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KNOW YOUR DENTIST AND
YOURSELF -WHAT TYPE
OF PATIENT ARE YOU?
By: Dr. Christopher Fears
Gentle Dental of Branchburg
My personal frustration with dental
treatment lingers from before dental
school, when my physician told me
that my earache was caused by a
tooth. I went to a dentist, unsure of
the procedure, and once I sat in the
chair, everything seemed to change so
quickly. I was already numb, treatment
was changing, the tooth was cracked,
and I had no idea what I was agreeing
to (or not), nor the price. I had agreed
to try filling the tooth, but was then
told I may need a root canal or an
extraction due to the crack in the
tooth. With that memory in mind, and
fear of those unknown possibilities,
here is some advice from the other side
of the instruments.
Can you avoid these hopeless feelings?
There are times when conditions exist
that cannot be easily predicted or
immediately diagnosed, but having
some understanding of your treatment
and yourself can be a great help. Your
dentist will handle the procedures, but
communicating both your level of
understanding and your priorities for
treatment will help you share in the
decisions.
So, what type of patient are you?
Based upon your dental exam and dis-
cussion, you will be compared to sev-
eral patient examples in an effort to
connect your problems to realistic
objectives. Accurately communicate
who you are, and you will be happier
with your overall experience. The fol-
lowing statements are typical, based
on patients I have treated and have
discussed with colleagues. Which
approach fits you? Perhaps you are a
combination of a few.
1. “I only see the dentist when it
hurts. I have had bad experiences
during treatment, and I hate my
teeth as they have always been
trouble. Just fix this.”
2. “I schedule regular cleanings and
exams, but for one reason or anoth-
er I usually treat problems only when
I start to feel symptoms.”
3. “I like to be proactive. I keep my
appointments and take my oral
health seriously. I want to complete
agreed upon treatment plans. I am
also focused on insurance and
other economic factors, and I need
help prioritizing treatment needs.”
4. “I am ready to look beyond regular
care and consider esthetic treat-
ments. I am influenced by examples
of attractive smiles and upcoming
events like weddings, and will look
beyond the basics. I will visit a spe-
cialist for complex procedures.”
5. “I want the best care option and
have faith in my dentist’s judgment
and intentions. I want optimized
health, function, and aesthetics.”
Don’t worry! All the above represent
reasonable patients, and there is a
place for all of them in a dental prac-
tice (I was probably somewhere
between 2 and 3). The only difference
in treating each is educating them
about the risks and setting rational
expectations that result from the dif-
ferent mindsets. So, if you are on the
same page as your dentist, the presen-
tation of treatment options will respect
your perspective with explanations
why recommendations might change.
This cooperation will leave you
informed and closer to productive
treatments.
What would help? Develop a good
relationship with a dentist, local to
where you live or work, and schedule
routine dental cleanings and check-
ups. Choose an office where you will
see the same dentist, typically where
the owners work as practicing dentists,
and there is consistency and familiarity
with you and your dental health.
Friends, family, or co-workers can help
your search, as can nearby specialists
like oral surgeons, periodontists, and
orthodontists as they see examples of
work from area dentists and know
what is good. Once you find that rela-
tionship, try to protect it by encourag-
ing your employer to avoid insurance
plan changes that suddenly find your
dentist “out of network.” With dental
care, like so many other aspects of
your life, knowing yourself and finding
trusted allies can make your objectives
more attainable.
Gentle Dental
of Branchburg
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