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Examples Of Professionalism In The Dental Profession

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Professionalism, Respect, and Empathy in the Dental Profession
By Jessica Thielen
January 20, 2018

Professionalism, respect, and empathy are all essentials as a dental professional. These are qualities that are expected of any dental professional in the dental office. Patients are watching the dental staff’s every move, and they are judging the office based on the appearance and actions of the those who work in the office. professionalism is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person.” That being said, professionalism can mean a variety of different things. It is a word that can define a person based on qualities or characteristics they possess, such as competence, image or …show more content…

Often times, older patients present to the office with an extensive health history, so it is crucial to keep their needs in mind while treating them. Eileen Morrissey, another registered dental hygienist, gives a perfect example of empathy in the dental office. Morrissey had a patient on a medication for an overactive bladder. The patient arrived 20 minutes early, but waited until she got called back, to use the restroom. Morrissey stated, “I found myself remarking in a snarky fashion, when confirming the patient’s arrival time with the office administrator” (2016). After attending a continuing education course, she was reminded that, as dental professions, who work on a strict schedule, its often all about them, and never the patient. She says, “Again, it was all about us and our convenience rather than patient empathy and care” (Morressey, 2016). While it is important to stay on schedule, it is even more important to keep the patient’s needs and feelings in mind. We don’t want them to think we are rushing to get them

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