Can You See Me Now

Can you see me now

Use engagement strategies and state-of-the-art imaging systems to make patients full participants in their care plans

If a dentist explains a treatment plan in words the patient doesn’t understand, does the dentist make a sound? If the result is that the patient declines the plan, the answer might as well be “no.”

Dental terminology, while very useful for dental professionals, leaves much to be desired when it comes to communicating unfamiliar concepts to patients, and the problem is compounded by the fact that frequently you’re describing something the patient has never seen. Using ideas and language that patients can grasp is therefore an important part of successful chairside communication.

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Dentist showing 3D CBCT images to a patient

At the same time, “a picture is worth a thousand words” is an adage for a reason. It’s estimated that up to two-thirds of the population learn better when presented with visual data than from verbal instructions alone. No wonder so many patients struggle to follow spoken explanations and make good decisions for themselves. Fortunately, today’s high-tech imaging systems, in addition to making your practice more efficient and comprehensive, can help you cut through the lingo and engage patients in truly inclusive conversations about their care.

To catch a goldfish

One of the most frustrating situations in dentistry is when you can see potential or current disease – sometimes severe – but the patient declines treatment because it’s not (yet) causing them pain. Whether it’s periodontal disease, caries, a failing restoration or a cosmetic issue, patients can take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach to just about any problem as long as it doesn’t hurt.

Complicating the patient education process is the declining average attention span, which was estimated to be 8.5 seconds in 2015 – shorter than that of a goldfish. And although videos and photos available from educational sources, such as your practice website, may help, from the patient’s point of view, they’re just examples with no real connection to their personal situation.

Imaging technologies, however, can show a patient their own mouth and teeth from roots to surface and even into the predicted future. With digital radiography, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) systems, intraoral cameras and intraoral digital impression scanners, you can give visual learners the information best suited to their understanding, provide auditory learners with a starting point for the explanation they need and capture the attention of just about anyone.

dental patient positioned in a CBCT machine that is taking a digital radiograph of his mouth

Digital radiography and CBCT

Radiography may be a fundamental diagnostic tool, but interpreting radiographs can be difficult for the untrained eye, and small, static film radiographs aren’t much help. Digital radiography, on the other hand, allows enhancement and magnification of images to highlight areas of concern, making it easier to show patients developing problems.

When needed, 3D CBCT images are even more striking. Their high quality and vast amounts of data allow you to manipulate them in ways beyond any 2D image. You can turn, isolate and color structures to zero in on points of interest in soft tissue as well as teeth and bones.

For patients who need implants, CBCT provides the opportunity for patients to see where they’ll be placed and better comprehend the full treatment process. It also can help in diagnosing sleep apnea, even in patients who might be unaware of any sleep issues. In each case, visual evidence of an underlying issue can make the difference between patient skepticism and patient care.

Dentist using an intraoral camera to capture images in a patient’s mouth

Intraoral photography

If an issue can be seen with the naked eye, it also can be seen with a camera. Intraoral cameras are invaluable for recordkeeping, but they also aid communication. Painless and noninvasive, intraoral photography provides immediate information, and you can enlarge images to show details on the spot. High-definition intraoral cameras can capture minute details, accurate colors and smooth videos that help you convince not only patients, but also insurance companies, of the need for treatment.

Taking a full-mouth series of photos with an intraoral camera also can be enlightening for patients who take their current dentition for granted. A tooth-by-tooth series may be valuable for recordkeeping, but may be overwhelming for patients to review (remember the goldfish), so a shorter series showing the esthetic zone, lateral views and occlusal views will be more engaging. To demonstrate the value of treatment, compare these views with those from other patients (without revealing their identities) you’ve treated.

Dentist scanning a patients mouth and viewing the image on a screen

Intraoral scanners

Of course, showing the results of someone else’s treatment isn’t as powerful as being able to show the predicted results for the patient actually in the chair. Intraoral scanners make it possible for patients to watch how their own dentition has changed over time and how a proposed treatment plan will improve it in the future. With the right software, patients also can see the effects of bruxism, developing caries and malocclusion, lending credence to the diagnosis of these otherwise “invisible” problems.

dentist reviewing digital radiograph images with a patient

The power of inclusiveness

Many patients are impressed and intrigued by new technology, and the fact that you use it in your practice can, even subconsciously, help convince them of your knowledge and expertise.

Other patients are less excited about change and may benefit from a basic explanation of how a new device works and how using it will improve their care in terms of time, accuracy and comfort. Such conversations – even with enthusiastic patients – also help improve transparency about the diagnostic process and foster more in-depth communication as patients feel encouraged to ask questions that may reveal their level of acceptance for care.

Digital images can even spark conversations outside of the practice. Sending patients their photos and digital renderings via text or email enables them to show friends and family the diagnosed problem and proposed treatment. Such information is invaluable in any discussions of treatment cost at home, and it also can play a role in acceptance, allowing a wider audience to weigh in on the benefits of the suggested plan. In cases where oral disease is linked to systemic health problems, diagnostic images can be used to collaborate with physicians in delivering complex, multidisciplinary care.

Make closer connections

Engaging patients by showing them what you see can give them a sense of being involved in the diagnostic and treatment planning process, and make them feel like a player on the dental team, rather than a passive recipient. This feeling of ownership in the treatment plan helps create an investment in scheduling and keeping future appointments, reducing the likelihood of no-shows. With today’s imaging technology, you can help patients put a real face on dental care – not yours, but their own.

This article was originally published in the fall 2022 issue of Advantage by Patterson Dental.

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