How patients want to be educated.
Let me just start this by saying, if you are easily offended I'm not for you. Move on, you keep that finger moving and scrolling onto some professional blog, ok?!
Ya'll my primary care physician is pretty hard to get an appointment with, meaning she is booked out! Her practice only opened a year ago so I found this interesting, but ya ya I'm getting to the point
I recently went with my husband to his doctor's appointment, (we will call her Dr. R to protect her privacy). He, of course, went reluctantly having not been to see a doctor in awhile (typical man). My husband had a soccer injury and was getting it checked out. When Andrew told Dr. R what was going on with his knee. She looked at him dead in the face and said dudeeee, that freaking sucks. We gotta get you on that field again bro. Then she went about her business checking him out and signing him up for therapy and an MRI, and all the things.
When we wrapped up that visit, Andrew did EVERYTHING and I do mean EVERYTHING Dr. R told him to do! Guys, this is a BIG deal. He also let me know that Dr. R was pretty dang awesome. Why was this time different? Well because Dr. R spoke to him like a friend, compadre, bro. This is why Dr. R's practice is so busy, because she is relatable and just acknowledges people's pain and problems.
When I see Dr. R she does not call me bro or even compadre, but she does say things like this suck we gotta get you better, or your rocking that spin class girl. My point is we need to do a better job of this is dentistry! Oh your hamster ate your dentures?! That stinks Miss Pat I hope you took his wheel away for that! Lets get you a new set!
Come on ya'll! We are in the dental field, and ya its like totally another language, but we CAN do this too! We can be cool like Dr. R. She has inspired me! I hope this story inspired you to get creative with your patients as well!