Dental Sleep Medicine Insider July 2016 | страница 3

Jason Tierney Editor-in-chief SLEEPING WITH THE EDITOR Along with technical mastery, it is im- perative to build your communication skills. In fact the key to a successful dental practice, one that allows dentists to use their technical ability to their greatest potential is the ability to communicate.” – L.D. Pankey The Dental Sleep Medicine Insider [email protected] 314-882-7746 the key to [ s u c c e s s ] ... is the ability to communicate . If so, you’re not alone. I’ve heard each of these so many times, they’re virtually tattooed on my brain. The issue isn’t insurance or home testing. The issues are communication, trust, and expectations. Every reader has the first part of Dr. Pankey’s quote perfected. You know how to ensure perfect margins, build a smile with the perfect VDO, and deliver a sleep apnea device that isn’t too tight, isn’t too loose, and doesn’t impinge the soft tissue. You are the expert. It’s the second half of Dr. Pankey’s quote that is typically lacking and it’s particularly glaring as it pertains to Dental Sleep Medicine (DSM) implementation. I’ve heard the following quotes innumerable times: “When I talk to my patients about sleep, they don’t want to hear it. They’re here to get their teeth cleaned.” “After I screen them and tell them they need to get a sleep test, they tell me they’ll think about it.” “The patients are interested in treatment until I have to discuss the financial aspects with them.” “I came back from the course pumped to implement DSM but my team says this won’t work in our practice.” Do any of these sound familiar to you? The key to overcoming each of these issues is clear communication. It’s paramount to communicate clearly, to set expectations, and then over-communicate. Unfortunately, this isn’t an exact science that can be measured in tenths of millimeters. It requires a level of comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty. There are a lot of dots and there isn’t necessarily one definitive way to connect them all. We’re dealing with people, with expectations, with frames of reference. It’s so important that you and your team adopt a consultative approach. Empathize, Discover, Advocate, and Support. This can be learned and it will help you communicate more effectively, not just as it relates to DSM or even dentistry, but in all facets of your life. If you want to know more about this, please let me know. If the response warrants it, I’ll cover each of these 4 pillars of consultative communication in subsequent issues. As a result, you will gain more trust and increase your case acceptance. Trust me.