Dr. John O'Keefe
In January, I was invited to speak at an Irish Dental Association conference that focused on non-clinical topics of importance to Irish dentists. I have no doubt that the information exchanged in Dublin would also have resonated strongly with Canadian dentists, especially as the effects of the global economic downturn begin to ripple around the world.
It probably hasn’t escaped your attention that the Irish economy has faced major challenges recently. Because the dental sector is closely tied to the economy, these are particularly challenging times for Irish dentists. The pain has been compounded by swift and drastic cuts to the country’s public dental care program. To appreciate the scale and significance of the cuts, just imagine how our dental sector would be affected if employment-related dental benefits suddenly disappeared in Canada.
Despite the gloomy news, the Irish remain good humoured (as always) and they are looking to find ways to adapt and thrive in the face of adversity. It was fascinating to hear my fellow conference speakers reinforcing some fundamental messages. One message was about the importance of maintaining hope, as the economy will certainly improve and the demand for dental care will eventually increase as a result of people deferring care during the current recession.
Another key message was that even in the most challenging circumstances, the relationship between dentist and patient is the cornerstone of a successful dental practice. This relationship is built upon the dentist asserting a true leadership role, communicating comprehensively (e.g., active listening, sensitive nonverbal communication and speaking appropriately) and engaging with the patient. Dentistry is an intensely personal service; patient trust in the dentist and perceptions of value rest on this relationship.
As a younger dentist, I fancied myself a good communicator in the clinical setting. In fact, I confidently volunteered for a discourse analysis of my clinical communication patterns. The results gave me cause for concern, to say the least. In many cases, I wasn’t truly listening to the concerns of my patients. I displayed an arrogant “blame the victim” approach to some, and radiated an uncaring attitude to others. Particularly when I was under stress, I tended to communicate in a less than optimal manner.
This turned out to be quite a humbling exercise. It made me want to understand the root causes of my behaviour and take corrective measures. For colleagues who might have niggling doubts about their own communication patterns, a good starting point is the “Patient Communication” section on the members’ side of the CDA website. Patient trust was the topic of my presentation in Dublin and this prompted me to examine this section closely. I was genuinely impressed with the resources found there, including self-assessment tools, highlights of research conducted with the Canadian public about their perception of dentists, results of a survey examining how Canadian dentists believe patients perceive them, and resources related to communicating during the various components of the patient examination.
Based on my own humbling experience, I believe that we could all benefit from reflecting on how we communicate with patients. If we can adopt a style of communication based on humility, integrity and service, I am convinced that any concerns about the level of trust underpinning the dentist–patient relationship will take care of themselves.