Are they paying attention? Are you?

Communication

What you say and how you say it will have a huge impact on what a patient hears and how much they actually understand. We use a lot of jargon in the profession so it’s crucial that we avoid this when speaking to patients. However, it is not as simple as just getting our language right.

I recently came across an interesting study[i] that suggests patients’ personality traits could influence how compliant they are likely to be with our recommendations. Furthermore, the research found differences in characteristics between men and women for both the compliant and less compliant groups as well, which indicates that our professional approach could be further tailored by gender for even more effective communication.

Shared decision-making

Even once we have communicated clearly to patients and they understand their existing pathologies and the need for action, there is still work to do. Encouraging them to implement change and adjust their behaviour requires more than giving them a to-do list. They need to be self-motivated and so they need to appreciate why their role is required and what it involves.

Patients also need to be a part of the decision-making process and their autonomy with regards to dental treatment may improve their engagement and compliance.[ii] As we all know, this is equally as vital for informed consent.

Looking at the psychology of it all once again, there is an extensive body of evidence exploring the advantages of motivational interviewing as a way of really engaging the patient.[iii] This is a patient-centred concept that respects and promotes patient autonomy, essentially improving their readiness to change. It has been proven to be an effective method of behaviour change in the dental practice, especially when used to enhance oral hygiene habits, or provide dietary, alcohol or smoking cessation advice. Implemented correctly, there’s no reason to suggest that it may also be useful in supporting patients through endodontic, orthodontic, implant or any other type of dental treatment.

Of course, dentists do not automatically undergo training in psychological fields, but these topics may be of interest for some further reading.

Start by listening

Though there are several approaches we can take as professionals to encourage patient engagement and compliance, the most important thing we can do is listen.

Sounds easy, right? We hear patients talk about their dental issues, their holidays, their families, their normal activities, every day. But how well are we actually listening? Have we understood the meaning behind what they are telling us?

With the time constraints so many dentists face every day – combined with the many other pressures that dentistry presents – it is easy to just take note of the stand out details and nothing else. However, when we discard the other information without at least acknowledging it, this can hurt patient rapport and create unintentional barriers between them and us. This can impact their trust in you as a care provider and therefore hurt their compliance with oral hygiene or treatment protocols in the future.

Instead, re-evaluate how you listen to patients. Stop whatever else you are doing to look them in the eye and actively engage in a short conversation at the start of their appointment. Ask them about their holiday last month or their child’s wedding. Include life events they mention in their patient notes so you know for next time.

It’s not just about making them feel seen and appreciated. With enough warning this could also serve as an opportunity to upsell treatment and discuss options for improving their smile for the big day too.

In addition, by really listening to their concerns or lifestyle choices, you’ll gain a better idea of their priorities and the potential barriers to oral hygiene improvement. Maybe they are incredibly busy and simply need dental health recommendations that save them time. Maybe they would appreciate sustainable oral hygiene products and would be willing to pay more and use them more frequently. If you don’t know them, you won’t know how to tailor their care.

Engagement is king

The interaction between patient and dental professional can have a significant influence over the success of treatment or the patient’s on-going oral health. Whether you are recommending an endodontic procedure, orthodontic or surgical, your patients need to understand why it is needed and what role they will play in both achieving and maintaining the results. Communicating with them clearly, protecting their autonomy and listening to what they need are all crucial.

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

Michael Sultan Bio

EndoCare, led by Dr Michael Sultan, is one of the UK’s most trusted Specialist Endodontist practices. Through the use of the latest technologies and techniques, the highly-trained team can offer exceptional standards of care – always putting the patient first. What’s more, EndoCare is a dependable referral centre, to which dentists from across the country send their patients for the best in specialist endodontic treatment.

[i] Tachalov VV, Orekhova LY, Isaeva ER, Kudryavtseva TV, Loboda ES, Sitkina EV. Characteristics of dental patients determining their compliance level in dentistry: relevance for predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. EPMA J. 2018 Nov 13;9(4):379-385. doi: 10.1007/s13167-018-0152-8. PMID: 30538789; PMCID: PMC6261882.

[ii] Benecke, M., Kasper, J., Heesen, C. et al. Patient autonomy in dentistry: demonstrating the role for shared decision making. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 20, 318 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-020-01317-5

[iii] Gillam DG, Yusuf H. Brief Motivational Interviewing in Dental Practice. Dent J (Basel). 2019 May 1;7(2):51. doi: 10.3390/dj7020051. PMID: 31052431; PMCID: PMC6631588.