CATEGORY AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST 133 COLUMNISTS In my working life time I have seen so many technical changes: words, machines, techniques, and yet what really makes the difference is obvious: communication. Yes, that’s right simple talk: how to explain a treatment to patient. I have mentored dentists in private practice and government practice and it’s always the same: they know what to do but cannot explain it to the patient. Sometimes it’s worse, than that; sometimes they don’t know what to do either; then you explain basic concepts and they look at you blankly. Why? It is obvious that technically the message has been explained but to get it across to the patient seems a bridge too far. So, what is the answer? It’s simple in my mind: these young people don’t know how to sell a treatment plan. Yes, I know I used a nasty and unpopular word: sell! Having spent most of my working life exploring new areas, the one thing that still confounds me is how straightforward and effective it is to simply talk about what has to be done. Lest look at some problems that come up regularly and some examples of ways of getting around these issues. 1. “Oh, doctor I’m getting old, I won’t be around long so why should I spend money on my teeth? This is one of my favorites, because I begin with, “Well we are all living longer than before!” How to respond and grow in a shrinking marketplace By Dr Harry Marget I had a major heart attack and needed extensive surgery, no question about that? I certainly did not say well I’ll be dead soon so let not worry about that! This is my point: if we don’t make it sound important they simply won’t do anything about it. So why is it that people don’t value their teeth the same way? The answer is value. What do you value? What would you place a higher value on? 2. The untold but true connection between old age and dementia, yes that’s right, who wants some dementia? British Dental Journal 223, 846-853, 2017 article reviewed. Evidence summary: the relationship between oral health and dementia. 3. The increasing evidence that posture and orthoses, have shown on some cases of TMJ disease and it effect. 4. Implant success and failure – an increasing topic of great significance. But the real problem still lies with the young dentists not knowing how to talk about the present situation and what is coming, and all the more frustrating is that they have the evidence in front of them. During my time as a clinical dentist, I saw this every day, and every day I had to sit and explain to the younger dentist what they had in front of them and how to go about the process. This was just the beginning, because after that they still did not know how to write up a treatment plan, even with all the mod cons we have today. However they seemed well versed in how to talk the person out of a comprehensive treatment by offering alternatives of lesser importance. So how do we fix the problem? At the start of my working life, I was convinced to do a short course in acting. Not because I had a desire to act – nor was I talented, but because I needed to learn to talk properly, and talk about health care. Acting classes teach you how to communicate with people of all backgrounds and I have used that in my classes with dentists. Further to this topic there are several other valuable lessons: u How to handle rejection? u How to handle lack of empathy? u How to handle compliments and criticism. u And finally, how to ask for a positive review? So with that in mind, I have constructed a series of short courses to bring this knowledge to others. u If this is of interest to you, call me or write to me hmarget@ebdg.com.au And let’s talk about your challenges. Or call me on 0412 322 253 and we can shoot the breeze. Dr Harry Marget
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