Dentists of the 21st century are finding inspiration in coaching approaches. Try these 5 coaching tips from Dr Sunčica Ilija to develop your relationships with your dental patients.
A fear of dentists is so common that it even has its own name – dentophobia. Your job as a dental professional is to dispel this fear and help people see the value of oral health, regular dental check-ups and proper oral care.
The best way to do that is by fostering a partnership with your patients. Dr Sunčica Ilija, Head of Curaden Academy, recommends these 5 skills that will help improve your everyday interaction with patients and inspire them to take control of their oral health.
Listen actively
The most useful technique for developing a relationship with your patients is the skill of active listening. To actively listen means to be fully engaged with what the patients are communicating. Don’t just listen with your ears, use your sight and intuition to observe their body language and emotions. Notice not only what was said, but also their unspoken messages.
To become a skilled listener, be sure to devote your full attention to your patients. Avoid any distractions, such as checking your phone or computer, and show your patients that you are fully engaged with the conversation by nodding, maintaining attentive eye contact, and asking clarifying questions.
Keep an open mind. Active listening must be non-judgemental. Instead of jumping to conclusions and, for example, judging your patients for struggling to establish a consistent home care routine, simply make them feel heard and understood when they are talking about their oral care rituals, worries and other lifestyle factors that might influence their oral health journey.
Actively listening to your patients is a surefire way of building a close relationship with them. Yes, it might be more time-consuming, but this investment is sure to pay off. It will allow you and your patients to better understand their behaviours, needs and fears. That will not only lead to more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment plans from your side, but also an openness to change from theirs.
Tip from professional
coach Eleonóra Barcziová
Build rapport
Having a good rapport with your patients will make even routine dental check-ups seem like fun. This is about connecting with your patients, and cultivating an atmosphere of trust and understanding. It’s a skill that involves seeing and appreciating the other’s point of view, and also getting them to understand yours.
To do so, show a consistent interest in your patients’ wellbeing, demonstrate empathy, care and respect, and search for similarities in your values and beliefs. It makes a world of difference when you approach patients not only with professional competence, but also with warmth and kindness.
To establish a partnership between you and your patients, match their language and communication style. Many healthcare professionals only talk in difficult-to-understand professional jargon. That might lead to a disconnect between you and your patients. Instead, take the time to explain everything they might be curious about in a way they will easily understand.
Bridging the gap between dental professionals and patients and shifting the hierarchy into becoming partners is the single best thing you can do for your patients and their oral care journey. Not only will it make dental visits more enjoyable for the patients, but it will also increase the likelihood that they will adhere to treatment plans and recommendations.
Tip from professional
coach Eleonóra Barcziová
Ask questions
Asking questions is a fundamental aspect of patient-centred care in dentistry. It allows you to find out about your patients’ oral and overall health, preferred treatment options, their oral care habits at home, dental history, and more. Asking well is an art.
Good questions are open-ended, non-leading, non-judgemental, and, above all, they show a genuine interest in the answer. You will be surprised how much you can learn from your patients. While you are an expert in your field, every patient is an expert in their own life. Give them the space and opportunity to share their knowledge with you. Armed with this information you will be able make more informed decisions and provide better personalised care.
Asking questions goes both ways. You should encourage your patients to ask you questions about their treatment, planned procedures and more. It will show you what their worries might be and give you an opportunity to dispel them. Additionally, it will increase their engagement with their own oral treatment.
Set goals
You cannot head out on an oral care journey without first having a destination in mind. Setting clear and achievable goals with your patients will help improve their oral health outcomes. Aligning your patients’ and your own expectations and desired outcomes will help you set better goals.
To set goals well, take inspiration from the EXACT goal setting model: Goals should be Explicit, eXciting, Assessable, Challenging, and Time-framed. Creating goals with your patients in adherence to this structure will ensure that they will be more driven to achieve them.
Don’t forget to regularly track your patients’ progress with photos, their BOB score or X-rays that will show them how far they’ve come, as well as where there are still areas for improvement. Providing patients with regular reminders that they are on the right track is a great way to boost their motivation.
Tip from professional
coach Eleonóra Barcziová
Offer feedback
Providing feedback is an essential part of improving patients’ oral self-care. But just like with asking questions, there is an art to giving good feedback.
As in any great art, there is no space for sharing frustration or shame. These emotions will only demoralise your patients. Good feedback should be motivational and inspirational. You want to encourage and empower your patients. Positive reinforcement for good oral hygiene habits will help patients maintain healthy behaviours and take control of their oral health.
When giving feedback, keep in mind the goal you want to achieve. Be direct, specific and focused on the behaviours you want the patients to change. If you see room for improvement in your patients’ brushing technique, don’t just describe the desired changes, but use the Touch to Teach technique to make sure that patients fully understand your feedback.
Feedback also goes both ways. You are the expert on oral care, so you should give patients feedback on their brushing technique, use of interdental brushes or lifestyle choices that influence oral health. But you should also be open to receiving feedback from your patients about your communication, pain management or professional manners. Creating an open environment where both you and your patients are open to receiving feedback will improve both your relationship and their health outcomes.
Sunčica Ilija, DMD, Head of Curaden Academy, is an experienced general dentist with a degree from the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Belgrade. Throughout her career, Dr Ilija has blended dentistry and education. She was certified in communication and soft skills and was contracted as an educational consultant and trainer. Later, she worked for a private dental practice in Switzerland, focusing on preventive dentistry and prophylaxis, where she had the opportunity to implement iTOP. She joined Curaden AG in 2019 as a professional education manager and was promoted to Head of Curaden Academy at the beginning of 2023.
Eleonóra Barcziová, ACC (ICF) is a transpersonal coach guiding her clients through their self-exploration experiences with 15 years of experience in people development, company culture and HR strategy, both in international and small business settings.
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