Having the Difficult Conversation: When Patients Opt for No Treatment
Ask any dental professional why they chose dentistry as a career, and the answer is often, "I want to help people." This is especially true for dental hygienists. We have a clear understanding of what a healthy mouth looks like, and we want that for every one of our patients. We are trained to identify early signs of disease so treatment can be rendered and larger problems avoided.
However, in a business that is driven primarily by pain, it can be a challenge to help patients see what we want for them. For example, it is difficult for some patients to see why a painless open margin on a crown can be problematic. With these patients, it can even feel like we want treatment for them more than they want it for themselves, leaving us frustrated when they decline treatment. So, what should we do when this happens? And how we can be helpful even when patients say "no" to treatment?...
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However, in a business that is driven primarily by pain, it can be a challenge to help patients see what we want for them. For example, it is difficult for some patients to see why a painless open margin on a crown can be problematic. With these patients, it can even feel like we want treatment for them more than they want it for themselves, leaving us frustrated when they decline treatment. So, what should we do when this happens? And how we can be helpful even when patients say "no" to treatment?...
Click Here To Read More