DAV 2022 : BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE & ORAL HEALTH IV

Communication : Information Gathering and Diagnosis Development

Masyitah bt Mustaffa
(Matric No. 1090036)

FACULTY OF DENTISTRY
UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA
(USIM)

January 2011
 What people liked and/or disliked about their dentist’s communication and
clinical practice
Communication is a very important aspect in every relationship. Does not matter if it is
between a father and a son, a lecturer and a student, a boss and a staff or even a dentist to her/his
patient, communication plays a valuable role in gaining both side benefits. In a dentist and a
patient relationship, a dentist need to master the clinical communication skills in order to assess
patient needs, providing information and gaining compliance with the patient. This is also
important to the dentist as to avoid problems such as complaint and to increase acceptance of
treatment decision or we called it patient trust.

This assignment was done to collect the information about patient’s views about the
dentist. A subject was taken and a few questions were asked regarding the dentist
communication skill and clinical practice at the patient’s place. The subject is my own sister,
named Siti Shuhada bt Mustaffa. Several questions were asked about what she liked and disliked
about the dentist who had treated her before.

From the subject’s respond, there a several things that make her happy, felt pleasant and
liking the dentists whom she has had treatments before. She liked a dentist who waits for the
patients and not the patients wait for the dentist. In other word, when a patient is called into the
operation room, it is a good feeling when the dentist is there to greet, smile, guide and allow her
to seat as everything seems to be very rare in the dental clinic. This is the first important step as a
dentist to establish rapport with the patient. The person will feel that he/she is being welcomed as
a patient. A simple act that gives a big impact to the treatment as a whole and it is a non-verbal
communication which talks and speaks that the dentist is ready to make a treatment!

Secondly, as mentioned by the subject, she likes a dentist who is kind-hearted and
sensitive to the patients need. As for example, a dentist with a habits of asking for permission
and ask for every changes in patient’s face is more favorable than a dentist who just focused on
his/her treatment without treating the patients as a human. A dentist should be aware of the
patient’s needs. Again, a non-verbal cues coming from the patients such as ‘ahs’, ‘ers’ and
‘uhms’ should be noticed and considered important.

Thirdly, a dentist of choice is a dentist, who explained about the treatment, including the
alternative of the treatment, gives the best suggestion when the patient do not know how to
choose and give reasons as well as the implication of the treatment. As the subject acknowledged
the overall view about her problem, she will feel a sort of satisfaction. Being involved in the
treatment plan will make the patient realize about the problems she/he faced with. This is very
important for the patient’s awareness.
 Fourthly as mentioned by the subject, she likes when a dentist gives full attention to her
and responds accordingly. This is as mentioned in an article about basic communication skills, is
the most important, being an active listener. The patient should be given adequate time to convey
their views or set of symptom, if not, the patient may not be able to provide information
accurately to be used in the treatment planning. The dentist also needs to encourage the patient to
talk and express appropriate emotion about what the patient said.

From the subject points of view, there are also some dentist act which she thought to be
not good and not showing good self resemblance as a dentist in front of patient. The subject had
once experience a dentist who always asked when her mouth was full with the dental equipment.
This make the patient feel uncomfortable and frustrated. A dentist should be able to know and
realize about the barrier which put the patient in difficulties to speak and respond. From this
problem, we could understand that the action without word should be taught to the patients to
answer to the dentist’s question. For example, a dentist can ask the patient to raise his/her hand
which gives the indication of pain. Also, the dentist can always set a key action in order for the
patient to respond yes or no. Or else, a dentist should remove all the instruments and make sure
the patient’s does not have any barrier to speak.

Secondly, the subject was not very comfortable when receiving treatment from male
dentist as he sits to close to the patient. In this case, patient’s trust should be obtained first before
the dentist proceeds with the treatment. When the patient trust the dentist, I will be much easier
for the dentist to handle it. The proximity of dentist and patient should always be watched as this
person’s personal space is sometimes disconcerting and unacceptable.

As a conclusion, dentist should master the clinical communication skills in order to be a

successful dentist. The communication skill is to be practiced so it become parts of the dentist
being and most important to achieve powerful dentist-patient relationship.
Reference :

Chapter 2: Basic Communication Skills

Chapter 3: Advanced Communication Skills

http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/full/68/9/970

http://alcessa.wordpress.com/2007/06/22/communication-skills-for-dentist-basic-course/