chairside manner

[comatose]

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Dr. Jeff,
You stress the importance of a great chairside manner. Can you explain to me how you approach each and every patient of yours? Besides describing the procedure to them as you perform it, what else do you do to make them comfortable? Also, do you use intraoral cameras in your office? How effective are these?

 

[DrJeff]

Basically, I try and be the anti sterotypical dentist. Meaning I try and have a personality, I wear funky scrubs, tell lots of jokes, and feed off my patients. By that I mean, some people you can tell by their body language that they love the "walk me through step by step" approach, while other just prefer the "shut up and do it approach". With experience and as you develop your style you'll get good at "reading" your patients and adapting to them.

A couple of basics that I follow. #1 try my best to get the patient atleast smiling, if not laughing within 30 seconds of walking into the operatory. This will often involve me poking fun at myself, my assistant, or my favorite, the flavor of the topical anesthesia.

#2 Explain what your going to do in simple terms. For example if I'm doing a build up and a crown prep, I tell them that "i'm going to take them apart, put them together, then take them apart and put them together again". If I'm working on a child, I always get down to their level(both literally and figuratively) and talk to them.

Basically the big theory that I subscribe to is that I treat whoever is in my chair they way that I myself would want to be treated if I were siting in the chair. That seems to keep alot of folks happy and coming back.😀

 

[thisisit]

I agree with drjeff.

You need to be yourself. Now if you have a pretty crabby personality, don't be yourself, be someone else please 😀

IMHO, all drjeff said is valid. But I also like to think that creating a complete treatment plan with all of patients choices, discussing the cost, explaining the pro and cons of all options, and getting rid of the patients fears have a great effect on patients. i picked up a gem somewhere I do not remember, may have been dental school. Take a note kids, as much as we all hate dental school, I still find that many of the great things I have learned in the past 10 years were during dental school. I take many many many CE courses every year, FYI.

Anyways, the speaker said that the biggest fear most patients have is the fear of losing control. You have a stranger poking the second most private part of your body with sharp instruments, what do you expect BUT FEAR? He said to let the patient know that we would not start work unless they are 100% anesthetized and to raise their hand to stop everything with the first sign of discomfort. Stress that THEY are in charge of the "drill" not you. Make sure you let your assistant know to let you know if the patient raises her hand and PLEASE stop the hand-piece if they do. During the procedure also ask the patient if they are comfortable. Never use words like "pain or hurt". Ask if they are OK. just my 2 cents!

 

[ItsGavinC]

Dr. Jeff and Thisisit,

How do you present yourself to the patient? Do you include "Dr."
in your greeting, do you include your first names, etc.?

One dentist I shadowed shook the patients hand firmly (but gently), made eye contact, and said "Hello, I'm Reed Trusk," each time they came in for a visit.

He said not using the term "Dr," coupled with the use of his first name, really seemed to put his patients at ease.

 

[endotom]

Hi folks,

I'll jump in here with Jeff and thisisit, if it's ok.

You know, I was told a long time ago that you earn the dergree and people give you the title. I've seldom ever refered to myself as Dr. endotom. I only did that when I wanted to get a reservation at Springfield's. There are circumstances where it is a must, like in school where you always called your teacher Mr. Endotom or Dr. Endotom. They always refered to themselves with the title as well. Situations where you have to demand authority and never get chummy. In the office I introduce myself as "Hi, I'm Tom Xxxxxx. What can we do for you today."

I'm an endodontist and I've never met any of these people before. They don't know me either. I got one chance to make an impression as a nice guy who is going to fix your problem right now. It takes some doing. I find out something I have in common with every patient I meet for the first time. I figure I met 20,000 peolple in my practice so far. I get on any level they want. Once that confidence clicks, the job is easier for everybody.

Look at Dr. Jeff's last line. That my good friends is absolutely beyond a shadow of doubt the whole secret to success in being a doctor. I wish everyone had that in mind. Treat people like you would want them to treat you. My hat is off to you, Dr. Jeff.

 

[thisisit]

I do as endotom said. I reserve the title for insurance companies.

 

[Bickle]

Dr. Jeff,

You wear scrubs in your office? Is that common in the states? Because the dentists in Canada usually wear a shirt and tie, most of them at least.

 

[DrJeff]

Originally posted by thisisit

Anyways, the speaker said that the biggest fear most patients have is the fear of losing control. You have a stranger poking the second most private part of your body with sharp instruments, what do you expect BUT FEAR? He said to let the patient know that we would not start work unless they are 100% anesthetized and to raise their hand to stop everything with the first sign of discomfort. Stress that THEY are in charge of the "drill" not you. Make sure you let your assistant know to let you know if the patient raises her hand and PLEASE stop the hand-piece if they do. During the procedure also ask the patient if they are comfortable. Never use words like "pain or hurt". Ask if they are OK. just my 2 cents!

I agree 100% and do the same thing. I tell my patients before I start the hand piece up(or grab the elevator for that matter), I tell them "if ANYTHING hurst all you need to do is raise your left hand(I lightly touch their left hand as I saw this). If I see your left hand , I'm stopping in a HEARTBEAT and I've got GALLONS more novacaine if we need it!" It puts the patient at ease, and with some serious voice inflection, you''' get a grim out of the patient too When they then ask me "why can't I raise my right hand?"(I'm a right hander by the way), my answer is, "because if you raise you're right hand, it will hit my right hand which is holding something sharp that's spinning very fast in your mouth! Plus, I can easily see your left hand while I'm working!" Then I jokingly say, "with that left, take a swing at my assistant, and after you hit her, she'll kick me under the chair and we'll all be saying ouch!" Voila, the patient feels in control and is at ease, and you've got an easier patient to work on

 

[DrJeff]

Originally posted by endotom
Hi folks,

I'll jump in here with Jeff and thisisit, if it's ok.

You know, I was told a long time ago that you earn the dergree and people give you the title. I've seldom ever refered to myself as Dr. endotom. I only did that when I wanted to get a reservation at Springfield's. There are circumstances where it is a must, like in school where you always called your teacher Mr. Endotom or Dr. Endotom. They always refered to themselves with the title as well. Situations where you have to demand authority and never get chummy. In the office I introduce myself as "Hi, I'm Tom Xxxxxx. What can we do for you today."

My greeting is plain in simple, "Hi, I'm Jeff XXXXX, nice to meet you. How can I help you today??"


Look at Dr. Jeff's last line. That my good friends is absolutely beyond a shadow of doubt the whole secret to success in being a doctor. I wish everyone had that in mind. Treat people like you would want them to treat you. My hat is off to you, Dr. Jeff.

I'd like to take the credit, but I have to give it to my parents. They're the ones that instilled that type of values.

 

[DrJeff]

Originally posted by Dentaldream
Dr. Jeff,

You wear scrubs in your office? Is that common in the states? Because the dentists in Canada usually wear a shirt and tie, most of them at least.

The only days that I don't wear scrubs, are #1, when I have to go and teach in the afternoon or have a dinner meeting immediately after work, or #2 all my scrubs are dirty and my pile of laundry resembles Mt. Everest 😀

Other than that it's scrubs and nikes everyday. Hey, how many folks can say that they get to wear "pajamas" all day?😀 BTW, forget the 50/50 cotton/poly blends, go 100% cotton washed with ALOT of fabric softener😍 Pure and total comfort!

 

[StarGirl]

Originally posted by DrJeff
The only days that I don't wear scrubs, are #1, when I have to go and teach in the afternoon or have a dinner meeting immediately after work, or #2 all my scrubs are dirty and my pile of laundry resembles Mt. Everest 😀

Other than that it's scrubs and nikes everyday. Hey, how many folks can say that they get to wear "pajamas" all day?😀 BTW, forget the 50/50 cotton/poly blends, go 100% cotton washed with ALOT of fabric softener😍 Pure and total comfort!

isn't it a pain to have to iron your scrubs? 😛