By: DeAnne Blazek DDS
This topic originally appeared on Pankey.org. Dr. Blazek granted permission for igniteDDS to share with our readers.
We see many patients daily and, it’s hard to remember all of them. You may remember their dental concerns or recall your work once you examined but not the people themselves.
Keeping an individualized notebook where you write more individualized patient details apart from the regular chart is important since it helps you stay updated and build more personal connections with your patients no matter when they come back.
I’ve learned that with experience, once I go through those notes before the patient appointment and I remember any small detail or concerns they may had in the past, it makes them feel more valued in your practice and builds trust in them.
A Journey to Deeper Patient Relationships
As a young hygienist, it would bother me when I would see a re-care patient and not remember what we talked about the previous time. I started jotting things down on index cards about each patient and keeping them in a private file. Not the things you would typically see in chart notes, but personal things they felt comfortable sharing.
Each time they came in, I would refer to the personal card file and refresh my memory as to where we left off. There was no way I would have been able to remember all those special discussions, so I had to write them down. Each time they came in, the next chapter began.
I also started sharing more information about myself. I found the more I shared, the deeper the conversations went. I really wanted to know my patients on a much deeper level and that is what happened over time.
Time spent getting to know my patients has resulted in lifelong relationships. Of all the things I’ve learned, this is one of the most important keys to a meaningful and enjoyable career.
Throughout my whole journey till the residency program, I was blessed to have exceptional instructors and role models who impressed upon me the importance of lifelong learning and all of them recommended Pankey, telling me to go there as soon as I could.
I will never forget sitting in Dr. Irwin Becker’s philosophy class as he talked about the Crosses of Dentistry at The Pankey Institute. He discussed “Knowing Your Patient” and I remember becoming very emotional.
When I came back to The Pankey Institute, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by name by Dr. Ernie Anderson, one of the course instructors, as I stepped into the elevator of the condos. Obviously, he had taken time to look at the roster to see who was in the class and that was very impactful. The kindness, thoughtfulness, and encouragement shown to me at the Institute were instrumental in demonstrating how I wanted to make my patients feel during my care.
