Don't be a cure for insomnia

A few weeks ago I wrote about what to do when someone says that they want to "think about it".

That response often comes from a patient when you've pressured them or confused them or both. For today let's talk about confusing them.

The question is, how do you present good comprehensive dentistry in a manner will not confuse the patient?

The answer is to stop being a schoolteacher.For example, your job when discussing a root filling is to give the patient the information they need to decide whether to proceed with it or not. That information is the pros, the cons and the cost. That information is not chapter and verse on how a root filling is done.

Imagine if your car broke down due to a problem with the automatic transmission. The information you would want from the mechanic is how long it will take to fix and how much it will cost.

If the mechanic pulled down a wall chart and gave you a lesson on how an automatic transmission works you would probably think they had lost their mind. Yet, dentists do that all the time.

They draw cross-sections of teeth and explain where the reamer goes. They spend time describing what will happen at each appointment. They show x-rays to patients and try to teach them how to interpret them.

Stop lecturing. Stop thinking of yourself as an "educator". Just give the information that the patient needs to know in a form that they can readily understand.

You'll be amazed at the difference.