“ The accessibility of medical information has made a massive difference .”
Did your online visits begin with the pandemic ?
Yes , and telemedicine is indeed a valuable and powerful tool . It became a crucial topic with the pandemic . During the lockdown , the only way we could talk to our patients , reassure them or give them advice and postoperative instructions , was through online visits .
With all the digital tools we have nowadays , telemedicine is much easier .
fore the visit . We need to adjust according to who the patients are and what they can understand . A lot of this comes with experience . In school nobody teaches us how to be psychologists . But there is one unchanging fact : when we take the time to educate patients , and they understand the procedures , they are much more compliant .
Have you ever found yourself worrying about complications more than your patients worry ?
All the time . Clinicians know what could happen , which makes them worry more . Severe periodontal disease can cause bleeding on probing and other symptoms , but not necessarily pain . So , the patient is completely unaware of what is going on in their mouths . We need to be very strict when it comes to review and follow-up appointments . Before starting the treatment , I always make sure the patients are available for visits every week for the first month , every two weeks for the second month , and then once a month thereafter . And they need to comply with post-operative instructions . With all the digital tools we have nowadays , telemedicine is much easier . Sometimes we have a Zoom meeting to make sure that patients understand post-op instructions , or they send us a quick photo instead of planning a face-to-face visit .
What are the most powerful communication tools ?
Technology helps . But the most important asset is the time we dedicate to patients . I use 3-D models that can be easily and cost-effectively built from CBCT scans . Also , photography is an enormous help . We have a large screen where we show all the collected diagnostic data so we can better and more fully discuss patient conditions and prognoses . So they can consider and digest the information after the first consultation . We also give patients written reports including PowerPoints of intraoral images and radiographs .
Communications failure : What ’ s the most common cause ?
I think it is time management – always being in rush or late so we do not have the time to spend for one-to-one exchange with the patient . Reserving and dedicating this time completely changes the outcome , especially when understanding possible post-operative outcomes and homecare are more critical . Once the trust
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