Laura’s Essay

Do Unto Thy Patient / the Human Side of Dentistry

By Laura Gardner 

I can think of few other situations in life where one is more vulnerable than when in the dental chair.  Perhaps another time would be when writing an essay to be judged by many. .. It especially tugs at my heartstrings when the big macho tough guy comes into our office for the first time.  He has expressed his disdain for dental offices in general and even admitted to being a ball of nerves in anticipation of his exam and what she might find.  Is he tough and dauntless when tiny beads of sweat are forming on his brow during his exam…not so much. 

Or when a female patient expresses to me that she would rather be at her gynecologist’s office for her annual pap test.  From one girl to another, this hits me on a primal level.  Do I get her angst?  Let me put it this way, does Carrot Top have orange hair???. 

The fact is we all know that there are a million and nine other places that a person would prefer to be. 

I am fully aware that on any given day I could be charged with minor technical offenses as I navigate through my responsibilities.  Have I been guilty of handing my Doc a KTG when she asked for a Sugarman?  Yes.  Have I failed to display a patients’ charting or x-rays on the computer for my Doc once, twice, or thrice?  Yes.  You ask if I am an invaluable member of my team.  In spite of my flaws, do I feel that I am valuable to the team that I bat for?   Yes I do.  And while there is no “I” in team, there is a “me”.  We are all “me’s.”  Here’s what I think makes this “me” valuable:

First and foremost, like white, brown, or yellow on rice, our patients are and always will be my number one concern.  I will always greet the patient with enthusiasm, tempered with compassion and a warm smile.  From that point on, my absolute goal is to help him or her to feel at ease as much as they can. 

I have learned that if I just listen to what he or she tells me, in the earliest part of the initial exam, I can almost always find some common ground on which to relate to them.  This invariably helps one to relax.  That is not to say that all nuts can be cracked.  I have also learned through the years that some folks are very much not interested in small talk, and want only to get down to business.  I believe that my instincts are usually spot on.  Knowing when to hold or fold ‘em so to speak, is a “good thing.”  I think Martha Stewart would agree with that.

I will never downplay or trivialize the position the patient is in.  I feel it is important to acknowledge and in some cases, even applaud them for simply showing up.  I will never judge someone by their past.  Many times patients express that they are so embarrassed.  That is my cue to reroute their thoughts and commend them for being brave and for doing the right thing today, here and now.  At this point, I might even transition the discussion into a snippet about the danger of leaving periodontal disease untreated and its link to heart disease.  We just learned in a staff meeting the other day that there are new studies potentially linking periodontal disease with breast cancer and Alzheimer’s.  Our patients could benefit greatly from having this information conveyed to them. 

An area that I try to excel in is explaining “the process” to the patient.  A small example would be when a patient comes in with only bite wing x-rays.  In their mind, they have the x-rays.  Why should we need to take more?  At that juncture in time, I will display bite wings on the patient computer screen and show them how the ends of the roots and bone level are not visible on horizontal films.  We are a Perio office.  Therefore, we need to see those roots, etc., blah blah blah.  They are immediately on board and happy to have been shown the difference.  A little communication goes a long way.  To expound on this topic even more, I bend over backwards, sideways, and upside down at times to be sure that the patient doesn’t feel like we are rushing them through or in and out like cattle.  We want our patients to leave our office fully understanding what lies in store for them for any given treatment.  What to expect the day of treatment and how they might be feeling afterwards.  I try to explain in the most fundamental terms from A-Z, hopefully easing their fears.  I am always willing to answer any question that is posed (don’t always know the answer, but will darn sure find out from Doc). 

In closing I want to say that I consider it a privilege to work in such an interesting field.  Learning new things practically on a daily basis and being part of the patient experience is an honor.  Helping to ensure that the patients’ journey with us is the best it can be given the circumstances continues to be my goal.  I will make sure the blanket is tucked in and that they have a pillow, if desired. I will offer a hand to squeeze, and a cloth to shield their eyes from bright lights and water spray.  By the way we call that water spray “the spa effect”.

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