Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

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Luxator Kit LK4 (4 instruments) Plus FREE Forte 3.2 worth € 62.00 £ 210.00 Luxator Kit LK7 (7 instruments) Plus FREE Forte 3.2 & RootPicker worth € 108.50 £ 355.00 FenderPrime Refill Short, Neon Yellow or Long Neon Green 18 pcs FenderPrime Assortment Short, Neon Yellow and Long Neon Green 2 x 18 pcs £ 16.25 £ 25.85 + + 3519-1209©DirectaAB DISTRIBUTED IN THE UK BY TRYCARE TEL. 01274-88 55 44 BDTA OFFER UNTIL 31 ST JANUARY 2013 A ndrew Mitchel’s resig- nation from his Chief Whip post and my col- league attending a course on complaints handling prompted me to write this. We live in a world where we are regulated by so many authorities, and more importantly we live in a media led world. Escalated complaints can cost you your job, five years of education, your reputation, and your life for that matter. On a personal note com- plaints rise due to lack of com- munication skills and The Dental Defence Union is ad- vising dental professionals to brush up their communica- tion skills to help avoid com- plaints. Responding to news from the Dental Complaints Service (DCS) that complaints about private dental treatment rose by 17 per cent in the year to April 2012, the Dental De- fence Union (DDU) says that in its experience, many com- plaints involve communication problems of one sort or an- other. There is an old saying that if you can talk properly you can get away with anything, even murder. We live in a mul- ti-cultural society; English is not our mother tongue. In my experience, different cultures express themselves differently. The heart of the dental clinic is the receptionist; she is the ambassador who carries the surgery. She could be the most glamorous and attractive receptionist but lack of com- munication skills can send the surgery downhill. As a recep- tionist it is important to give clear and precise answers on the phone, and to maintain a neutral tone of voice is of para- mount importance. Confidence Of course the dentist has to maintain effective communi- cation skills to treat patients. Some people may believe that only manual dexterity is need- ed to do the treatment. I com- pletely disagree as the patient should have confidence and to- tal trust in their dentists. In or- der to gain their trust the den- tist should be able to convey the treatment plan. To be able to have a decent conversation is not enough, are you giving treatment options, answering their questions without jar- gon when they raise concerns, and willing to apologise when things go wrong? Patient sat- isfaction is more important in this day and age than ever. Many practises have a treatment coordinator today. It is a very good way of giving the patient tremendous experi- ence through the patient jour- ney at the surgery, and it also saves time for the dentist to do more clinical work on the patient. The patient feels they are being given a personalised service and that they are being given a bespoke approach. The surgery can avoid complaints by providing clear and concise treatment plans and financial options. Also, the whole dental team should speak from the same page; the patient should always feel that they are being treated by the best team, from the recep- tionist to the dental nurse and dentist. Having eye contact when you talk is very impor- tant; I have a pet peeve about people closing their eyes even when they sing let alone when they talk! Happy ending The successful conversations will always lead to a happy ending. Sharing meaningful and practical information with patients will educate patients. It is our duty to educate and explain things in a more lay- man’s term and what is in their best interest. Listen to the pa- tient’s needs and the patient can be confident that their treatment is being provided by a fully competent professional, or is transferred or referred to one to do so. Take responsibility and do not take complaints lightly. Discuss issues at staff meet- ings and learn from mistakes. Educate staff members and improve communication skills. Communication cannot be taught from a book; it is your attitude, which can be changed by correct planning and con- trol. Body language also plays a key role in communication; let us not forget that actions speak louder than words. In a nut shell, to avoid con- troversy, keep away from com- plaints. DT Don’t take complaints lightly Dilhani Silva talks complaints The heart of the clinic is the Receptionist ‘There is an old saying that if you can talk properly you can get away with anything, even murder’ About the author Dilhani Silva is currently self em- ployed as a Practice Manager and course administrator for a private Dental College. November 19-25, 2012United Kingdom Edition