Tiny Tips

Tiny Tips No. 3

By Melissa van der Werf, RDH, BS on October, 30 2018
Tiny Tips No. 3
Melissa van der Werf, RDH, BS

Melissa has a strong foundation in educating hygienists and dentists on treating chronic periodontitis, implant maintenance, and implementing periodontal programs within a practice.

Working in dentistry can be tough. Patients have fears and anxieties that make our jobs difficult – but they don’t have to be. Try these tiny tips to ease anxiety and increase patient comfort. 

 

Tiny Tip #3 - OPTIONS

Give your patients options, even if it only means the color of the toothbrush, or the flavor of prophy paste or fluoride. 

Patients often feel vulnerable when they come to our office. If they have choices, they will feel like they have some control over their appointment. 

I like to introduce Young’s D-Lish pastes and varnishes because they give us plenty of delicious options. Just don’t overwhelm them with too many options or you will never get through the appointment. 

I have worked in several offices that give a list of different prophy paste flavors to the patient at the beginning of the appointment so they have time contemplate the choice while in the chair without taking away from treatment time.

It may also help to write the patient choice in the clinical note so you can ask if they would like that flavor next time or if they would like to try something new. Either way, they get to make decisions about their appointment and gain a little bit of control in a vulnerable environment.

 

Tune in next week for another tiny tip!

 

D-Lish Prophy Paste Sample

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