Have you ever felt like your patients don’t understand what you’re saying or that they don’t see eye to eye when it comes to their diagnosis or recommended treatment? You are not alone. It may come easy for you to talk to your patients and explain the intricacies of their oral health, but getting them to understand what you say is a challenge in and of itself. Patients are visual, which means that much of what you say probably isn’t going to sink in. So, how do you overcome that instead of sounding like the adults on a Charlie Brown special?
Today on the blog, we are sharing tips on how to get your patients to understand what you’re saying.
Show them what you see so they can own their oral health
You might hope that your patients trust you enough just to take you at your word, and while most probably do, is that enough? While you might be convincing enough for them to follow through with recommended treatment, is it enough to get them to own their oral health? Your goal isn’t just to provide a solution for the here and now, but also for the long-term. Maintaining good oral health is a lifelong commitment, and if your patient agrees to get a dental crown, yet you don’t see them for 10 years until they get a toothache, they don’t really own their oral health at this point. Instead, they just call on you when there’s a problem, and they aren’t doing anything to prevent these issues.
How to show patients what you see
X-rays may help patients see the problem going on in their mouth, but not all dental health problems happen below the gum line. Plenty of problems develop right before your eyes, and a simple handheld mirror may not be enough for them to really see what’s going on. This is where an intra-oral camera comes in handy. It allows your patient an up-close view of their teeth, and you can pinpoint exactly the problem you see going on. They are more likely to agree to treatment and understand the importance of preventive care.
The only downside, if you want to call it that, to using an intra-oral camera is that it provides a view of a single tooth. So, it’s like using your phone’s map app to navigate to another city, but all the while you’re zoomed in on the nearest city block. So, just flashing a few pictures to your patient isn’t necessarily going to be enough to help them see the whole picture. Still, with a little time and effort, you can educate them on the connection between their current oral condition and the importance of preventive care.
Remember, your patients didn’t go to dental school, so they don’t always see how one problem tooth could end up causing them a host of other oral health issues. It’s up to you and your dental care team to communicate, not just with words, but with visual evidence of their oral condition. If you have an intra-oral camera in your dental practice, use it! If you don’t already have one, we recommend that you consider purchasing one. The investment will pay off in the long run, with an increase in patient case acceptance. If you would like to learn more about the use of intra-oral cameras, or what you should know before buying one, contact Bryant Consultants.
