A PATIENT-CENTERED APPROACH WITH GLO

A PATIENT-CENTERED APPROACH WITH GLO

If a global pandemic has taught us anything about the dental industry, it's that staying in tune with patient needs (and adapting to their wants) is and remains a priority in developing a successful, lasting relationship.

Sounds easy right? Not quite.

We know you want what's best for patients, but do you know what they want? The key to discovering this lies in a patient-centered approach, which in short means careful and dedicated attention to individual needs and preferences. This applies to everything from routine appointments to disease prevention and treatment. A recent study from Harvard and BMC Oral Health states that, "Person-centered care offers a unique and compelling opportunity for dentistry and its practitioners to improve the quality of care and overall health outcomes."

Perhaps you’ve already incorporated this into your care plan, but one caveat is that unless your patients notice and respond to this approach, your intentions may fall flat, or worse, feel forced upon the patient. There’s nothing worse than catching a patient off-guard with services you know are needed, but they don’t want. Patient reception and compliance relies upon a delicate balance based on good communication and rapport. How exactly, can you ensure your message is clear and well received, and how can GLO Science help you achieve this?

Two words: health literacy. You may already be painfully aware of this to some extent, but did you know that 50-70% of patients do not follow dental recommendations within a month of their initial consult?

To combat this, not only do you need to provide clear instructions and follow-up care to ensure compliance, but here’s where knowing what your patients want can help you motivate them to take an active role in their oral health after they leave your office. Dr. Yooson Kim of Morganville, PA has an excellent approach to using whitening as a motivator. She says, “Patients may have a bunch of cavities, but they still want white teeth! So, it’s your job to communicate with the patients… and sometimes teeth whitening is kind of the final prize they have for themselves.”

Here at GLO, we recognize the challenges you face, and therefore offer many ways to share pre-and post-treatment tips with patients. Visit GLO Science Professional and you'll find:

We've also enhanced and expanded our newest PRO Platinum take home teeth whitening kit to include Bluetooth connectivity to the GLO app, providing the option to schedule treatments, track progress, get reminders, and more.

Adding these tools to routine hygiene appointments and whitening consults can significantly enhance the patient experience, building trust and increasing the likelihood for at-home compliance. It also allows for a better understanding of the options and outcomes available.

Choice is another key component of a patient-centered approach. And when it comes to professional teeth whitening, we know that one size does not fit all – well, unless you’re referring to our universal mouthpiece! GLO offers customizable options to satisfy individual needs and preferences including:

Happy patients mean more than just good PR for your office. In addition to referring friends and family, they tend to be more likely to return for follow-up care, seek additional services, and are motivated to take better care of their oral health in between check-ups, adding value to your practice in multiple ways.

We continue to be committed to partnering with dental practices to improve the quality of patient care one smile at a time and look forward to working together with you and your team to enhance oral care.

Sources:

Person-centered care model in dentistry (harvard.edu)

Ada.org

Patient‐centered care – what is it and how is it practiced in the dental surgery? (nih.gov)

Dr. Yooson Kim (Morgantown, PA) - GLO Pro Whitening & ECO Balance VIDE – GLO Science Professional

A PATIENT-CENTERED APPROACH WITH GLO

Share this article with a colleague