Sedation dentistry reduces dental anxiety, as does DentiSign with no pills.
July 28, 2008
This enhanced trust dynamic is not fostered when one of the team members is ‘relaxed’.
Sedation dentistry is popular, so it must work for people.
One wonders how many people could benefit from DentiSign - what about those that cannot afford sedation?
Your thoughts below please.
Dentist Video describing the effectiveness of dental hand signals.
May 15, 2008
This dentist describes the importance of a hand stop-signal in establishing trust with dental patents in his dental practice.
He states that the use of hand signals puts the dental patient in control and alleviates their fear.
If patients use the expanded DentiSign hand signalling system, control is improved along with the dental experience for both patient and dental professional.
YouTube Video coutesy of Dr. Randy Davey. (www.DaveyDental.com).
A graduate of the prestigious University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry, Dr. Randy Davey is known for the personalized care he gives each patient. His gentleness and caring, friendly manner put patients at ease, and years of experience practicing dentistry help him attain exceptional results. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Davey also serves as an adjunct professor at California State University, Sacramento, and is active in the local community.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT MY DENTAL FEAR? by Dr. Michael Krochak
April 12, 2008
From Floss.com
–snip–
The first thing you can do is to realize that your dental fear can be overcome. Fear is a learned behavior which, therefore, can be unlearned. Patient-centered behavior modification that treats you as a whole person, not as a set of teeth can help you overcome your fears. This will obviously take a team approach between you and your dentist and his/her staff. Communication is the key. You must feel comfortable expressing your fears and concerns and have a sense that you are being listened to. If you feel that the Dr. and/or staff is not genuinely concerned and listening, then absolutely feel comfortable with seeking out referrals to other offices.
You should never compromise the level of communication that you feel is necessary to give you a sense of control over your situation in the dental office. Modern dentistry with a compassionate dental team can be truly painless. You can desensitize yourself to your fears if you take the first step and allow the right team to help you overcome your fears.
A Sense of Control
- A Signaling System should be established allowing you to stop for any reason, whether it be because you need more anesthesia, want to rinse out, or simply need a two second break. The most common signal is raising your hand./li>
–snip–
Are dentists required to provide sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired?
April 12, 2008
DentiSign may may helpful in providing dental care to the hearing impaired.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (AwDA) defines a dental office as a public accommodation.
Therefore, dental offices cannot discriminate against individuals with disabilities such as hearing loss.
The AwDA requires dentists to provide care for patients with disabilities and to establish ways to communicate so they can understand.
There are a variety of ways to communicate with a deaf or hearing-impaired patient. For example, using written notes, pictures or models to discuss the patient’s condition and recommended treatment. Office computers are also useful in carrying on a conversation with a hearing-impaired patient.
Some hearing-impaired individuals are very adept at reading lips and prefer to be spoken to. The best approach may be to let the patient indicate the form of communication he/she prefers. There may be times when using a sign language interpreter is appropriate.
For example, it may be advisable to use an interpreter when providing complex or extensive information to obtain informed consent to a procedure that carries significant risk.
Does the dental office have to pay for a sign language interpreter?
You may not have to hire an interpreter. A member of the patient’s family may be able to interpret for you, or there may be a service organization in your community that will provide an interpreter at no cost. The local office of your state rehabilitation services agency or health department may be able to direct you to such an organization. It is important that an interpreter accurately convey what both doctor and patient are saying.
If no other resource is available, and the patient is unable to communicate and understand by any method other than sign language, you may have to hire an interpreter. Under the AwDA, you would have to pay the cost of the interpreter and could not pass the cost on to the patient as a supplemental charge or increased fee for the dental treatment. Should you determine an interpreter is not required, the disabled person can file a complaint and you must be prepared to justify your decision. For increased patient confidentiality and/or to explain complex procedures, a professional interpreter may be needed. Visit NAD to learn more about interpreters from the National Association of the Deaf.
The Dentist-Patient Relationship
April 12, 2008
This article explores the Dentist-Patient relationship and offers pactical advice to Dentists looking to provide a better dental experience for their patients.
The author goes into a lot of detail on each of the factors to be considered, and includes the following note;
–snip–
How may the dentist further address the issue of loss of control?
A simple instruction that allows patients to signal by raising a hand if they wish to stop or speak returns a sense of control.
–snip—
EVDS student offers emotion-based design to improve children’s experience at the dental office
April 12, 2008
Great Article from EVDS
In the future, children will associate a trip to the dental office with feelings of empowerment, fun and relaxation rather than with fear, anxiety or pain, if Georgia Houston has her way.
Houston, a graduate student in industrial design at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Environmental Design, recently completed her master’s degree project which proposes a dynamic new approach to addressing the negative emotions children often associate with dental visits. Houston hopes her holistic design alternatives promote a more positive dental experience and, ultimately, improved long-term dental health.
Houston worked with Calgary-area pediatric dentists, a child therapist and other designers to apply the Faculty of Environmental Design’s holistic and interdisciplinary perspective to explore how pediatric dentistry could benefit from improved design options ranging from child education, empowering toys, furniture and dental office layouts.
The need for a better patient-dentist experience is pervasive in North America.
In the United States,
- 40% of the population is apprehensive about visiting the dentist.
- 20% of adults describe themselves as highly anxious.
- 5% of the population avoids oral health appointments altogether because of extreme anxiety.
Print DentiSign and bring it to your next dental appointment and see the difference it makes.
