through the National Speakers Association. A member of NSA, ADIA, AADOM ASCA, and DSI, she is the co-director of education for Dental Entrepreneur Women (DeW) and a 2022 industry DENOBI winner. She holds the team training faculty position for the Misch Implant Institute and is the VP of Learning and Development for ICON Dental Partners.
Dear Reader,
Words don’t just describe our reality—they shape it. And nowhere is that more impactful than in how we talk about money.
Let’s try a quick thought experiment. How do you feel when you hear the word fee? Now, what about the word investment?
See the difference?
Both might refer to our spending money on a product or service, but the emotions they evoke couldn’t be more different. This distinction is powerful, especially in service-driven fields like wellness, dentistry, coaching, and personal development.
In my speaking / training opportunities and most of my work with The Soft Skills Institute often revolves around training teams to shift from transactional to transformational language. It’s sometimes starts as simple as going from “yes and no” answers to asking, “tell me more” with a posture of curiosity. One of the simplest yet most effective tools? Reframing language.
Fee vs. Investment: A Shift of Mindset
A fee is transactional. It often carries an emotional weight of obligation, loss, or even punishment (think: late fees, cancellation fees). The word tends to put people in a defensive mindset. Is this worth it? Am I being overcharged? In our mind it’s about what’s being taken.
An investment, on the other hand, is purposeful. A much more transformational approach. It suggests growth, intention, and future value. When someone hears “investment,” they naturally think about what they’re going to gain—in health, skills, happiness, or peace of mind. It’s empowering.
Real-Life Example: Dental Fees Reimagined
Imagine you’re at a dental office and the admin team or TC says, “The fee for your implant treatment will be 25k.”
Now imagine instead they say, “The investment for your care that Dr. Wonderful discussed will be 25K.”
Same amount. Entirely different feeling.
This one-word shift helps patients see the service not as a cost to endure, but as a step toward better overall well-being. It turns a transaction into a moment of commitment to their health and that changes everything.
Keep in mind that I’m not suggesting any of you are doing this incorrectly. I’m simply offering some ways we can improve. I’ve been blessed to have observed care communication in hundreds and hundreds of offices in my career, and these are some of the most common uses of fee, cost, and other words around money I’ve heard that could be more effective with reframing how we offer treatment.
Instead of:
Let’s go up front, and Ashley will discuss the fee(s).
Try this:
Let’s go up front, and Ashley will go over your investment for care.
Instead of:
Let’s go up front, and I’ll go over the financials.
Try this:
Let’s go up front, and I can review your investment for care.
Instead of:
Ashley will come back and talk to you about the cost for treatment.
Ashley will come back and talk to you about your fee for treatment.
Try this:
Ashley will come back to talk about your investment for this treatment.
How much is this going to cost?
Team: Ashley will be happy to discuss your investment in care once the doctor has answered all your questions about the treatment. How does that sound?
Doctor: As soon as I’ve answered all your questions about the treatment, Ashley will be happy to review your investment for care. Does this work for you?
Why Language Matters in Service-Based Work
Whether you’re running a wellness studio, coaching clients, or managing a dental practice, your words influence how people show up.
When patients/guests/clients view what they’re paying as an investment in themselves:
- They’re more engaged
- They follow through with their goals
- They’re more satisfied with the outcomes
They aren’t just buying a service; they’re investing in their future. And that’s a powerful shift.
It can be a significant shift with both implant and sleep solutions in dentistry.
Words Build Relationships
Ultimately, fee says, “This is what you owe.”
Investment says, “This is what you’re building.”
That’s the heart of transformational service. You’re not just delivering a product—you’re helping someone grow, heal, improve, or elevate their lifestyle. That kind of partnership starts with the language you choose.
Try This Today:
Look at your patient communications texts, emails, websites, even in-person conversations. Ask yourself:
- Are we speaking the language of obligation (fees, charges, costs)?
- Or are we using the language of empowerment (investments, value, growth)?
A small change in terminology can lead to a big change in mindset—and results.
Here’s to building more transformational relationships,
– See you on the road,
JoAn
