Communication 1 Flashcards
Why are communication skills important?
GDC - dental team-pt communication as one of the core competencies required for good dental practice
What are the skills the GDC demand?
Clinical
Management and leadership
Professionalism
Communication
Calgary-cambridge framework - what does it teach?
What dentists communicates and how dentist communicates
= Pt centred approach - see things from pts perspective
Initiate session Gather info Physical exam Explanation/planning Close the session = Provides structure and builds the relationship
What challenges can communication face?
Culture and social diversity Dealing with emotions Age issues 2 way interviews Breaking bad news Low literacy pts and sensory impaired pts Complaints Ethics Health promotion and prevention
What is dental anxiety?
General state of apprehension, prepared for something negative to happen
What is dental phobia?
Severe anxiety which results in avoidance or endurance of situation with significant discomfort
Prevalence of dental anxiety?
36% moderate dental anxiety; 12% extreme dental anxiety
45% named fear of the dentist as the barrier to dental care
Having a tooth drilled would make them very or
extremely anxious (30%) and having a local
anaesthetic injection (28%)
Impact of dental anxiety/phobia on the pt?
No dental care
Delayed tx
More restorative tx
= reduced oral and general health, lower QoL
Impact of dental anxiety/phobia on the dental team?
Missed appts
Higher levels of stress
Administrative and financial problems: lowered satisfaction, health and well being
= Occupational stress for clinician by absorbing the pts anxiety, being dissatisfied about the quality of tx they were able to provide
Dental fear’s impact on economy and service?
Cost of sedation and GA
Missed appts
Causes of dental anxiety?
Learning
- Traumatic/neg experiences
- Friends, family, media
Uncertainty - fear of unknown
- Unpredictability, lack of control, inadequate information, pain
Personality
- Pt: neuroticism, generalised anxiety
- Dentist: negative attributes (impersonal, uncaring, distressed)
Prevalence of dental pain?
Up to 77% patients report some pain
• 11.6% local anaesthetics fail
• 76% highly anxious patients state fear of pain is all or part of their fear (fear of pain = anxiety = avoidance/non-attendance)
Expected pain; perceived pain; actual pain
What is the social learning theory?
Behaviour is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning
How to treat dental anxiety?
Effective communication skills
- Do not prematurely reassure someone “don’t worry” - ineffective and pt may feel concerns are being dismissed
Instead ask the pt before tx
- Ask how anxious they are
- Acknowledge what you’ve heard
- Address the fears by offering solutions
Calgary cambridge points in handling anxiety via communication?
Establish a supportive environment and initial rapport
Demonstrate respect and interest
Listen attentively and uses silence effectively
Actively encourage pts through use of supportive words, comments, non-verbal behaviour
Open Qs
Explore pts ideas, concerns, expectations
Adjust language to suit pt
Explore tx options and negotiate mutually acceptable plan
