LO 10/11 Flashcards
Describe interpersonal and facilitation skills and provide some examples
- Interpersonal skills that are used to ease communication and develop a trusting relationship between the dental professional and the patient
- Encouraging questions
- Answering questions
- Responding with action
- Expressing warmth
The patience first impression of the dental team most often involves the _______
Dental auxiliary (hygienist or assistant)
Need to be well groomed, have good personal hygiene, properly greet the patient
Describe the importance of patient education
- Enhances patient understanding
- Decreases fear of X-ray exposure
- Increases cooperation
- Increases motivation for regular dental visits
- Education can come in the form of oral presentation, printed literature, a combination of both
What are some common patient questions before taking X-rays and how should you answer them?
- Are dental x-ray images really necessary? Yes
- How often do I need dental x-ray images? It depends on the reason but A good rule of thumb is every two years for intraoral or every 5 years for panoramic
- Can I refuse x-ray images and be treated without them? Some dentists will agree to this others will not
- Instead of taking x-ray images, can you use the dental images from my previous dentist? Yes, as long as they are in within the time frame
- How do you limit my exposure to x-rays? Minimizing exposure factors, let apron, lead collimator, ect.
- Should I avoid x-ray exposure during pregnancy? It is better not to take them if not absolutely necessary, but is okay to take them if needed
- Why do you have to leave the room when x-rays are used? Because hygienists take many x-rays a day and cannot have that much exposure safely
- Are dental X-rays safe? Yes
- Will dental X-rays cause cancer? Well they can, it is extremely unlikely
- What are the advantages of digital imaging? Less exposure is required and the images are processed quicker
- Are there risks associated with digital imaging? There are some - Jenn look this up
- Can panoramic X-Ray image be exposed instead of a complete series? Jenn look this up
- Who owns my dental images? The dentist, but copies can be given to the patient upon request
Dental auxiliaries that perform radiographs must be _______ certified and be aware of and comply with the regulations that govern the use of ionizing radiation and dentistry
HARP
Describe informed consent
- Persons seeking Healthcare services have the legal right to make choices about the care they receive, including the opportunity to consent or to refuse treatment
- Need to minimize legal issues that come up from misinformation and negligence
Before taking a radiograph, what information should be presented to the patient?
- Purpose and potential benefits of the images
- Person responsible for exposing the images
- The number and type of images
- Possible harm that may result if the images are not exposed
- Risks associated with x-ray exposure
- Alternative diagnostic AIDs that may serve the same purpose as the images
- Confidentiality
- Allow time to ask questions
Who is liable for information provided to patients?
- The dentists are legally accountable to supervise the performance of dental auxiliaries
- Both the dentist and until auxiliaries may be sued for the actions of the dental auxiliary
Describe malpractice
- Results when the dental practitioner is negligent in delivery of dental care
Describe negligence
- When the diagnosis made or the dental treatment delivered falls below the standard of care
What do you need to know about ownership and retention of dental images?
- Legally, dental images are the property of the dentist
- Patience to go through the rate of reasonable access to their records
- Dental records and dental images should be retained indefinitely
What happens if a client refuses to have dental images taken?
- The situation must be carefully considered by the dentist
- The dentist must decide whether an accurate diagnosis can be made and whether treatment can be provided
Describe localization techniques
- A method used to locate the position of a tooth or object in the Jaws
- A radiograph depicts an object in the superior-inferior and anterior-posterior relationships - it does not depict the buccal-lingual relationship (depth of an object)
- Remember dental radiograph is a two-dimensional picture of a three-dimensional object
- Types of localization techniques- buccal object rule, right angle technique
What objects can localization techniques help dental professionals find?
- Foreign bodies
- Impacted teeth, unirrupted teeth, retained roots, root position
- Salivary stones
- Jaw fractures
- Broken needles or instruments
- Filling materials
Describe the “SLOB” rule, also known as the buccal object rule
- Same-Lingual, Opposite-Buccal
- An x-ray is taken at a right angle, an object that is lingual or buckle in the same area would be superimposed on each other
- So if you move the PID distally, if the object also moves distally in relation to the erupted teeth it is on the lingual side
- If you move the PID distally but the object moves measly in relation to the erupted teeth the object is buccal
Describe the right angle technique
- Basically take an occlusal angle radiograph so you can see which side of the teeth the object is on
Describe the reaction of patients with a strong gag reflex
- Gagging is the strong and voluntary effort to vomit
- Begins with rushing that is elicited by stimulation of the sensitive tissues of the soft palate region
- Areas that are most likely to elicit the gag reflex are the soft palate and lateral posterior third of the tongue
What are the two precipitating factors for the initiation of gag reflex?
- Psychogenic stimuli (originating in the mind) - patient may believe they will gag or clinician suggests they may gag
- Tactile stimuli (originating from touch) - sensor or PSP touches soft palate or back of the tongue
In order for the gagging to occur, _______ must stop
Respiration
How can the clinician prepare the patient and equipment to reduce the likelihood of gagging?
- Limit the amount of time that the receptor remains in the mouth - complete all preparations before receptor placement, saving valuable time and reducing likelihood of stimulating gag reflex
- Avoid the palate - do not slide the receptor along the pallet; firmly bring the receptor into contact with palatal tissue using one decisive motion
- Demonstrate receptor placement - rub a finger along the tissues near the intended area of receptor placement; tell the patient this is where the receptor will be positioned
The _____ receptor is the most likely to elicit a gag reflex
Maxillary molar
What can the dental radiographer do an extreme cases of gag reflex?
- Try topical anesthetics, salt on the tongue, distraction techniques
- If all else fails, the radiographer must use extra oral images such as panoramic or lateral jaw images to obtain diagnostic information
What are the six helpful hints of reducing gagging during radiography
- Never suggest gagging
- Do reassure the patient
- Do suggest breathing (flare nostrils)
- Do you try to distract the patient
- Do you try to reduce tactile stimuli
- Do you use a topical anesthetic
Describe disability and briefly describe how to interact with patients with various disabilities
- Disability - a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of an individual’s major life activities
- Vision impairment - you must communicate using clear of verbal explanations
- Hearing impairment - ask the patient how he or she prefers to communicate, can ask caregiver to serve as interpreter
- Mobility impairment Dash ask whether a patient needs assistance, do not assume
- For all impairments talk to the patient not the caregiver
What are the five helpful hints for interacting with patients who have disabilities?
- Do practice the Golden rule
- Do not ask personal questions about the disability
- Do you think before you speak
- Do offer assistance
- Do you talk directly to the person with a disability
What should the dental radiographer be aware of when dealing with pediatric patients?
- Tooth eruption sequences
- Prescribing of dental images
- Recommended techniques
- Types of examinations
- Digital sensor issues (can be really big)
- Patient and equipment preparations
- Patient management
Describe prescribing dental images to pediatric patients
- Depends not only on the individual needs of the child but also on the age of the child and his or her ability to cooperate with the procedures
- An imaging examination that includes all of the toothparing areas is recommended at the early mixed dentition stage, after the first permanent tooth has erupted
What are the three helpful hints for dealing with pediatric patients?
- Pediatric patients may not or may not be able to tolerate the use of a wired digital sensor
- Using the correct size of digital sensor is critical
- Wireless sensors are preferred over wired sensors in pediatric dentistry
Why might endentulous patients require radiographic images?
- To detect the presence of root tips, impacted teeth, and lesions
- To identify objects embedded in bone
- To establish the position of normal anatomic landmarks relative to the crust of the alveolar ridge
- To observe the quantity and quality of bone that is present
What examinations are common for edentulous patients?
- Panoramic examination - the most common way of evaluating edentialist jaw
- . Apical examination - used if a panoramic machine is not available maybe used as a follow-up to the panoramic examination
- Occlusal and periapical examination
What should the radiographer be aware of if taking a bisecting image on an edentulous patient?
- The angle of the alveolar ridge and the imaginary bisector between the PID and the film placement
