Professional relationships – the pillars of success
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 17th December 2024
Dentistry is very much a people profession. As a dental professional, you are engaging with patients on a daily basis, helping them out of pain and providing health advice tailored to them. But you will interact with many other individuals through work in addition to your patients. These include practice colleagues, peers from further afield, mentors or mentees, tutors and instructors, lecturers, product suppliers and contract providers, to name just a few.
With all of these people, it is important to build relationships that will stand the test of time. Not only will this make your life easier, but it will also improve outcomes for your patients and your business.
Patient rapport
The importance of building rapport with patients is widely accepted in dentistry and across all healthcare sectors. Research[i] has proven that clear and concise communication is key to delivering high-quality patient care. In particular, it is vital to facilitate open conversations that allow patients to discuss their oral health status and treatment recommendations honestly and without judgement.[ii] This is integral for patient engagement and informed consent.
A positive dentist-patient relationship has been shown to improve oral health status among patients.[iii] A person’s trust and confidence in their practitioner can have a noteworthy impact on whether they visit regularly and follow professional recommendations. These factors will also influence their decision to accept treatment,[iv] further affecting their oral and general health in the long-term.
Of course, a strong patient-dentist relationship is good for the dentist and the practice as well. When patients trust their dental team, they are more likely to remain loyal to the practice.[v] Evidence shows that effective communication with patients promotes this loyalty to the practice in the long-term.[vi] This also has very positive implications for word-of-mouth referrals and recommendations, helping to promote the practice and boost its reputation.
Colleague relationships
It is just as important to establish and maintain connections with colleagues both within the practice and beyond.
Research[vii] has linked high-quality workplace relationships with lower occupational stress in the healthcare environment. In particular, relationships between staff and their managers have a significant impact on individuals’ performances. For this to be achieved, it’s crucial that trust is built up among colleagues – which often takes time and is based on good communication and collaboration.[viii]
There is also merit in peer group learning, which can be implemented to improve practice performance and support daily activities.[ix] This could take the form of team CPD sessions or days, in-house training for new technology or processes, or perhaps even a day out at a dental conference and exhibition.
Outside of the practice team, having a network of like-minded professionals to turn to provides access to support and advice on all manner of topics from challenging clinical cases to career development opportunities. Whether you’re looking for recommendations, guidance or ideas, having strong professional relationships with different people will provide an invaluable resource.
Industry connections
Just as important are your connections with members of the industry. Particularly for business owners, the product experts and equipment suppliers you work with will have a substantial impact on the quality and efficiency of your practice performance. Where you can build effective working relationships with your providers, you can get the very most from the services they offer. From bespoke advice on your next purchase to guidance on optimising the life of your existing technology, working closely with these professionals can have a massive impact on your business.
This is something that RPA Dental is renowned for doing so well. The team is highly knowledgeable about both their products and the needs of the dental profession, tailoring their advice specifically to each customer’s unique situation. More than this, building a working relationship with them is more like starting a friendship. Their integrity and desire to help mean you will always get an honest answer to your questions. What’s more, their service goes beyond the sale and they will remain available for support for years to come, providing a truly invaluable asset to your professional network.
The power of people skills
Building effective working relationships with lots of different people requires its own set of skills. Among these, you’ll need to be able to confidently communicate, collaborate and listen to others, while also being flexible, respectful and open to new ideas. With the right mindset and approach, you will soon reap the many rewards. The relationships you build with patients, colleagues and industry professionals will be essential for the success of your own career and your practice.
For more detail about the solutions and services available from RPA Dental, please visit www.dental-equipment.co.uk, call 08000 933 975 or email info@rpadental.net
Author: Adam Shaw, Sales Director at RPA Dental Ltd
[i] Obadan-Udoh, E., Sundararajan, V., Sanchez, G.A. et al. Dental patients as partners in promoting quality and safety: a qualitative exploratory study. BMC Oral Health 24, 438 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04030-1
[ii] Dang, B.N., Westbrook, R.A., Njue, S.M. et al. Building trust and rapport early in the new doctor-patient relationship: a longitudinal qualitative study. BMC Med Educ 17, 32 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-017-0868-5
[iii] Muirhead VE, Marcenes W, Wright D. Do health provider–patient relationships matter? Exploring dentist-patient relationships and oral health-related quality of life in older people, Age and Ageing, Volume 43, Issue 3, May 2014, Pages 399–405, https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/aft183
[iv] Novirianthy R, Syukri M, Gondhowiardjo S, Suhanda R, Mawapury M, Pranata A, Renaldi T. Treatment acceptance and its associated determinants in cancer patients: A systematic review. Narra J. 2023 Dec;3(3):e197. doi: 10.52225/narra.v3i3.197. Epub 2023 Nov 11. PMID: 38450342; PMCID: PMC10916930.
[v] Liu S, Li G, Liu N, Hongwei W. The Impact of Patient Satisfaction on Patient Loyalty with the Mediating Effect of Patient Trust. Inquiry. 2021 Jan-Dec;58:469580211007221. doi: 10.1177/00469580211007221. PMID: 33834860; PMCID: PMC8040618.
[vi] El Dalatony MM, Alshareef RI, Alkahtani AR, Alhajri SM, Alhumaidany TM, AlQarni WA, Almuaddi AM, Aldossary MS. Patient Satisfaction as a Determinant of Patient Loyalty to the Dentist in Dental Clinics. J Patient Exp. 2023 Apr 2;10:23743735231166506. doi: 10.1177/23743735231166506. PMID: 37051112; PMCID: PMC10084532.
[vii] Tran KT, Nguyen PV, Dang TTU, Ton TNB. The Impacts of the High-Quality Workplace Relationships on Job Performance: A Perspective on Staff Nurses in Vietnam. Behav Sci (Basel). 2018 Nov 23;8(12):109. doi: 10.3390/bs8120109. PMID: 30477199; PMCID: PMC6316783.
[viii] Sutherland BL, Pecanac K, LaBorde TM, Bartels CM, Brennan MB. Good working relationships: how healthcare system proximity influences trust between healthcare workers. J Interprof Care. 2022 May-Jun;36(3):331-339. doi: 10.1080/13561820.2021.1920897. Epub 2021 Jun 14. PMID: 34126853; PMCID: PMC8669032.
[ix] Health Education and Improvement Wales. Peer review group. https://heiw.nhs.wales/education-and-training/dental/quality-improvement/peer-review-group/#:~:text=Benefits%20of%20peer%20groups%3A&text=a%20stimulus%20for%20individual%20learning,of%20supporting%20daily%20practice%20activities [Accessed September 2024]
