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Dr. Price's Polished Pearls
By Richard Price, DMD
We all understand the importance and value of a team approach. If two heads are better than one, as the old saying goes, then a room full of “heads” (specialists), all with the common goal of providing the best service possible, must be even better!!
In business, it is standard practice for a team to collaborate in advance of client meetings, sales meetings and other important events. The team will strategize and evaluate the best route to success. It makes perfect sense.
Shouldn’t the same principle hold true in the practice of dentistry? We believe so. And, at North River Dental, it is standard operating procedure – some might term it the “Gold Standard” of dentistry.
We have a different name for this “jewel” of a strategy: we call it the Polished Pearls of Committed Care. “PEARL” in this case is an acronym for “Professionalism, Excellence, Attitude, Respect, Leadership.”
We understand that going to a dentist’s office, even for an elective procedure, can make people nervous. The profession has changed a great deal over the last decade or more, and advances in treatment procedures can make the practice far more pleasant (and less painful) than might be thought.
Running a patient-centric practice, with a team approach, not only helps eliminate any anxiety that may accompany a visit to the dentist’s office, but also (and importantly) help to make the patient experience the best it can be.
Each morning, without fail, we meet to discuss the patients we will serve that day. We bring all members of the team together to plan the best approach, and what will result in a quality experience for the patient. We make the effort to get to know the patient as a person. We respect the work we do, the patients we treat, and convey an attitude that shows this.
Everyone on the team contributes to this effort, from the front desk person to the dental assistant to the hygienist.
When we are asked to help a patient get a better smile, or whatever the course of treatment in question, it starts with this team meeting that focuses on the patient, and the treatment plan. We put information together to help provide the best treatment possible.
We know that some patients are nervous at the prospect of a dental visit, even if it is an elective procedure. So we’ll start with some basic discussion. “What is Mary’s history with the hygienist? What does she like to do? What is her personality type? What is important to make her experience with us more valuable?”
A focus on individuality eliminates the likelihood of a “cookie-cutter” approach.
Our team members provide input. We all work very hard, and have pursued additional education, to make this team approach valuable. From the time that a patient sees our front-desk person, all members of the team are there to key in on different things. Are there patient concerns? Are there signs of nervousness?
We don’t believe that enough dental practices take the team approach, and we are proud to do so.
The road to any successful treatment begins with the asking of questions, and developing a genuine and honest doctor-patient relationship. This is an essential step in creating and maintaining a healthy, aesthetically pleasing smile. The first step of this process is to learn about you as a patient and a person. What is important to you? What’s going on in your life? What are your dental expectations? Only after answering these questions can we gain an understanding of your goals and create a treatment plan that meets your goals.
And, when it is necessary to refer a patient to an outside specialist, we make certain that we know out referral specialists personally. In those instances, we look carefully for offices that have a similar vision.
In general, when it comes to the practice of dentistry and seeking the right fit, we have all seen the advertisements that promise a “quick fix” when it comes to creating that sought-after beautiful smile, or a number of other treatments. Be wary of these kinds of misleading and general promises. It is important to remember that each patient is an individual, with individual needs. There is no “cookie cutter” approach to creating a great smile. Many individual factors must be taken into consideration, and each patient is different.
We consider it a privilege to get to know our patients, discuss their dental needs and wants and then customize a treatment plan to meet those goals. Our team stands ready to assist.
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