Communicating with Dental Patients: Put Yourself in Their Shoes

Jim McKee, DDS, is a dentist in private practice. He’s also a Visiting Faculty member with Piper Education and Research Center, where he teaches on subjects such as occlusion and the clinical referral process. In this video clip, he discusses a useful approach for communicating your treatment plan to patients.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

“Communication is key. I really think that if you think about it from a patient’s perspective, it’s a big deal to come into the dental office. There’s a lot of work that may need to be done in some cases. Sometimes, patients have been embarrassed by the condition of their mouth. My job is not to judge patients, but my job is to help them move toward the best level of health they want to get to. What that really comes down to is helping patients understand what the problems are, understand what the solutions are, and then finding a time in their life when it will work for them as well as making sure the financial part will work for them. I’ve learned over the years that I think if we can be open and honest with patients about what the options are for treatment, it’s going to allow them to be able to accept more treatment plans.”