FROM VLOG IN NOVEMBER
The above video is from a November 2015 VLOG.
It’s an epidemic in offices that we talk to, almost weekly.
“Do You Fear Your Patients Will Go To Another Office If You Tell Them They Have Periodontal Disease?”
Here is how you can begin to eliminate
Here is how you can begin to eliminate the worry:
This is created during the first 90 seconds when you seat your patient in your dental chair.
en you seat your patient in your dental chair.
“People don’t care how much you know but they care about how much you CARE about them.”
Sitting down to chat a few minutes before you lay a patient back in the chair will make or break your time with the patient.
Trust is the #1 reason patients will say “YES” to your care and return consistently and indefinitely to your office.
- Explain to patients before you lay them back what you will be doing for them today.
Example: “Today, I will be completing a few “Abnormality screenings.” The first one is to ___________ and then I will take a ruler and measure around your gums…(show them what the probe- “Ruler” looks like), continue your explanation of what you are doing when you lay them back in the chair. Explain about the numbers you will call out mean. And ask your patient to listen and tell you what they hear.
- 2. Have another team member chart during a comprehensive perio exam so the patient can hear the hygienist call out the numbers.
Bring your patient into collaboration.
- 3. When you do discover an abnormality, sit your patient upright in the chair. It is very possible that if you have elegantly and effectively communicated to your patient, now they are telling you what they heard and they are telling you they heard things don’t seem healthy.
- 4. Show patients what you see and allow them to “Discover” any abnormalities with you.
Show patients the bone loss and calculus on radiographs. Show patients areas of decay. Use the intraoral camera and take pictures and then review what you see in the pictures with the patient. Always take before and after photos if your patient had positive change in their oral health. Use brochures and diagrams to show patients what is happening in their mouth and body.
5. Talk about the oral and systemic health connection and always tell your patients that having a healthy mouth will mean living a longer healthier life.
Do you fear telling patients they have disease will scare them away? Let’s talk and discover how you can create a change in not only this thought process but you can help many more patients live a longer and healthier life when you do tell them how you can Prevent Periodontal Disease from Causing more Dental and Health Problems PLUS you will help them live a longer life.
If you want to dive deeper into this topic please schedule a complimentary call to see how we can support your hygiene department. Click the link to schedule 30 minutes with Debbie. SCHEDULE 30 MINUTES
ABOUT DEBBIE SEIDEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS
Debbie is founder of Dental Practice Solutions and supports dental practices throughout the world to have more profitable and sustainable hygiene departments. This is done by empowering hygienists to take a leadership role in their professional place.
Please check out the Hygiene Empowerment 6 Month Coaching to see how this works. You can also click the link shown above in the blog to schedule a time to discuss your dental practice.
Debbie is also a former clinical assistant from the University of Southern California and co-taught the senior dental students Practice Management course until the school went to a PBL learning format.
In 2000, she founded Dental Practice Solutions and works with dental practices world-wide to:
- create profitable and sustainable dental hygiene departments
- known for reactivating and retaining patients for dental practices world-wide
- organically grow new patient numbers
Dental Practice Solutions creates:
- sustainable dental hygiene departments throughout the world
- a “team-driven” practice, where the employees feel like leaders vs. employees
All of this means that the doctor can come to the office to do their job as a Dentist and not worry about managing people and their dental practice.
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