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Root Canal Procedures: A Case Study

Decent Essays

As a dentist who has an established family practice most days I have a good day taking care of my patients. Unfortunately, I also have a few patients that make my day stressful and unenjoyable. On this particular day I am running a little behind due to a long root canal procedure where the patient showed up late.
Mrs. Smith is a new patient to the office and is in some pain from a tooth that she broke 5 months ago. The front office politely explains to her that “the doctor” will be with her shortly and asks her if she would like a bottle of water while she waits in the lounge. She gruffly says, “I guess I’ll have to won’t I?!” and storms off to her seat making some inappropriate comments as she goes. Fifteen minutes later Mrs. Smith …show more content…

Smith I’m Dr. Turney. I apologize for running a little behind I was with another patient but we can get started right away.”
Mrs. Smith: “I guess you think your time is more important than mine, but it’s not. Don’t you know that I have lunch plans and I need this tooth fixed today?”
Already I am at a disadvantage. I can try to apologize again but it probably won’t make any difference. Or I could get defensive and fire back. Neither of which is a good option. All I can do at this point is grin and bear it. So I go on trying my best to win her over, but the whole appointment is tense and uncomfortable.
We all have had that patient whose name we dislike seeing on the schedule. Or perhaps it may be a patient that we have just met for the first time. You all know exactly what I’m talking about it’s not that the patient has a hard procedure but instead I’m talking about the patient that no matter how hard you try they are never going to be …show more content…

If you can get to the root of their fear you have a fighting chance. Fear is a powerful force and it changes even the mildest mannered grandmother into a Crackin. The anger and hostility is a defense mechanism, it’s their way of taking control of the situation.
Be open with your patients, listen to their fears and set your expectations of behavior with them. Let them know that what they may have experienced in the past is just that, the past. You are not the last dentist they saw. You have an opportunity to change their perception for the better.
Set the expectation of your office by letting them know that you will do everything you can to make their time in your office comfortable. But they also have an obligation to treat you and your staff with respect. Setting your expectations up front can save you a lot of stress and more importantly time in the end.
Not every patient is going to accept these “rules” and that’s ok. You reserve the right to refer them to another dentist that may fit their personality better. Just because they came into your office doesn’t mean you have to accept them as a patient, if they aren’t willing to respect you and your

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