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Why Do Patients Distrust Their Dentist?
Trust is based on a good and honest relationship between the patient and dentist; such a relationship is not always about the treatment and it takes time to build. Patients are individuals with backgrounds, which may or may not affect what they need or expect from their dental practice; but when the discussion is about dental health it is important that enough information is exchanged – and understood.
Why Should You Trust Us?
We provide an essential health service and we do so with the all round well-being of our patients in mind. As our patient you are not just ‘a set of teeth’, we know you have individual needs - and we are the people who have the skills, knowledge and experience to help you keep your mouth and teeth healthy. We make sure that our patients have the opportunity to talk about their problems, and we listen to them.
How Will You Know That We Can Be Trusted?
The first and most obvious answer is to show you that you are getting fair value for your money – we all need to know that we are only having required treatments and being charged appropriately them. We beleive that you need to be involved in your treatment plans, that you need to understand the reasons for recommended treatment, the treatment process and the long-term benefits to your health. You need to feel that the dental work is carried out to your satisfaction. The less obvious answer is that trust can only be built up by getting to know each other - it isn’t always necessary to talk about dentistry – as indicated in point 1.
Why Is Prevention Better Than Cure?
We only get one set of adult teeth, nothing can adequately replace them when they are neglected and then lost. So regular preventive care can help you save your teeth, in turn this helps with your general well-being and your finances. Some people think dentists prefer patients who need extensive treatments, because they are more expensive than routine examinations; but a patient who looks after their teeth and has regular oral health checks is better in the long-term for the Practice. Its certainly better for patients to keep their mouths healthy as long as possible – so everyone wins!
Why Would We Recommend Preventive Treatment When It Is Less Profitable?
The extraction of teeth and replacement with a denture is obviously an expensive treatment; but once a patient has dentures they often mistakenly feel that they don’t need to be seen by their dentist again. It is a disadvantage for the business to loose regular patients, whose teeth we could have saved with timely treatment. After all, having dentures instead of their own teeth is a disadvantage for the patient.
Who Is The Perfect Patient?
There is no perfect patient nor an imperfect patient. It is all about how the patient and the dentist can establish a good communication where they understand each other. It is about how the dentist with his team can communicate the benefits of the treatment for the patient and the patient have the sense of being heard.
What Is The Difference Between High Quality Treatment and Poor Quality Treatment?
High quality treatment provides for the actual needs of the patient (occasionally this may not be in accord with the wishes of the patient) and is carried out to a high specification – ensuring that all possible steps are fully completed with suitable tools, materials and care during and after the treatment. High quality treatment is not restricted by financial concerns or limited timescales. High quality treatment often depends upon good communication between the dentist and patient, which includes suitable preventative care.
Poor quality treatment is often dependent upon the financial restraints of the patient or the NHS; quality of treatment may be compromised by inadequate timescales or by the wishes of the patient rather than their needs. Poor quality treatment may also be the result of poor dental practices, inferior tools and materials, incorrect diagnoses, inadequate communication between the dentist and patient and inadequate follow-up treatment or advise.
Examples Of Bad Practice That Give Poor Quality Treatment
- Insufficient removal of decay and detritus before filling.
- Inadequate or incorrect disinfection procedures.
- Ignoring the smaller indications of decay.
- Inadequate communication with the patient, leaving him/her unaware that of what will happen if treatment is not accepted or completed.
- Omitting stages in treatment, such as RCT, because of lack of time or funding.
What Is A Treatment Plan?
A treatment plan is a plan printed after the discussion of treatment with the patient, it shows recommended treatments and costs. The plan is a useful reminder of the treatments and costs that have been mutually agreed, it helps to avoid possible confusion about what was discussed and allows the patient to budget appropriately for their treatment.
What Can You, As A Private Patient, Expect From This Practice?
Besides a better quality of treatment than that provided for by the NHS, you can expect to be catered for individually – to be able to book appointments at times that suit you, and to be welcomed into a relaxed and inviting environment by all of the staff. You can expect to have access to the latest dental technologies and services, to have a full range of high quality dental treatments and, if necessary, to be referred to the most appropriate specialist. You can expect the advantages of our Dental Care Plans that help you to budget for your treatments. You can expect to be fully involved in all decisions concerning your dental health. You can expect us to respect you as a person - not just a set of teeth.