Time in between patients

[maryanne213]

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As a dentist, what do you do in between patients?

 

[DcS]

Time is money, so usually there is no time b/w patients. Normally dentists will have patients simultaneously seated in multiple operatories. Say patient 1, the dds says hello, anesthetizes and leaves while the assistant puts on the rubber damn. He/she then gets up, goes to operatory 2 where the dam is on, and preps 3 teeth for operative. He then gets up and does a hygiene check, only to return to chair 1 and begin prepping.

Usually this is how productive offices will run.

 

[maryanne213]

what if you're having a slow day? Do dentists spend much time reviewing patient files?

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

As a dentist, what do you do in between patients?

Hi there,

Between patients, I roam SDN and give ill advices to unsuspecting newbies... DP

 

[gryffindor]

Do any of the following: read, snack, stare at the wall, make a phone call, go for a walk and get some coffee. If I had access to a computer, you bet I'd be on there surfing the net.

 

[lnn2]

As a dentist, what do you do in between patients?

getting jiggy with the assistants?!

 

[flossin']

getting jiggy with the assistants?!

No way! Everyone knows hygiene chicks are way hotter!!!

 

[ItsGavinC]

what if you're having a slow day?

Russle up some patients so there aren't any more slow days!

 

[DrJeff]

Alot depends on my day and how the schedule is set, also how many hygenists I'm overseeing that day. I may have a day where the schedule in both of my operatories is stacked one patient after the next and I also have 3 hygenists to oversee - days like those I'm running fullbore 100% from room to room, patient to patient from 8 - 1 and then again from 2-5 (my hours Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and then 8-1 on Friday). In my office, we have a "golden rule" that lunch hour is sacred and as close to an hour as possible, so my front desk knows that if they have me double booked at noontime that it better be not much more than an occlusal adjustment, suture removal or denture impression - i.e. something very quick! On a busy day, I may be looking in/working on 40 or so mouths (including 3 hygenists) in my 5 hour pre-lunch session, day like that, downtime if I'm lucky is 30 seconds to hit the bathroom or grab a quick drink of water and/or snack.

On an easier day, i.e. one where I haven't let myself be double booked, or don't have to manage 3 hygenists - days like this is where I might be prepping multiple crowns or doing a few endos and crowns all on the same patient, I'll have some down time to read the newspaper and/or magazine (both dental mags and good 'ol people, time, etc, or hop on line and check out SDN, or some of my other favorite sites.

Typically I'll sit down at the end of my day and fill out all my charts from that day/do any treatment plans and do any other business related things that I need to do. Most days if my last patient leaves the office at roughly 5PM, I'm in the office another 30 to 45 minutes doing tha paper work.

 

[DrJeff]

No way! Everyone knows hygiene chicks are way hotter!!!

In my office you'd be comparing apples to apples, since all my hygenists, assistants, and front desk crew are all quite visually appealing 😉 😀 👍

 

[toofache32]

In my office you'd be comparing apples to apples, since all my hygenists, assistants, and front desk crew are all quite visually appealing 😉 😀 👍

Down boy! Down! DOWN!

I plan on having similar criteria for employment.

Hey.....Ain't you married? That's OK....just because you're chained up doesn't mean you can't run to the edge of the yard and bark!

 

[toofache32]

what if you're having a slow day? Do dentists spend much time reviewing patient files?

Nah...just close the office door and surf porn. Oh, wait....did I say that out loud?

 

[lnn2]

Down boy! Down! DOWN!

I plan on having similar criteria for employment.

Hey.....Ain't you married? That's OK....just because you're chained up doesn't mean you can't run to the edge of the yard and bark!

LOL

Nah...just close the office door and surf porn. Oh, wait....did I say that out loud?

I was thinking the same thing...out loud!

 

[drhobie7]

Alot depends on my day and how the schedule is set, also how many hygenists I'm overseeing that day. I may have a day where the schedule in both of my operatories is stacked one patient after the next and I also have 3 hygenists to oversee - days like those I'm running fullbore 100% from room to room, patient to patient from 8 - 1 and then again from 2-5 (my hours Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and then 8-1 on Friday). In my office, we have a "golden rule" that lunch hour is sacred and as close to an hour as possible, so my front desk knows that if they have me double booked at noontime that it better be not much more than an occlusal adjustment, suture removal or denture impression - i.e. something very quick! On a busy day, I may be looking in/working on 40 or so mouths (including 3 hygenists) in my 5 hour pre-lunch session, day like that, downtime if I'm lucky is 30 seconds to hit the bathroom or grab a quick drink of water and/or snack.

On an easier day, i.e. one where I haven't let myself be double booked, or don't have to manage 3 hygenists - days like this is where I might be prepping multiple crowns or doing a few endos and crowns all on the same patient, I'll have some down time to read the newspaper and/or magazine (both dental mags and good 'ol people, time, etc, or hop on line and check out SDN, or some of my other favorite sites.

Typically I'll sit down at the end of my day and fill out all my charts from that day/do any treatment plans and do any other business related things that I need to do. Most days if my last patient leaves the office at roughly 5PM, I'm in the office another 30 to 45 minutes doing tha paper work.

Wow, being a GP is tough work! Every specialist I meet tells me how hard GPs work. 4 patients a day is about as fast as I can go. 😳

 

[Kinski]

How about taking a nap in the meantime? 😀