Managing negative online reviews

No dentist enjoys a negative review on social media. However, in this digital age, dissatisfied patients (for whatever reason) often resort to social media to “vent their frustrations.” Dentists are discouraged from responding to any negative reviews, but if they choose to do so, they should be very cautious when crafting a response. Failure to… Continue Reading Managing negative online reviews

Collaborating with dental staff to improve patient safety, adherence and satisfaction

Dental staff members play an essential role in patient safety as well as patient satisfaction as they interact with patients every day. However, they can also be part of interactions that may result in errors, misunderstandings and dissatisfaction. To minimize these unfortunate situations, dentists need to collaborate with dental staff and provide them with assistance,… Continue Reading Collaborating with dental staff to improve patient safety, adherence and satisfaction

Medical clearance: What dentists should know

As people are living longer, it is likely that they will develop medical conditions that could be problematic for dental care. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that dentists obtain, review, and update their patients’ health history at each visit. Dentists also should obtain complete medication lists from patients for all care, including routine oral… Continue Reading Medical clearance: What dentists should know

Checklist: Terminating a provider-patient relationship

Healthcare providers have the right to treat the patients they wish to treat and to terminate relationships with patients for various reasons. However, providers should use caution when discharging patients from their care. Before taking action, review the patient’s record to ensure it contains adequate, objective and factual documentation that supports the decision to end… Continue Reading Checklist: Terminating a provider-patient relationship

CHECKLIST: Strategies to Support Patient Comprehension

A significant challenge in healthcare communication is ensuring that patients understand both verbal and written health information, including clinical explanations, recommendations, instructions, educational materials, and more. Health information and services often are unfamiliar and confusing, and people of all ages, races, cultures, incomes, and educational levels struggle with health literacy and numeracy. Taking steps to… Continue Reading CHECKLIST: Strategies to Support Patient Comprehension