The Art of Kindness and Relationships in the Dental Practice
We hear of kindness often. In a post-COVID world, it is sometimes hard to find. In a world where you can choose anything to do, be kind.
How many times have you heard this? How many of us practice this daily and lead our teams to practice it, too?
Where does it start?
It starts with our initial interaction with a patient/guardian when they call the practice. When their phone rings, your team member should “look in the mirror,” physically or mentally, and smile. The person calling in may not be able to see the smile, but they can feel it!
Did you know that smiling releases “feel good” hormones? It cannot only boost your mood, but it will also flow through the phone line to help boost the patient’s mood. That smile should carry through the entire office, making each patient feel valued and integral to their dental experience.
Try Utilizing the AIDET® Concept in Your Practice
AIDET® is a concept that is highly used in medical settings but has a ton of merit for our dental practices, as you will see as we examine its meaning. This concept empowers you to build stronger relationships with your patients, enhancing their experience and your professional satisfaction.
A is for Acknowledgment.
Acknowledge the patient/responsible party when they enter your practice.
It is so easy to miss this opportunity. Some of us avoid direct eye contact or hide behind the phone. Even if you are on a call when the patient comes in, be sure to SMILE and at least wave to let them know you have seen them and will be with them soon.
I is for Introducing yourself to them.
This is from the front to the back and starts when they call the office.
It is a big pet peeve of mine to make a call and never get the name of the person who answered. Generally, if they don’t tell me, I ask.
This is a connecting point, and we are in the business of relationships, and a smile with your name is a great beginning.
D stands for Duration.
This can happen when the patient arrives or when the assistant is taking the patient back for their appointment. The receptionist can also utilize this as a tool in case there is an anticipated wait in the reception area to let the patient know how long the reserved appointment time may be delayed (something that we all want to avoid but is inevitable at some point).
E is the Explanation of what our guests may expect during today’s visit.
You can use this time to ask (if it is a child) if the parent agrees to fluoride for the visit and inform them of any x-rays that will be taken, an exam and cleaning, etc. Or maybe today is a restorative visit; you will explain to the patient what to expect is going to take place and find out if they have questions about the procedure before it begins.
T is the time to Thank our patients.
We always want the patient/responsible party to know that we appreciate that they chose us to care for them. This also continues to build on the relationship.
Be sure that during this time, you are verifying that you have the patient scheduled back for their next appointment, as this can help ensure that they trust you and the practice and want to establish a continued relationship with you.
The bottom line is this, as in the words of Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
We are in the people business, and kindness and letting the people we serve every day know that we care about them and that we want to create a relationship with them is the starting point to building a dynamic practice that your patients will always want to return to. Let this quote inspire and motivate you to make a difference in your patients’ lives.
About the Author
Tamela Jones, DAADOM
Tamela started her dental journey in December 1989.
She is a Missouri native and has been a member of AADOM since 2017. Tamela received her AADOM Master Distinction in 2022 and her AADOM Diplomate Distinction in 2024.
She loves to cook and read in her downtime, but when she is not in the office, she truly enjoys farming with her husband of 12 years. She and her husband share 4 children and are grandparents to Ryker, who is the light of their life.
