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Three-month recalls Adults at high risk for caries typically are put on a three-month recall to check on their progress. And they welcome the quick follow-up visits, says Dr. Kutsch. “There’s a lot of scientific evidence to support doing caries risk assessments,” he adds. “The ADA has recommended it, and [its] Council on Scientific Affairs has established definitions for different risk categories.” In explaining his approach to patients, Dr. Kutsch emphasizes the advantages of getting to the root of the problem versus merely (and continually) providing patchwork solutions. “I literally have not had one patient say, ‘No, I’d rather just continue to have you drill and fill my teeth,’” says Dr. Kutsch. “Typically, their first response is, ‘Why hasn’t anybody told me this before?’ “When they see the clinical results—when patients who have had cavities all their lives become healthy and don’t have a cavity for years—it’s a life-changing experience for them. And those patients then talk to their friends, and suddenly I have people seeking me out strictly to treat them this way.” As for bringing his staff on-board, “I spent a lot of time educating them about the science [supporting risk assessment] and why it was important,” says Dr. Kutsch. They also worked together on how best to present the program to patients and arrange scheduling for lengthier appointment times. “Everybody has to be on the same page and understand and support this to make it happen in a practice,” Dr. Kutsch says. “And that takes some time. …[But] once they start seeing the outcomes—seeing for example, a patient who for the first time has a clean checkup—the process developed more rapidly in my practice.” Minimally Invasive Dentistry: Clinical Q&A
Dental Practice: What communication skills fit into a minimally invasive approach to patient care? Dr. Whitehouse: How a dentist interacts with each patient is the most important issue of care. When a patient’s perceptions are positive in each area within the office, trust grows and they’re more likely to accept the level of care they need. When the dentist clearly has no foreordained agenda for the patient’s treatment, the patient feels more in control. And as a result, they also become more receptive to proposed treatment plans. Patients who have had bad dental experiences need to feel positive. A minimally invasive approach may mean going very slowly with treatment presentation, not overwhelming patients. Phased treatment may help build trust and ease the patient’s budget and time issues.
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