Do You Practice Whole Health Dentistry?

I once had a patient remark, “I guess my teeth really are connected to the rest of my body!” He was only half joking. He was just starting to understand the effect of his dental health on his overall health. Those of us in dentistry clearly understand the significance of the oral/systemic connection. Many practices are offering tests or procedures related to whole body health. I’m excited about the possibilities I see. Yet my concept of Whole Health Dentistry is much more expansive than that. It is a practice model in which the patients, the dentist, and everyone else on the team are aligned around health and well-being.

In a Whole Health model, individuals will not always have the same health goals, but everyone’s intention is toward health – Physical, Spiritual, Emotional and Mental. There is no place for manipulation because duress does not support health. There is no place for intimidation because fear does not support health. Healthy relationships support health. Mutual respect supports health. Learning, self-confidence, and compassion support health.

In my vision of a Whole Health model, our patients are our teachers. As we provide information to help patients make choices about their health, they provide us with information about how to attend to their needs, objectives and challenges. We consider their beliefs and their knowledge, their experiences and their fears, and their behaviors and their barriers, as well as their physical conditions. And we see the wholeness in them, not just the pieces.

I recall a new patient, Richard, who told me he had lost over sixty pounds in the previous year and a half. He was quite proud of his accomplishment and of his current level of fitness. When I asked him how he did it he said he taped a picture of himself at his heaviest to the door of his refrigerator. Every time he was tempted to fall back on old behaviors he was inspired to persevere.

We helped Richard see what we were seeing during his exam and took some intraoral photos. It became clear to him that his dental health was not good. His previous diet had taken a toll and he had never done much to take care of his teeth. When we talked about how he could improve his home care, although he was motivated, he seemed somewhat overwhelmed. I let him know that we would support him through what would be a lengthy process. I also suggested that if he could do what it took to lose sixty pounds, I was confident he could be successful in this process. He paused a moment, smiled, and asked if he could have a copy of one of his photos. He said he was going to tape to his bathroom mirror.

Richard was one of my early teachers. After that experience I learned to pay close attention whenever patients told me about a significant change they had made in their lives. When they checked “former smoker” on a health history or shared that they are in recovery from substance abuse. When they referenced an exercise routine they had incorporated, or healthy eating habits they had acquired. When they mentioned a regular practice of meditation, or mindfulness, or prayer, or sleep, or regular walks in the park — anything they had an enduring commitment to, I asked about it.

I began to see that I was in a unique position to help people make positive changes in their lives. I saw my role from a different perspective, not just as a teacher of skills, but as a facilitator of health. I could make it easier for my patients to choose health.  The vehicle for that process was not my answers, but my questions. I became curious about two aspects of significant change when new or existing patients reported a positive change they had incorporated into their lives: What motivated them? What strategies did they use to sustain them?

When I asked what prompted them to start the diet, exercise, etc. what I heard were their values. I heard things like vitality, self-respect, role modeling, endurance, longevity, and so much more.  I asked how they made the change – how they were able to sustain the commitment over time. I heard uniquely individualized creative, inspiring strategies. I would never have suggested someone tape a picture of unhealthy teeth to their bathroom mirror! But that was Richard’s strategy, not mine. And because it was his it worked for him.

The most significant benefit in those conversations is that as we hear someone’s motivation and strategies, they hear them – often for the first time. The essence of co-discovery. They gain a heightened awareness of their fortitude, their knowledge, and their creativity.  Whatever future changes they choose to make will be grounded in success. They can approach the next phase of their health not from a place of insufficiency, but from a place of confidence. Confidence supports health and well-being.

How do you practice Whole Health Dentistry?

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