| Subject: Re: On my soapbox regarding dentists |
Author:
Eleni
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Date Posted: 22:02:09 07/17/04 Sat
In reply to:
Cap'n Nemo
's message, "On my soapbox regarding dentists" on 12:15:15 07/17/04 Sat
Disclaimer: this is not in defense of those persons without manners who happen to hold dentist degrees.
Granted, you can make the same case below for any specialty within the medical profession. I think there are many variables that go into how a Dentist untimely shapes his counseling skills, everything from his own personality type, his childhood experiences with dentists, the depth (or lack thereof) of "bed-side manner" training at school - which I hear is sorely lacking in US schools but is more important in other parts of the world, the way he/she views a patient - as a human or a symptom, etc.
There are so many doctors out there today - even in poorly populated regions, that at least we can be thankful we have a choice as to whose hands we put our lives (or teeth) into.
Lastly, I think communication skills have dropped considerable everywhere, in all professions and business models. When was the last time you called a customer service line?
>Granted, a dentist needs to have technical expertise,
>but I am sick and tired of dentists who are lacking in
>communication skills. I propose that dental schools
>train students extensively in (1) how to listen to
>patients and really hear their concerns (2) how to
>communicate effectively with patients based on
>attentive listening and speaking truthfully to a
>patient(3) how to communicate with empathy and (4) the
>need to base communication on the patient's best
>interests, not the dentist's agenda
>
>Most dentists I have encountered are poorly skilled in
>communicating simply and directly. Often, dentists
>will avoid saying anything, then when it is too late,
>tell you the awful truth: "Oh, by the way, that tooth
>we've been concerned about for the past year will have
>to be extracted--and the one next to it as well."
>What tooth? The dentist never mentioned any tooth he
>was watching before. And by early intervention, both
>could have been saved. I was never informed and never
>given an option until it was too late. And so it goes.
>
>I have always, since my youth, done what the dentist
>told me to do. Brush, floss, come in for regular
>visits, etc, etc. I've had lousy luck in choosing
>dentists who really give a damn about me and my teeth.
> The dentist I finally switched to after my last
>fiasco, seems to have a conscience, empathy, and
>expertise. And my orthodontist, bless her, talked to
>me for an hour about concerns the periodontist
>expressed about the approach my ortho was using to my
>teeth (expander rather than jaw surgery) I've never
>had a dentist talk to me longer than 18 seconds at a
>time before.
>
>I'm sure there are top-notch dentists, orthodontists,
>periodontists, and other dental professionals out
>there, including our forum's Dr Rick, who gives so
>generously of his time and expertise to us, but I
>think the Dental Schools need to really push
>communication skills development in school, before
>they push the freshly minted dentist out the door.
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