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Barriers To Communication In The Dental Profession

Decent Essays

In the healthcare profession, communication should be fair and indiscriminative at all times. However in some occasions, there can be what is considered barriers to communication. A barrier is the word used to describe a “prevents communication or progress” . When considering communication limitations in the dental environment, it is significant to recognise differences between people and establish ways in which information can be simplified and clarified to improve the patient’s ability to retrieve the information.

A common for barrier to communication is disability and impairment. This can be physical and cognitive. Cognitive disability is what can be otherwise known as intellectual disability, which increases the difficulty in understanding and processing information. An example of a common cognitive disability is autism. This would be a barrier for communication in the dental environment as an individual with autism may have difficulty understanding the plan of treatment. This would be an issue in the dental profession, as all patients need to be fully aware of the process and aim of the treatment in order to give consent for the treatment to take place. When treating a patient with cognitive disability, the dental professional needs to be aware of the difficulty in understanding and adapt their behaviour accordingly, by speaking slowly, clearly and simplifying information to make it easier for the patient to comprehend. If a guardian is present, information should be

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