You may understand dental anatomy and every know periodontal disease, but it isn’t that helpful in the practical sense. We have to acknowledge that we are handling average people who aren’t aware of all the medical terms. The vocabulary of our line of work is practically foreign to them and bombarding them with so many of these words will leave them confused. You should be able to teach them understandable terms so they can boost their oral health literacy. Your patients should be capable to obtain, assess and understand even the most basic dental information and services so that they can make medical decisions on their own. You typically meet patients for short periods of time because most check-ups last about less than an hour. The challenge with most of you and your patient’s sessions is how you can educate them even with the sporadic time that you both have. This is why you should know the best techniques to help you educate them more easily.

Senses

One of the most underrated forms of learning is when someone integrates their senses to help absorb the information needed. It shows that the more senses used increases the potential for information to retain better in the mind. It puts patients in a more intense set-up over just simply reading or even just listening to dental information. There are multiple senses that are highly active in your mouth and can be a good way to teach your patients about dental health and even their concerns or questions. It keeps them engaged and heightens their awareness of their oral cavity.

Multi-task

Time is very precious when treating your patients but their education is also an integral part of their dental health. A knowledgeable patient reduces the risk of a recurring problem and can even prevent other oral diseases from forming. The challenge is finding enough time to teach your patients more than just the basics. The dental chair is your best asset here and the most opportune time for any dentist to insert a chance to educate them. You should replace those moments of small talk and friendly banter to full on class sessions of dental education.

Comparatives

The best way to make it simple for anyone to understand a question or concern is by relating or comparing something to their daily lives. It helps them connect things when they have a personal tie or experience to their own dental health. This increases their awareness of the actual role they play when it comes to their dental health and how they can help maintain or improve it.