Our good intentions and true thoughts surrounding a difficult situation with a patient can get lost in the communication process. When we fail to meet patient expectations, we can almost become a different person.

Our patient interprets what we say and do as demonstrations of our character. This is why, if we want to resolve conflicts and make patients feel understood, we need to pay special attention to showing that we care.

How to Show You Care About Patient Concerns

There are many ways to show you care that can be beneficial on both sides. It also helps to take criticism not as a personal affront, but as an opportunity for improving our communication skills. It may seem counterintuitive, but the best way to soothe or diffuse heightened emotions is to let people experience them. Allow patients to fully express their upset, instead of trying to shoot them down or make light of the situation.

Then, truly embrace empathy. Don’t just listen and nod without truly empathizing with their upset. Let them know that you understand how hard the situation is for them. Next, acknowledge the challenge of revealing their true feelings by thanking them for their honesty and for telling you what they think.

And then there’s the hardest part: apologize. You don’t need to admit you’re guilty and beg their forgiveness. You simply need to express how sorry you are that they are experiencing upset. Also, don’t assume that you can guess how to fix the problem.

Ask your patient how they want to be helped and be honest about whether you can make it work. By patiently listening and acknowledging their feelings, you may have already given them exactly what they wanted.

How do you show your patients that you care? Let us know in the comments! 

In life, there are few things that are truly a ‘guarantee.’ This word has been thrown around in sales speak for eons, but it’s also an empowering tool by which to build your dental practice. You may not be able to control the outcome of every aspect of your patient care. On the other hand, you can definitely commit to always going the extra mile to secure complete satisfaction.

What is a Guarantee in Dentistry?

Your practice culture should be defined verbally or in writing through your vision and mission. It should also be held as the unspoken, consistent values you communicate to staff and patients on a daily basis. You don’t need a cheesy catchphrase beneath your practice logo saying, ‘100% satisfaction or we’ll completely redo your dental work’ to make your service a guarantee.

But what does a guarantee look like in dentistry and why is it beneficial? Think of a guarantee as the powerful conviction that you stand behind your work and will continuously strive for exceptional service. If your motto is to exceed expectations and you make that clear to your patients, then you will go to any lengths to do exactly that.

Commit to Complete Satisfaction

A guarantee is an ethic of personal responsibility. It is your integrity and it will speak for itself in a hundred ways if you follow through. It means you will take the time to determine what satisfaction looks like for your patients. The main benefit of this is the development of a rock solid service reputation. You won’t have to go to the yellow pages for explicit ‘we guarantee it’ marketing. Word of mouth will snowball as your confidence in what you offer translates to how comfortable your staff and patients feel recommending you.

Excellence is a rarity fueled by integrity. Develop your patients’ and team members’ pride in your work by incorporating a guarantee into your dental practice culture.

How do you go above and beyond in your clinical care?