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8/21/2018 |
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Tell It To Them Straight: Conversing Confidently With Patients |
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Tell It To Them Straight: Conversing Confidently With Patients by Danielle Luhingm BHS-DH, RDH As clinicians, we’ve all “been there, done that” with “selling” the information we are trying to deliver. Part of our career responsibilities is educating those in our care on their oral health needs. But what if you aren’t comfortable with being a "salesperson"? Maybe you received the Golden Scaler award in your hygiene program, or you got a 4.0 GPA throughout hygiene school, but you aren’t comfortable conversing with the patient in your care. I would like to share with you some tips that have worked for me to engage my patients in their own oral care needs over my career as a clinician and educator. Confidentially educate in your operatory What is in it for you? And patients want to know what’s in it for them. You are often a salesperson in your operatory. However, you are not selling a product or a tactile item—you are selling therapy, treatment, and an improved healthy lifestyle, among other things. People don’t want to be sold to when they know they are being sold to. The best way I have found to sell my “product” is to tell it to them straight: “Mr. Jones, you have periodontal disease. You will need periodontal therapy if you want to keep your teeth, and you will then need to continue with this therapeutic care for the rest of your life in order to maintain the health of your teeth.” You want to deliver the patient’s need, treatment options, immediate outcome, and long-term outcome. Read full article on Dentistry iQ.
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