CATEGORY 70 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST LINICAL As you all know, cosmetic dentistry has moved well beyond the simple check and clean, and the drill-and-fill era. We have so many niche treatments that we can provide to our patients. I love that we can each carve out our niche, through continuing professional development (CPD) and study. Our career pathway can all be unique, with the underpinning of our undergraduate degree. Cosmetic dentistry has always been an interest of mine, and I fell in love with cosmetic injectable treatments back in 2012. Since then I have done countless CPD courses and formal study. In 2015, I undertook a dermal therapy qualification through an RTO to fully understand skin and skin treatments. Despite all this study, the hardest part of cosmetic injectable treatments is talking to your patients. I am at ease with this conversation now, and I did not learn this skill through study. I learnt this part through real life experience. Talking about dentistry and teeth is easy. There is an expectation that the patient wants to hear whatever information you have to deliver because you are a dentist and they came in to talk about their teeth. So howdowemove into talking about cosmetic injectables?This is a sticking point for both dentists, medical practitioners and registered nurses alike. I see this barrier amongst practitioners regularly. A real turning point was when I attended a multidisciplinary conference in years ago called the Non-Surgical Symposium. More about that later. Remove the stigma! Cosmetic injecting is dentistry. You need to start believing it. I shudder to think of the days when the only dental options where cleans, filings and tooth removal. The huge development of dental implants to replace missing teeth was immense. We talk about that so easily now because it is the norm. The use of botulinum toxin and dermal fillers should also be included in the conversation you have with your patients. It should be the norm, as these treatments offer legitimate aesthetic results for your patients, in a short period of time, with low to no downtime. Consider this scenario. A patient comes into your practice with a gummy smile. What are your treatment options for that patient? Traditionally the only real options were orthodontic treatment and maxillofacial surgery, or periodontal surgery to reduce the gum display. What if your patient didn’t want a protracted treatment plan? What if your patient did not want, or was not suitable for surgery. What then? Before cosmetic injectables, there really was no other option. However, the use of botulinum toxin is so straightforward and simple for your patient, you would be doing your patient a disservice by not including this option in the discussion. The biggest limiting factor to success with cosmetic injectables is belief in yourself and the validity of what you have to offer your patient. Of course you need to offer the traditional dental and medical options, but the non-surgical approach is equally valid. The conversation should not be difficult for you. You are doing your patient a good service by informing them of the options that they have available to them. The foundation of the patientpractitioner relationship: The discussion In this day and age, expectations are high when it comes to healthcare. Patients are more conscious and deliberate. They want their needs to be met quickly, effectively, and with care. The digital age means that information is extensive, but it can be difficult for the patient to decipher good information from the not-so-good, but also what is right for their particular circumstance. You as their health care provider need to offer valid treatment options, and be all inclusive when you do so. Do not put your subconscious bias on that discussion. Suppose patients feel like their concerns are not taken seriously or their voices are ignored. In that case, it can result in missed treatment option discussions, omissions in their treatment discussion, increased risks or poor outcomes, and overall poor healthcare quality. Communication is the key to success The discussion aesthetic dentists need to have with their patients By Dr Giulia D’Anna, BDSc, MRACDS, FIADFE, Grad. Dip. Derm. Ther, Cert IV TAE, Grad. Cert laser giulia@dermaldistinction.com.au Dr Giulia D’Anna
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