Patient Advocacy

When you go to your dentist in East Bentleigh, how do you feel? It’s normal to feel a bit anxious; after all it’s not as exciting as going on an overseas holiday or winning lotto! At Verve Dental, we practice patient advocacy – which means that your entire dental experience is focused on making you feel safe, comfortable and fully supported. From the moment you make your appointment, to the time you walk out our door, any concerns and questions you’ve got about your dental treatment are addressed. What is patient advocacy? When a dentist practices patient advocacy, they’re putting your health and overall well being as the number one priority. They see things from your point of view – it’s almost like your dentist is walking in your shoes. A dentist that practices patient advocacy:

• Takes the time to understand their patient’s concerns, answers questions
• Doesn’t talk down to their patient’s, lecture or admonish them, and
• Presents information in a way that is meaningful to the patient – no jargon or technical terms.

Why did patient advocacy develop?

Over the last 50 years, the way dentists have been communicating with their patients has changed – for the better! You may remember a time when your dentist told you what dental treatment you needed, and then performed it. This type of dentist/patient relationship is now seen as paternalistic, “This is the problem you’ve got, these are the options, and this is what I will do. ”When I ask patients, “Why did you have that tooth removed?” they often say, “Because the dentist said it was best to do so – I didn’t feel like I had a choice.” If you’ve had this type of dental experience, it doesn’t mean that the treatment you received was inferior. But you may have felt like your concerns or questions weren’t important to the dentist. What is patient advocacy like at Verve Dental?

I spend time understanding what’s important to you by asking the right questions that include:

• What are your priorities? Do you want to keep your teeth for life or keep your dental costs down? Are you scared of pain and having too much time off work? Do you get worried your kids will have teeth like you?
• What are you willing to sacrifice and what are you willing not to sacrifice? Would you like to keep all your teeth as long as possible?
• What matters most to you? A youthful smile or to eat whatever you want?

After discussing your dental treatment options, we sit by side as I let you know why a particular solution to will help you achieve what’s important to you. Patient advocacy means there are no lectures or going ahead and completing your dental treatment without input from you.If you’d like to experience a dental practice that advocates for their patients, we’d love to welcome you to Verve Dental. Call us on 03 9570 5188 to book your first appointment in.