Right vs. Wrong
Patient comes in with severe tooth pain, and are limited financially. What do you do?
Present various treatment plans with a variety of payment plan options
A patient asks if a deep cleaning will hurt. You answer…?
‘You may feel pressure, but we’ll keep you comfortable.’ Honest, clear, accurate.
Your patient lacks proper oral hygiene instruction/techniques, what do you do?
Spend extra time teaching the patient proper oral hygiene techniques and diet changes to reduce the risk of caries.
Your patient declines X-rays today. What do you do?
Respect their decision, explain risks and benefits, and document everything.
A patient refuses the crown you recommend. You respond by…?
Explain risks and benefits, answer their questions, and respect their choice.
You have two patients who need the same procedure, one is paying cash, and the other has limited insurance coverage. Who are you treating first?
You base your decision based on clinical urgency, without regard to their financial situation.
Your assistant comes to work with a fever, and they say they are okay to work. What do you do?
Send the assistant home, as they are a potential risk to causing harm to patients.
You realize that your autoclave didn't complete a full cycle, but the patient is already in the chair. What do you do?
You let the patient know that the instruments are not fully sterile, and offer to reschedule them or have them wait until the cycle finishes.
You know your infiltration technique is still rough, and this patient is terrified of needles. What do you do?
Be honest: ‘You might feel a pinch or pressure, but I’ll go slowly and make you as comfortable as possible.