{"id":856,"date":"2020-06-01T05:00:37","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T05:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/?p=856"},"modified":"2020-06-01T11:13:03","modified_gmt":"2020-06-01T11:13:03","slug":"human-side-dentistry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.practicesolutionsinc.net\/blog\/2020\/06\/human-side-dentistry\/","title":{"rendered":"The Human Side of Dentistry"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I am blessed to have the privilege of working in the dental industry since the early 1980\u2019s!\u00a0 Working in the dental industry for many can become just a job!\u00a0 We must never, even for a moment, disregard that we are human beings caring for the health of other human beings.\u00a0 It is not just about fixing teeth.\u00a0 There are humans attached to those teeth!\u00a0 It is important that we focus on the human side of dentistry and become advocates for our patients\u2019 health.<\/p>\n<p>I would love to see every medical and dental team instilled with an advocate mindset.\u00a0 However, many of us have experienced a caregiver objectifying a patient by treating them like an object than a human being.\u00a0 For example, they make decisions for the patient instead of educating and asking questions to understand what matters to them.\u00a0 They have conversations about them in front of them and act as if they aren\u2019t present.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/j_NZh5vti2g\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I had a not so human experience during a recent visit to a radiology department.\u00a0 It started out great with the x-ray techs introducing themselves as they ushered me into the room and explaining the process.\u00a0 However, all manners and niceties stopped when the doctor who was going to be taking the x-rays entered the room.\u00a0 He did not slow down enough to take a moment to introduce himself or ask me if I had any questions before he started.\u00a0 He proceeded to rapid fire commands at me and then walked out of the room without further discussion.\u00a0 There was no compassion or connection.\u00a0 I felt objectified.\u00a0 As if I were just a task that he was in a hurry to complete.\u00a0 I understand that this may be a daily routine for him, but it was not for me.<\/p>\n<p>It is vital that we remember when we are caring for our dental patients that they are more than just a task to complete to get on to the next one so we can finish our day.\u00a0 We are dealing with their health.\u00a0 What may be routine for us may seem scary or concerning to them.\u00a0 It is essential that we recognize the human side of what we do.\u00a0 It is our responsibility to take time to develop meaningful relationships with our patients, which allow will allow us to provide better and more comprehensive care.\u00a0 When we do this, we become an advocate for our patients\u2019 dental health.<\/p>\n<p>Here are five essentials to help you become your patients\u2019 advocate.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Be happy to serve. Do you seem happy to the people you serve, both team and patients?\u00a0 Think about it for a moment.\u00a0 Would your patients and team describe you as happy?\u00a0 Do you greet others warmly with a smile?\u00a0 Are you happy to come to work and grateful for what you get to do?\u00a0 Do you focus on the positive and celebrate daily?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>Get to know the human attached to the teeth. Ask questions to get to know more about what\u2019s important to your patient.\u00a0 What has been their past experience?\u00a0 What are their goals and desires for their dental health?\u00a0 What are their concerns about treatment and what matters to them?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>Educate your patient by having a conversation not giving a presentation. That means asking and answering questions as you go along to avoid assumptions.\u00a0 Stop the data dumping and present information in bite size pieces.\u00a0 Avoid industry slang and communicate on their level.\u00a0 Verify time, sequence, cost and compliance (what they need to do to support).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>Focus on the WIIFTP (What\u2019s in it for the patient). Show up 100% by being present in the moment.\u00a0 Always contemplate what would make your patient feel more welcome, more comfortable in the moment and help build a stronger relationship?\u00a0 Keep your patients in the loop by informing them what you are doing and why.\u00a0 It\u2019s what we say or don\u2019t say that creates the patient\u2019s perception.\u00a0 We lose value when we don\u2019t let our patients know what we are doing.\u00a0 If we don\u2019t say it to the patient it doesn\u2019t exist.\u00a0 For example, when you do an oral cancer exam explain to your patient what you are doing and the reasons why.\u00a0 Even for those patients you have seen for many years.\u00a0 Inform them every time.\u00a0 The why must always be a value statement highlighting the benefit for the patient not the practice or the team.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li>Address complications as soon as possible. Come from a real place of care, concern and curiosity versus judgment and criticism.\u00a0 Always consider what it might feel like if it happened to you.\u00a0 How would you treat them if they were a family member?\u00a0 Let me clarify, a family member you like!\u00a0 LOL!\u00a0 Start out by asking, \u201cHow may I help you?\u201d\u00a0 Then be present, listen and hear what they are saying.\u00a0 Share with them how you can help them by saying, \u201cI can help you and this is how.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>When we focus on being advocates for our patients, we will develop more meaningful relationships that will enable us to provide better and more comprehensive care to our patients.\u00a0 A win for the patient, practice and team!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I am blessed to have the privilege of working in the dental industry since the early 1980\u2019s!\u00a0 Working in the dental industry for many can become just a job!\u00a0 We must never, even for a moment, disregard that we are human beings caring for the health of other human beings.\u00a0 It is not just about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,4,5,6,186,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,194,24,25,26,199,27,28,29,191,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,192,56,43,44,197,190,45,188,46,47,48,49,50,187,51,52,53,54,195,196,1,184,185,55],"tags":[61,63,68,70,73,76,82,84,87,88,89,91,92,94,96,202,98,101,107,110,111,121,124,126,131,138,140,141,144,146,149,153,154,159,166,167,169,175,178,179,182],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - 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