Good communication is the foundation of every good relationship. This seems like a simple enough principle, yet it can take a lifetime to master. As a dentist I feel the quality of the communication between me and my patients is the single greatest predictor of a successful professional relationship. I strive to improve my communication skills as often as I can. From the patient perspective there is a lot that can be done to ensure a successful relationship when seeing any health professional.

Often times the best opportunity to speak with your health care providers is at your first visit. Chances are very good that the doctor will have more time to speak with you face-to-face on this appointment than at any other time. My advice is to use this time wisely. During this first visit our time is devoted to discovering your needs and goals in seeking care in our office, as well as arriving at the clinical judgments necessary to meeting them.

During this time I encourage all patients to be honest, be candid and be thorough. The more you can tell me about you, the more I will know! Now this all seems pretty common sense but there is a lot of good research that shows just how important it can be.

It is clear that a patient who feels comfortable speaking candidly with a health care provider, and confident that they have received honesty and openness in return is much more likely to be satisfied with their chosen health care provider. What is still being studied is exactly why this often leads to positive clinical outcomes. One idea is that good communication leads to better understanding of any problems, and better compliance to treatment recommendations and behavioral changes.

Necessary changes in home care such as improvement in the quality and quantity of brushing and flossing or improved diet are often as important as treatment rendered in the office.

My goal over time is to add to a patient's skill set slowly. Habits such as hygiene and diet are formed over a lifetime. Problems, when they occur are often the end product of bad habits over months or years. Changing habits and patterns realistically happens slowly over time, if we are to have a chance to make lasting improvements. Some people call their regular appointments a “check-up”; I look at them as a “check-in”. It is a chance to follow up on changes we decided to try at our last meeting, and look for clinical signs of improvement. Then, I look for ways to build on the good foundation, or if things aren't working, to try a different approach.

Whether your next trip to your health care provider is the all important first meeting or you are “checking in”, when someone asks “What brings you in today?” take the time to focus on the quality of the communication on both sides. Odds are in your favor that you will see and feel the difference in the care you receive now and in the future.