This is the time of the great flossing controversy! Should we or shouldn’t we? A New York Time article says it is not proven to be beneficial and could even do harm! Patients flock to dental offices to ask if it’s true! Aren’t you tired of talking about flossing? “To floss or not to floss” … Read More »
Can You Listen Generously?
When was the last time you listened deeply, without distraction? When was the last time you felt heard and understood without any need to answer questions or fill in details? I recently attended a workshop with Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen whose books such as, “Kitchen Table Wisdom” have informed my work for over twenty years. … Read More »
No More OHI
What could be worse than “Oral Hygiene Instruction?” It conjures up images of giant toothbrushes and humongous fake teeth. It carries with it an accusation of being not too bright, or worse “unhygienic.” There is a social stigma to not having a clean mouth and “fresh breath.” Even though we are trying to be helpful … Read More »
What am I Missing Here?
I had just gotten off a plane in the Minneapolis airport and spotted a sign with the stick figure of a woman indicating a rest room The entrance had a wide area where you could go right or left around a wall. As I confidently headed to the right of the wall, I was passed … Read More »
Family Doctor or Fixer of Teeth?
How do your patients see you? How do you want to be seen? Family doctors of the past knew their patients well. They were in relationship over time, sometimes for generations. They cared for the whole family and understood their patients in that context: their family health history, financial considerations, challenges and aspirations. Family doctors … Read More »
Are You Accessing Your Ignorance?
Ignorance is not something we tend to look for in ourselves. We take pride in our knowledge and our competence, not our ignorance. Have you ever considered the ways in which your knowledge could get in your way? How accessing your ignorance could make you more successful? In preparation for our annual Leadership and Legacy … Read More »
What Systems Are You Talking About?
It’s good to hear conversations in dentistry about the Oral Systemic Connection. For those of us who have always seen the body as an elegant, fully integrated, balanced system this is good news. At my annual physical when my internist asks me if I floss my teeth I smile. Too often it seems that doctors — and patients — … Read More »
Why Would Your Patient Do Dentistry?
In dentistry we know the answer to why patients SHOULD do what we recommend. We frequently ask ourselves why they WON’T do the treatment we suggest. But the question I think we should be paying more attention to is, “Why WOULD they do it?” I wrote recently about moving our conversations with patients away from … Read More »
What Are Your Care, Skill, and Judgment Worth?
I wrote recently about moving our conversations with patients away from insurance benefits, and into conversations about the benefits of health. While we cannot ignore the role insurance may play in the choices patients make, I’m concerned that we sometimes lose sight of other factors which contribute to the process of making healthy choices. While … Read More »
