Patient Care: An Empathetic Approach

Here's what you must know- I once hated the dentist, I met an incredible dentist who changed my perspective, I delve headfirst into the field- making it my new career path, and now I work at an amazing dental clinic assisting three of the most wonderful and empathetic teachers I've met. That's the foundation that will allow this post to, well, make sense.

I've been assisting for the past 5 months. Like anybody else, I have the standout stories, the miracle cases, and memories of good and bad experiences, but last week there was a patient who I hope to remember and think of always as I further pursue this career.

Pt presents to clinic with pain on the upper left mandible. After a review of their chart, I see that they've had a tooth recently root canal treated and crowned on the upper left. It can be baffling how much of dentistry is puzzle solving and intuitive thinking, but alas an x-ray showed a deep infection under said tooth. As we evaluated the tooth and pin-pointed the pain, the patient began sobbing from the agony of the infection. Simply put, an extraction was in demand. While it can seem easy to break the news of a procedure to a patient, it's easier to forget that not many people are used to the language of a dental office, and what seems like a simple, even common procedure can be incredibly intimidating and scary. Soon our patient was stressed, uncomfortable, and terrified to be in our chair. As someone who has been just like that patient (recall, I hated the dentist), I wanted to do anything to take their attention away from the scariness and show that, although gloved and holding an obnoxiously loud suction, I was still human, and I valued their trust and patience.

I told the patient that I understood their fear; that I used to be extremely afraid to go to the dentist. We laughed at the fact that I now work in the field and intend to be a dentist. I asked about their family and shared stories of mine; we continued with the procedure. When it was again too painful to continue, I asked about their career, if they liked it, if it was what they originally wanted to do, and through this conversation I learned that they knew American Sign Language (which I am learning for my minor). A patient who was screaming and crying out of pain and despair eventually left our clinic thanking us for our patience and signing how helpful I was and how much they appreciated my empathy.

Again and again, this anxiety and fear is an all too familiar feeling in dental and medical patients. But the silly aspect is that it does not take much to make that person feel valued, important, and truly cared for. I've learned so much, but one of the best lessons I've been taught is the continuous chance to practice empathy. At the end of the day, it does not matter how textbook that extraction went, how perfect your plan was, or how amazing blah, blah, blah was, but what is truly important is how you treat people. For that is what they will remember about you. I firmly believe that nobody should be afraid of the dentist and it's our calling to be a teacher and role model to everyone we come in contact with- empathy is free for those who try to do good.

That's all. I'm once again amazed by the lessons of dentistry. I love this job. <3

xx,

Beka