Live, Laugh, Smile: Build a Positive Experience for Patients

Eating a delicious meal, seeing an old friend, going to a party, going to the beach, driving a new car or going to an amusement park; these are a few of many possible positive experiences that people love. Unfortunately, a dental visit is most likely not on that list for many people. A dental practice needs to create a positive experience for patients. Fortunately, there are a variety of methods to do just that.

Build a positive experience for patients

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, finds that only 62 percent of adults between the ages of 18 to 64 visited the dentist in 2014. The CDC also finds that 83 percent of children ages 2 to 17 visited the dentist at least once the same year. It is apparent that adults do not view dental care with the same level of importance for themselves as they do for their children. While adults may have a variety of reasons for a lack of dental checkups from financial difficulties to busy schedules, adults need regular dental care as much as children do. However, many adults may avoid necessary checkups due to the negative stigma surrounding dentistry. People associate a dental visit as painful, even though technology has advanced to the point where dentistry is comfortable. Patients may not always remember that a dentist can help keep a smile beautiful and healthy. By creating a positive environment for the patient, a practice can help patients feel more comfortable and welcome during the appointment. A practice can also educate the patients on the available methods and technology, helping patients understand that appointments can virtually be pain-free.

“63 percent of the children indicated that they preferred a decorated dental clinic over a plain clinic.”

To do this, professionals need to begin by presenting a comforting office from the waiting room to the dental chair. Having magazines for adults and activity books for kids is one example of how to at least begin to lighten up a room. A practice needs to be responsive to the patient’s need from scheduling the appointment to dealing with insurance coverage and payment after the appointment. A patient wants a great smile, but may not always want to go through the process for the smile if it is a negative experience.

Don’t worry, be happy

A study published online in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, conducted by Maha Al-Sarheed, Ph.D., at King Saud University, had 583 children answer a questionnaire. The child participants ranged in age from 9 to 12 years and attended public schools. The study finds that “63 percent of the children indicated that they preferred a decorated dental clinic over a plain clinic.” Even a simple change as some decorations on the wall can have a positive effect on younger patients. While there is not too much that a professional can do to change a dental procedure, a professional can educate their patients on the procedure prior to beginning. For instance, a dental practice can break down the steps of the checkup process for the patient to understand. The professional can also take some time to ask how the individual is doing since the last checkup. For new patients, the professional can introduce the other members of his or her practice and go over what the practice is about. These are only a few of the possible methods for creating a positive experience at a dental practice. For more information on our services, call us at 877-477-2311.

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