Last week I discussed the importance of communication in any relationship, specifically the healthcare provider/patient relationship. Trust is mutually built as this relationship develops over time.

“There’s not enough time in the day.” Have you ever used this excuse? I said this yesterday to someone. We all tend to waste a lot of time, or at least don’t use the time we have as effectively as we could. You would think that in our technology-filled world, time management would be easier. Some of this technology actually gets in the way by adding even more of a time commitment to things that reduce interpersonal communication.

Here’s an example. It’s time to buy a new car. There… (Read More)

Patients see things differently than dentists. Often, what is important to dentists is not important to patients and vice versa. This seems like the hysterical discovery of the obvious, but dentists often have a blind spot when it comes to seeing things from a patient’s viewpoint.

We often have a similar blind spot in our ability to communicate with patients. When asked to rate their ability to communicate with patients, 60% of physicians rated themselves in the top 10%.

Dentists would probably have similar results.

Communication is key to any relationship. Why then do healthcare professionals, dentists specifically, often have poor communication skills with their patients? There is no one answer to this question, but… (Read More)

AAA reports that a record-breaking 112.5 million Americans will be traveling by plane, train, and car this holiday season. Are you one of them? Unfortunately, somewhere between packing bags and wrapping presents dental health can get left out in the cold. With an abundance of sugary treats, holiday parties, and crazy schedules, this season can be a difficult time of year for your teeth. If you’re travelling for the holidays, avoid a trip to your emergency dentist and protect that holly, jolly smile with these 5 tips!

Last year I wrote a column about a study I saw in an article from over a decade ago. It was about the poor odds people have about making changes in their life actually happen. The article was an outpouring of concern from healthcare experts and doctors, all looking for a way to change the behavior of people who love their lifestyle so much that they were willing to literally die from it.

In the Johns Hopkins study, 9 of 10 heart surgery patients chose to return to their unhealthy lifestyle, rather than make the changes needed to live longer. Very few were convinced by their doctors to make radical daily changes.

Based on my… (Read More)

We all have people we look up to, whether it is in our personal or professional life.  One of those people in my professional life is the late Dr. LD Pankey. Dr. Pankey was a true visionary. There is an advanced dental education institute named after him in Florida, where dentists learn from his influential teachings.

I recently read an article he wrote in 1981, 8 years before his death. It is interesting to read some of the things he wrote, because it shows how much things have not changed and how well he understood people and his profession. I would like to share a few paragraphs from this piece:

“Another important element, then, in… (Read More)