Why is Improving Your Patient Communication Skills Important?
Taking the time to communicate clearly, and listen carefully, results in happy patients. Happy patients are more likely to begin and continue care and have longer lasting healthy outcomes.
Other benefits of improving patient communications include:
- Fewer complaints
- Improved productivity and efficiency
- Enhanced patient experience
- Boosted dentist's self-confidence and job satisfaction
- Reduced stress
What is Motivational Interviewing and How Does it Improve Patient Communication?
Motivational interviewing helps patients discover the reasons why they should improve their dental care habits. Motivational interviewing also encourages patients to comply with recommended treatment.
3 Principles of Motivational Interviewing for Dentists
Motivational interviewing (MI) is a conversation style that strengthens a patient's motivation to make a change. The patient voices the reasons for change, which helps to encourage acceptance.
The four main skills of motivational interviewing (defined as OARS) are:
- Open-ended questions
- Affirming
- Reflecting
- Summarizing
During motivational interviewing, the dentist shifts the conversation. The patient does most of the talking.
1. Express Empathy
Your patient may feel ambivalent about making a change. Use reflective listening and non-judgmental curiosity to show respect and to understand the patient’s behavior.
2. Don't Argue
If you meet resistance, the patient may have more questions or may not be ready to make a change. Arguing or debating with a patient is counterproductive.
Instead, answer resistance with a reflective statement. For example:
- “I’m not sure I understand. Please tell me more.”
- “I see this is really important to you.”
Emphasize that they are free to make a choice. An example of this might be:
- “Of course, it’s your decision."
3. Self-Reliance and Encouragement
The patient's willingness to change and believing that change is possible is an important motivator.
Assess patient confidence by asking questions, such as:
- “On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you can change your habits?”
If a patient answers, "3," ask them:
- "What would it take for you to be at 8?"
Close the conversation by offering additional information or assistance.
Motivational interviewing encourages clear, positive, and empathetic patient communications. Your patients will be more willing to accept a recommended treatment or make a positive change leading to improved oral health. Plus, a happy patient usually becomes a loyal patient who refers family members and friends.
Schedule an Appointment Today!
This blog is designed to provide general information and discussions about health and dental-related subjects. No doctor/dentist to patient relationship is established by your use of this blog or website. We are not providing any treatment or diagnosis on this blog, and it is not intended to offer specific dental or medical advice to anyone. The information or other content provided in this blog is not a substitute for professional dental expertise or treatment. We will do our best to provide you with information that will help you make your own healthcare decisions, however no guarantees or warranties are made regarding any of the information contained within this blog. If you have questions about any of the information presented on this blog, you should consult with your dentist. The dentists at Advantage Dental+ are licensed to practice in the states of Alabama, Florida, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas and this blog is not intended to solicit patients from other states. External links may be provided on this blog as a service and convenience to our patients and other visitors to our blog. These external sites are created and maintained by other public and private organizations, and we do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance or timeliness of any outside information.
