How To Correctly Counsel the Patients to Remove their Anxiety

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One of the  most important aspects of clinical practice is

Counseling the Patients

Counseling means explaining the patient about the treatment, motivating him/her for the treatment and reducing any anxiety or fear the patient might have.

But many times, dentists tend to get carried away and end up over-explaining the patient.

Remember such unnecessary talking, rather than reducing the patient anxiety, ends up adding to it.

Any patient when talking with a dentist is concerned with 3 facts – Reducing the pain, getting the treatment quickly and the cost of the treatment.

Also, many patients before visiting your clinic, do research on the internet and come prepared with most of the basic information that they can understand.

So before starting to explain – remember these points and talk accordingly.

• Talk to the point. Don’t keep blabbering just because you know.
• Listen and respond first to the chief complaint of the patient.
• Listen completely with nodding to what the patient has to say.
• Be more caring in your behavior for Kids and Elderly persons.
• Listen carefully and at the same time keep studying the behavior of the patient. It is very crucial that you judge the state of the patient. In your mind divide the patient as apprehensive, calm, over talking, show off, bargaining type etc. and then talk accordingly with the patient.

It’s an art decoding the patient and it’s essential to have an idea about various types of patients that you might encounter in your dental practice. 

So we have written an article explaining various types of patients that you will face in your clinic.

You may like to read: Types of patients you will face in your clinic.

MANAGING PATIENTS IN YOUR CLINIC

Being a Dental Surgeon/ Doctor is a tough job and what’s the most toughest aspect about it ? Its none other than your patients 😀 Each patient who visits your clinic is an individual with his own unique characters and experiences about life. Each patient has his way of dealing with a dental surgeon !

• Even if some patient is being unreasonable and in few cases rude, don’t lose you cool. Never get into argument or fight with the patients in your dental clinic.

• Always put a CCTV camera in your clinic (workspace, reception, discussion room) and let the patient see that cameras are installed. That keeps a check on few patients who otherwise won’t hesitate to create an unnecessary scene at your dental practice.
• During the discussion, if you judge that the patient is way too nervous, anxious and pushy (No amount of your talking is able to calm them down) then it is better not to start the treatment. You can postpone the treatment to another day. Remember a successful treatment is possible only when the patient listens to you.
• But, such cases are not very frequent. You will also encounter patients who are cooperative and responsive to your treatment plan. Be very courteous and caring to those patients as they are ones who will spread the good word for you if you do a good work.

Always keep in mind, you cannot make everyone happy.

Always talk, explain and decide on a patient depending on your skills and the facilities you have.

Never Overstate Treatment outcomes and Never try to be a HERO!

These points will help you a great deal in calming down patients and get a good name for your dental practice.

Also, in the end, you may like to read About the 10 most common mistakes that you must avoid as a Dentist 

You may like to read: The 10 Most Common Mistakes that you must avoid as a Dentist

10 MISTAKES YOU MUST NEVER DO IN YOUR DENTAL CLINIC

Yes, having our clinic is a moment of pride, joy and happiness. It does feel like owning a piece of the world. But it’s also a fact that by 2015 dental profession has become too much competitive due to over saturation.