In any dental practice, you will encounter challenging patients from time to time. When working with a variety of patients on a regular basis, it is inevitable that you will eventually come across someone who is rather difficult to work with. Whether it’s because they have certain fears or anxieties related to the dentist, or just because they are very particular about what they want; everyone has different preferences. Here are some of the most common and challenging types of patients dentist deal with on a regular basis and some strategies for dealing with them more effectively!
The dentist-phobic dental patient
One of the most common types of difficult dental patients is the dentist-phobic patient. This type of patient is often extremely anxious about visiting the clinic, sometimes to the point where they will avoid going to the dentist for years at a time and allow their oral health to decline significantly. Patients who are dental phobic require the same-day treatments which we provide.
The dentist-phobic patient will usually have a fear of being numbed and/or being put to sleep while in the dental chair. They may also have a fear of the sound of the dental tools and the vibrations/noise that they make when in use or a fear of feeling pressure in their gums/teeth when being worked on.
Timing constrained Patient
The timing-constrained patient is someone who has very little flexibility in their schedule and may show up at the last minute or change their appointment time at the last minute without any notice. This can be disruptive to the rest of your patients and your practice flow, and, if it happens frequently, can be a sign that the patient has poor time management skills and is struggling with some type of crisis in their life.
You do not want to turn away a patient who has genuine reasons for being late or for needing to reschedule at the last minute, but you also want to avoid enabling a patient who is not able to show up at the scheduled time. In these situations, it is best to have a clear policy in place for dealing with the timing-constrained patient.
The Know-it-all Patient
The know-it-all patient is someone who has very specific ideas about how their treatment should be done, regardless of whether or not those are the best options for them. This type of patient may also be highly critical of your work and judgment as a dentist. Especially if they are not experiencing the results they want. It can be frustrating to encounter a know-it-all patient because they may not be open to any suggestions or opinions other than their own.
The best way to deal with the know-it-all patient is to first identify their concerns and then explain why your recommended treatment plan is the best course of action. It is important to be respectful but also firm in your approach. As this type of patient can be very difficult to work with.
The uninformed patient in dental practice
The uninformed patient may not yet be aware of the signs of oral diseases and conditions that can affect their oral health, or have had limited exposure to preventive dental care in the past. If You can encounter this type of patient at any age. But it is most common in young children and senior citizens.
You may want to refer this patient to a general practitioner, dental hygienist. Or another dental professional for education and treatment, if appropriate. If want to refer the patient to a dental school where they can receive treatment and education from students in a supervised environment.
The hypercritical dental patient
The hypercritical patient is someone who is extremely critical of themselves and their own appearance and may also be critical of your work as a dentist. You may notice that this type of patient is excessively self-conscious about their teeth and is overly critical of any treatment that you recommend for them.
You may want to try to make your assessments and recommendations in a non-judgmental way. But you may also want to set clear boundaries around how you want to be treated as a dental professional. Whenever you encounter a patient who is overly critical. It is important to remember that they are hurting themselves more than they are hurting you.
Conclusion
When treating patients, it can be easy to overlook the fact that dentists are dealing with people. People come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities, and it can be difficult to deal with a difficult person. Dentists encounter a wide range of patients on a daily basis. And they may be dealing with challenging patients more often than you think. Dealing with challenging patients doesn’t have to be a negative experience, though. With the right approach, you can turn even the most difficult situations into positive outcomes for everyone involved.
