Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

I n general practice we can often feel we don’t have time to listen to our pa- tients. And can we really be bothered anyway? I mean, they do go on a bit don’t they? And yet, if we don’t listen actively we run the risk of missing out on treatment and by default money. Yes, I said it, listening can make you money! Listening well can help you to identify the patient’s wants and needs and work these into the treatment options you offer them. And it can’t just be one team member that does this. For optimum results it needs to be the whole team. tha tiv Sh No the are pe am wi we ha sev be up As Wh thi sm a n the sta the the ha the res an you run Ta A are do ing for ch ing all he us, or list Ma op To the ma op clo qu an wa bo qu Mhari Coxon discusses how using your ears can lead to success The art of listening sh i p d Orion Business Park, Northheld Avenue, West Ealing, London W13 9SJ lab@medimatch.co.uk - www.medimatch.co.uk Terms and conditions apply. 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Share – unless asked not to Share the information received with all the team so there can be continuity in conversations with the patients. Obviously, if the patient tells you something in confidence and asks you not to share this again respect their wishes. The only time this does not stand is if the information could pose a risk to others. Try it out a bit at a time Learning any new skill can be tiring, and can make us run late! So, try out listening in this way to one patient in your morning list, then on one pa- tient from your afternoon list. That way you can compare how you communicate and lis- ten now with the listening you will develop as a habit over time. The results should be pretty conclusive that this is the best way to work with pa- tients for their patient centred care pathway. Build it up one patient at a time per day over a week or so, then look back and reflect on the benefits as well as meas- uring which listening sessions went best. We are all individuals so learning a way of doing this that works for you is important too. Good luck and remember - we have two ears and only one mouth for a reason. DT About the author Mhari Coxon has 20 years experi- ence in dentistry, working as a nurse, receptionist, oral health advisor and ultimately hygienist in a variety of practice environments. She is pas- sionate about her profession. At pre- sent, she works as Senior Professional Relations Manager for Philips Oral Healthcare and clinically as a hygien- ist in central London. From Chairing the London BSDHT for 3 years, and working as an MD; Mhari excels at motivating and co-ordinating a team and utilising skills, decentralising leadership and developing self ef- ficacy in members. Throughout her career Mhari has developed hygiene protocols and plans in practices which have continued to be used with great success. Mhari is Clinical Director for CPDforDCP Ltd, a training company offering motivational and interactive development courses to the dental team. A keen writer, Mhari is on the Publications Committee of Dental Health, the British Society of Hygien- ists and Therapists (BSDHT) Journal, has a conversational column in Den- tal Tribune and writes articles for many other publications and online sites. As a speaker Mhari has present- ed regionally, nationally and interna- tionally for many groups including Talking Points in Dentistry, the British Orthodontic Society Specialist group, the BSDHT, the BDA, the Interna- tional Symposium of Dental Hygiene, the dentistry show and many others. In 2006 she was the Probe Awards hygienist of the year, and was highly commended in 2010. 2011 saw her placed 15 in the Dentistry Top 50 most influential people in the UK. ‘To help the whole team get into the swing of active listening make your questionnaires have open questions’ You will gain extra insight by listening to your patients