7 Irish Dental Blessings

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

     Spring is trying to arrive. Students and teachers are enjoying a well deserved break. And March Madness is in full swing. Congratulations to Asst. Coach Bryce Crawford, his wife Hallie (Kloots), and the UMBC Retrievers on making history!

Image result for umbc

Image result for irish blessing anklesI'm an Eagle Scout. The Scout motto is "Be Prepared." Great words to live by- including your dental visits! A great deal of preparation and orchestration goes into your dental appointment. We have to because our office can have forty to fifty of them in one day! Some appointments we can prepare for months in advance, while others only minutes. The key to keeping a successful and efficient schedule is a great deal of hard work on our end, but just as important, educating our patients on what we need from you.

Below are 7 Irish Dental Blessings for a positive office experience! 

Image result for irish clock#1 — Arrive early for your appointment, so you have adequate time to find parking and check-in.

The biggest reason our schedules run late is because of patient tardiness. It is very difficult to make a scheduled 60 minute appointment into a 45 minute appointment because you are fifteen minutes late. This causes run over into the next patient’s appointment and unecessary stress on the dental team.  I think we can all agree, we don’t want dentists rushing with a handpiece that spins at 400,000 revolutions per minute! Because of this, you may be asked to reschedule your appointment if you are tardy.

#2 — Brush, floss and use mouth wash before your appointment.

If you are unable to, ask the front office staff for a toothbrush upon your arrival. We want to see the teeth we will be working on, not what you had for lunch.

#3 — Confirm your appointments. If conflicts arise, notify the staff more than 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.

Also, if an issue arises that is different than your scheduled appointment- notify the office ahead of time. For example, you were scheduled for a filling, but you broke a tooth on the opposite side chewing ice/Skinny Pop/almonds/rocks last week. We set up our rooms at the beginning of each day and may need different instruments. It also allows for your dentist to mentally switch gears and prepare for your appointment. We like to be prepared and prefer not to have patient surprises.

#4 — Avoid putting on/remove lipstick.

Image result for leprechaun lipstickIt may look nice, it but gets everywhere and can greatly increase room turn-around time.

#5 — Use the restroom before your appointment, especially for very short appointments.

(However, if nature calls, we’ll understand.)

#6 — Find a babysitter, if possible.

We love to see our patient’s families. However, if you have young children, your appointment will go more smoothly if you can find a babysitter in advance or bring a friend to watch the kid(s). We can't let children sit unattended in the waiting room, and it can be very distracting to have a young child in the operatory. We work in a detail-oriented profession that requires a great deal of focus. Fewer distractions will mean a more positive experience and a shorter appointment for you. 

#7 — Tell us if you are not comfortable.

Image result for leprechaunI often tell patients I have one rule: “I want you comfortable.” If you’re comfortable, I’m comfortable!
Let your dental team know before your appointment if you have extra needs, such as the need for more anesthesia, more frequent breaks, or a certain reclining position to accommodate neck or back issues. We may need to schedule you for  longer time slot to attend to your needs and keep you comfortable.
We work very hard to create a positive experience every time you come into the office. Proper patient etiquette and working together can help us achieve a complete, productive and timely visit!

Dr. George R. Williams is a general dentist at Williams Family Dental Group in Canton, Ohio. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and Canton Mercy Medical Center General Practice Residency.  For questions or suggestions for blog posts, please feel free to contact him at drgrw@williamsdentalgroup.com

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