Authors: Anas BENNANI, Fatima Zahra AMESSEGHER, Fadoua ABBASSI, Khadija BAROUDI.
Introduction: With all the perpetual changes that characterize our profession, the awareness of communication importance is constantly increasing. Thus, the practitioner should not limit himself to technical skills and he has to give the relational aspect the importance it deserves.
Objective: Conducting a survey within the private office practices in Casablanca, in order to identify the most used means of communication in private practice as well as the steps and decision criteria for drawing out an adequate treatment plan.
Materials & Methods: This is an epidemiological, cross-sectional, descriptive unidirectional survey using random sampling.
Our target population is dentists practicing in Casablanca's private sector that were randomly selected from a sample of 315 dentists. We used as a survey instrument an anonymous individual, questionnaire of 5 pages containing 27 questions.
Results: The results of our survey have shown that:
- 73% of practitioners make the first consultation between 10 and 20 minutes.
- 93% of practitioners choose to provide the patient with more than two therapeutic proposals and 97% using a simple language.
- 44% of practitioners ask the patient to repeat instruction that he will receive at home.
- 90% of practitioners use models or radiographies.
- 48% ask the assistant to ensure patients follow-up by telephone while 49% ask the assistant to provide post-operative maintenance.
- 56% of the practitioners present the quote themselves to the patient and 50% present it from the first session.
Discussion: In the first part of our work, we will highlight the importance of the first consultation as a key element of the patient-care provider relationship. Thereafter, we will explain the role of a good communication in maintaining and strengthening this relationship on the basis of the following communication methods and tools:
Interpersonal Communication: This method is aimed to involve the patient more and to encourage informed decision-making as part of a patient-centered approach.
Teaching method: The reformulation improves the memorization by 30% allowing the care provider to evaluate the patient's understanding and if necessary, to adapt and clarify his speech.
Demonstration method: By showing what is explained, it enables to improve the understanding and to reduce the loss of information between what the practitioner means and what the patient will interpret.
Accompanying method: Thanks to this method, the patient will not feel abandoned and he will appreciate the support of his dentist.
Exploration & documentation method: It supports the practitioner in the information he wants to provide to his patients, and enhances their desire to understand and thus to consent.
Finally, the last part answers the various questions concerning the quotation: Whether
To present it by the practitioner himself or by the assistant, at the first or the second session and orally or in writing.
Conclusion: Establishing a communication based on respecting patients and inspired by of Hippocrates oath is a primary necessity of our profession. Surely, we are not, and we will never be, communication experts, but we need to communicate effectively with our patients in order to improve their care.
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