CATEGORY 10 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST In its simplest form teeth whitening is an affordable way for a patient to look more attractive and enjoy more confidence with greater self-esteem. But more importantly, a patient saying ‘Yes’ to whitening their teeth is usually a patient who is also saying ‘I care about my smile. Over time there is a greater possibility of engaging with them about other higher-value treatment plans. Teeth whitening sows the seed of cosmetic possibilities. The challenge for dental practices and their teams is how to create this situation and help to educate their patients. Here are 3 ways to increase a dental team’s whitening case acceptance rates. 1. First, what is proving highly successful with dental teams is to focus on the problem at hand which are tooth stains and discolourations. Teeth whitening is the solution. By discussing the problem (tooth stains), you are gently trying to see if the patient is concerned about these discolourations. A softer approach like this is less sales orientated than simply suggesting that they might want to whiten their teeth. To do this introduce during every adult routine check-up or new patent consult a VITA stain check, noting the result in the medical history notes. Explain why you are doing this (to measure and monitor the patient’s tooth discolourations over time and ask them if this is something that troubles them). Revisit at every annual check-up. The added benefit of this scenario is that a patient saying ‘No’ they are not troubled by their tooth colour’ is not a wrong reply. It ensures that they are unlikely to waste money on products that do not work or risk their oral health on dangerous levels of either regulated or illegal ingredients. 2. Typically people avoid or move away from fear or pain towards pleasure. With that in mind, you can now easily discuss the dangers of not following a dental professional’s teeth whitening treatment plan. The term ‘treatment plan’ is also worth noting, as that is what whitening is. It is not a product, and the process starts with an assessment appointment with a dentist. A tooth whitening treatment plan would include the following: a. A full oral health assessment is to ensure that the patent is suitable for whitening. b. VITA stain check and pre-treatment photographs followed by posttreatment stain comparison and photographs tomeasure the results and the level of patient satisfaction c. High-quality dentin-specific trays are essential to prevent the possibility of saliva washout, which can lead to gingival irritation, tooth sensitivity, burnt gums, and swollen lips, whilst ensuring a more even and effective whitening. d. Whitening your way! Ensuring the patient is more likely to comply by providing them with treatment options that most suits their lifestyle. (Day whitening/night whitening or in-chair) e. Reduce the likelihood of tooth sensitivity by helping the patient manage any early signs quickly and effectively. f. For home whitening, a day six courtesy call ensures that the patient follows the treatment plan and sensitivity is OK. By making this call, if there are sensitivity problems, measures can be put in place to reduce this side effect. g. Pre book the patient’s 20-day 5-minute recall appointment. The knowledge of an end-of-treatment recall appointment ensures that the patient is more likely to complete the treatment plan. By engaging with a patient and discussing the risks associated with whitening via non-dental professionals, we can demonstrate the added VALUE and SAFETY of teeth whitening with a dental professional. 3. Time management In Australia, we have access to high-quality teeth whitening products manufactured from two safe and proven chemicals, carbamide and hydrogen peroxide. These are known to whiten teeth safely, including brands such as Opalescence, Phillips Zoom, Pola, Boutique and Colgate. Other MOL brands are available; however, those mentioned are successful across many markets. The key to more effective whitening with superior results is managing time, the reason for the discolouration’s balanced with how a patient would prefer to whiten. Time on the tooth wins, whether 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or overnight whitening. As indicated in the treatment plan above, by discussing these options with a patient, you provide them with the opportunity to ‘whiten their way’, ensuring better compliance. In summary, less than a third of adults who are considering whitening their teeth seek the help of a dental professional. We have an oral health risk. The dental industry in Australia needs to lead the teeth whitening market, not supermarkets, salons, or spas. We can achieve this through our education. Teeth whitening is a highly sort after cosmetic solution that helps people who suffer from the emotional problem of tooth discolouration. We know that conservatively 20% of adults are considering whitening their teeth. To help start this cosmetic engagement, focus on tooth stains and discolourations – then add value. If every practice in Australia could treat one whitening patient a day, this vast industry would be much safer. u Stephen Douglas is the founder of The Whitening Project created to support dental practices and their teams to overcome the challenges they face with teeth whitening. For more information call Steve on 0416 629 015, email stephen@thewhiteningproject. com.au or to book a strategy call scan this QR Code. INNOVATIONS How to Start a Cosmetic Engagement with Teeth Whitening By Stephen Douglas
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