today EAO Madrid October 05, 2017

Professionalism in dentistry By Tim Bradstock-Smith, UK business © Solis Images/Shutterstock.com (cid:24)Developing the trust of patients is one of the most important attributes of professionalism, according to Bradstock-Smith. (cid:132) Professionalism has been defined as the conduct, aims or qualities that characterise or mark a profession or a professional person. Literature pertaining to healthcare suggests that professionalism is a compe- tency that can be taught, developed, measured and assessed.1 Neverthe- less, it can be argued that profession- alism extends beyond the scope of clinical knowledge and skills and is most certainly multifaceted. Professionalism includes work- ing within a regulatory framework with adherence to ethical practice; situational judgement and aware- ness; the ability to interact and com- municate with patients as well as in- ter-professionally; and the commit- ment to continually enhance and im- prove the knowledge, values, skills and understanding required to pro- vide consistently high-quality dental care. As every dental professional is aware, continual development and progression are essential in every part of the industry. However, with the rapid advancements we are see- ing year on year, it may not be possi- ble to keep abreast of everything. As such, practitioners should at least make the effort to be familiar with clinical and technical innovations that may potentially affect their practices. While this may seem like being a perpetual student, it is the personal responsibility of every den- tal professional to remain up to date with all the relevant skills and expe- rience they need to maintain clinical competency, as well as gain confi- dence in those acquisitions in order to strengthen judgements. their professional Continual development and pro- gression also enable practitioners to build on their abilities and capabili- ties to pursue a particular area of in- terest or to strengthen their treat- ment portfolio. For example, the de- mographic of a practice may reveal high periodontal disease rates, which would mean that enhancing skills in this area would be advanta- geous for both the clinician and the dental practice. Alternatively, with the rising demand for areas of den- tistry such as short-term orthodon- tics and aesthetic solutions, some practitioners may wish to extend their expertise into these areas. Nev- ertheless, learning how to apply skills, knowledge and experience to treatment with sound judgement is critical to the provision of profes- sional dental healthcare. Judgement, at its simplest, is forming an opinion. Yet, when ap- plied to dental care, it becomes part of a process that involves weighing up all the clinical facts and treat- ment options with their advantages and risks, as well as interaction be- tween the practitioner and the pa- tient, to come to the most appropri- ate method for treatment. Most would agree that well-in- formed, engaged patients are in a stronger position to decide between treatment options and are more likely to take ownership of the final treatment decision and results. Re- search suggests that patients seem to prefer this collaborative ap- proach, with the patient and the 22 26th EAO Annual Scientific Meeting Learning how to apply skills, knowledge and experience to treatment with sound judgement is critical to the provision of professional dental healthcare. dentist equally sharing responsibil- ity for decision-making. 2 Conse- quently, practitioners require inter- personal competency to communi- cate with and relate to patients by listening, understanding, and pro- viding complete and honest infor- mation. For instance, discussing a treatment plan step by step can help the patient to understand and ap- preciate the reasons for and the health benefits of each procedure. Fundamentally, this enables the pa- tient to make an informed decision before consent and, by developing a plan of action together, the patient– practitioner is en- hanced with trust and confidence, and this is more likely to result in patient satisfaction. relationship This does not necessarily mean that one practitioner should be able to perform all areas of treatment. Part of acting with professionalism is the ability to recognise our indi- vidual capabilities and acknowledge that there will always be cases that are beyond our skills or the techno- logical parameters of a practice. This could be due to the particular needs of the patient or the complexity of the treatment required. Yet, what- ever the reason, having the profes- sional judgement to refer a patient to another dental professional with the relevant skills and facilities is essen- tial. By requesting the skills and ser- vices of clinicians that perhaps spe- cialise in a specific area of dentistry or by utilising the advanced technol- ogy of another practice, it is possible to add value in terms of accuracy and outcome, but it also extends the scope and professionalism of the practice. When it comes to referring pa- tients, it is of course imperative to work with dental professionals that can be trusted to deliver first-class dentistry. It is a good idea to look around. The London Smile Clinic, for example, is a dedicated referral practice with a team of highly quali- fied dentists that strive to provide a five-star dental service to referring dentists and their patients. As a cen- tre of excellence in dentistry, the clinic offers an efficient and stream- lined pathway for all types of com- plex treatment, including endodon- tics, orthodontics, prosthodontics and implants. Above all, the London Smile Clinic recognises how impor- tant it is to work with professional- ism as part of the referring dentist’s team. Developing the trust of patients is one of the most important attributes of professionalism. As all practition- ers know, patients’ well-being should always be put ahead of costs or any other considerations. When patients trust a practitioner’s professionalism, competency and judgement, they are more likely to seek dental services, comply with treatment and recom- mendations, and return for further ap- pointments. Furthermore, referring strengthens the professionalism of the practice and team. (cid:26) Editorial note: A complete list of refer- ences is available from the publisher. Author Dr Tim Bradstock-Smith is principal of the London Smile Clinic, an award-winning centre of excellence in dentistry that is based in central London.

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