With the end of summer nearing, many Canadians are settling back into a routine with an increased focus on healthy habits. Numerous patients have delayed care for quite some time, and the demand ahead for treatment plans will be significant. As such, dental practices must be ready to support a return to packed patient schedules.
Dentists are highly trained and skilled health care professionals and, as such, are legally and professionally obligated to recognize and manage medical emergencies. This includes iatrogenic events and emergencies occurring by chance, such as a patient fainting in the waiting room. Adequately preparing for medical emergencies requires not only the proper drugs and equipment, but also training, teamwork, and a culture of safety that permeates throughout the entire dental practice.
In a (post) pandemic world, where the population is more aware of the risks of airborne transmission and “work from anywhere” has become de rigueur, some patients will prefer to avoid commuting to the dental practice as often. But that doesn’t mean a dental practice should give up on the relationship it has built with those patients. By utilizing remote virtual methods like videoconferences to execute consultations and diagnoses, clinicians can conveniently connect with patients from the com...
As a specialist, a significant portion of my patients present after endodontic treatment has failed or was abandoned mid-treatment, due to an unforeseen complication. Throughout my career, I have seen my fair share of my own failed treatments, and I have witnessed the distress these situations can cause my colleagues as I certainly know they cause me many a sleepless night.
Every dentist aims to please by providing their patients with optimal treatment outcomes. This dedication to success can sometimes lead a dentist to offer patients a guarantee (a promise of a satisfactory outcome) or a warranty (a time-limited agreement to replace, repair or refund a defect in material or workmanship). Other dentists may feel obligated to offer a guarantee or warranty when practicing in a competitive market or in response to a patient’s request. Whatever the reason, it is es...
According to the World Health Organization’s March 25th, 2020 report on oral health, dental caries remains the number one dental issue globally to this day. While we are seeing a decrease in dental caries in both fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities in Canada, there is still much work to be done.
A year-and-a-half into this ever-evolving pandemic and we find ourselves in the grip of a third wave. The pandemic has caused a significant change in all of our lives. The only constant we’ve had is the constant of the unknown. The virus has proved to be relentless and efforts to contain the spread require a consistent effort to follow regulatory and public health guidelines.
The dentist-patient relationship is the core of dentistry. Just like in any relationship, there inevitably will be a negative experience, and nearly all dentists will need to dismiss a patient at some point in their careers. Dismissals can be upsetting for patients and stressful for dentists. Regardless of whether you have conducted a patient dismissal previously, it is always good to review and possibly revise your dismissal procedure to ensure you follow the best practices for terminating ...
Dr. Dan Siegel coined the phrase, name it to tame it. Psychologist David Rock states, “when you experience significant internal tension and anxiety, you can reduce stress by up to 50% by simply noticing and naming your state.” Abblett further explains, if we can see the emotion, we do not have to be the emotion. Noticing and naming our emotions helps create some distance between the emotion and the intense feelings that accompany it.
The original Hippocratic Oath, one of the oldest binding documents in history, dates back to the fourth century B.C. A 1943 translation of the Oath reads, "What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment … I will keep to myself." Much has changed in the 2,500 years since Hippocrates swore never “to use the knife;” however, the notion that doctors owe patients an ethical duty of privacy has withstood the test of time. Modern dentists must comply with fed...
