On a Friday afternoon, a dentist’s mind raced. Her patient was asking for a fifth refill of Percocet. The dentist was positive that the pain from a third molar extraction had passed and feared the patient had a substance dependence…
In this episode of Weekly Wisdom, Dr. Sanj Mohanta returns to give some tips on motivating your patients to care about their oral health. Subscribe to Oral Health’s weekly e-newsletter to have the latest episode delivered straight…
Professional conflicts may arise when dental principals and dental associates disagree about processes in the dental clinic. These conflicts may have regulatory implications before the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO). In ideal circumstances, dental principals and dental…
Eventually, every dental hygienist will deal with a difficult patient. Despite best efforts, a patient may be angry or upset with the care they have received or something that has been said to them. Sometimes they will be angry for…
Dental hygienists are a key part in ensuring that patients are satisfied with their visit at the dental practice. As a hygienist, you not only assist your patients with their oral hygiene, you also are responsible for helping educate them…
There are seven key distinctions that set the bar for consistently delivering an ideal new patient experience and increasing satisfaction, retention, and referrals. Making a “distinction” involves refining one’s thinking. Dentists are good at making clinical distinctions. For example, recognizing…
A well-organized appointment system is a cornerstone of successful scheduling, but even the best-laid plans can turn to chaos with an unexpected occurrence, such as a dental emergency. How to manage your regular appointments and dental emergencies efficiently is key…
Did you know that acronyms are actually very modern inventions? They were found to be in existence around World War 1, but were still not used very much until World War 2. The word “acronym” did not even come into…
It was in March of 2019 that my daughter was diagnosed with autism at a support level 3, just before her 3rd birthday. This means that she requires substantial support in order to get through her day. Since then, I…
Well we are seeing signs of the flattening of the curve and the hope is we will start to return to some degree of “normal” very soon. New Brunswick and Saskatchewan seem to be leading the charge in loosening restrictions.…
Crosscheck complete. Ready for departure from one of the most remarkable adventures I’ve had the privilege of embarking on. I’m faced with the incredibly challenging task of describing what seems to be an indescribable dream; a blur of circumstances sous…
It’s been said that there is no health without mental health—the truth of this statement is difficult to refute. Mental illness presents a serious barrier to receiving good health care and dental care is no exception. The enormity of this…
Historical thinking about the role of the dental hygienist as a member of the health care team is that their purpose is primarily auxiliary or clinical.1 However, a paradigm shift in the profession has been in process for several years.2…
In the world of dental hygiene, we commonly refer to routine follow up exams with patients as ‘recall’ appointments. More appropriately, these can be considered re-care exams, as our patients aren’t recalled per se, rather compassionately re-cared for through the…
The success of a dental practice is completely dependent on how effective the team is in influencing patients to say “yes” to recommended care. It doesn’t matter how excellent all other aspects of the practice are, if the patient doesn’t…
The first touch-point for patients is the reception area and it is critical to make a positive and lasting impression. Patients expect a dental office to maintain high standards of cleanliness and safety, which starts from the moment they enter…
A 72-year-old female patient was referred to our office by her physician with the chief concern of a large granuloma on her lower lip. The patient had a medical history positive for hypertension, thyroid disease, hypercholesterolemia, osteopenia, sinusitis and eczema.…
Are you doing all you can to motivate and empower your patients to become actively involved in their dental health? As dental professionals, you are trained to understand the science of oral health. You know how to use the…
Are you using referrals as one of your most successful practice building strategies? One of your patients has just said great things about you, your office and your team. This is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of one of the…
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