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How To Create A Stress-Free Appointment For Patients By Utilizing Desensitization

How To Create A Stress-Free Appointment For Patients By Utilizing Desensitization
by Debbi Viger, RDH, BHS

We all have those patients who simply hate what it is that we do. Whether it’s updating health history, laying back in the chair, probing, too much water, bad flavors, or scaling their teeth, they hate it all. Desensitization is the process used to overcome each of the objections to create an appointment free of stress and which can improve the next appointment. This process can be used with any patient that experiences stress or objections in the chair. As soon as we sense the patient has disengaged or has become tense, we need to stop and begin the process of desensitization by questioning first. What are they feeling? What is causing the tension or fear? The most important aspect is getting the patient to express what portion of the appointment induces fear or discomfort and acknowledging we can help to overcome that particular issue.

Break it down for them. Let’s say it’s the probing that causes stress. What part is the issue? Are they fearful of the poking and the way it feels on the tissue? If that’s the problem, there’s a simple solution; offer topical anesthetic and demonstrate how much more comfortable they can be and thank the patient for sharing their feelings. Express that you understand their concern and you will note in their chart to use topical prior to probing. Perhaps the patient is concerned the numbers will show they have progression of disease. In this case, perhaps charting can be done silently, so the patient doesn’t have to hear the numbers as they are being recorded, or maybe the patient can wear a headset and be listening to music or a movie. After recording probing depths, show the areas of concern on a model, then in the mouth with a calm, compassionate demeanor, offering solutions for better health.

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