Five factors which make a good dentist
Here at Ascent Dental Care Tamworth we strive to be the best and aim to treat our customers all as individuals by providing a quality service delivered in a professional and friendly way. Just see our dental awards for evidence of this. BUT, have you ever actually stopped to think what makes a dentist good at their work? In this blog post, we will consider what are accepted to be some common factors:
1) Clean working area.
Everyone knows that first impressions count, and as far as dentists are concerned, this is as much about their treatment room as it is about them as a person / people. Imagine walking into dentist’s room, where it is totally cluttered or things not clean. Beyond being unprofessional and potentially dangerous, this gives a first impression something close to not being bothered or not caring. Hardly likely to make a good welcome, is it?!
2) Listening.
Listening skills are important in many if not all jobs, but especially and highly so for those in which personal ‘medical’ work is being undertaken like dentistry. The patient needs to feel like they are being heard, understood, and a response / action given based on those two things. A dentist or any professional who doesn’t listen is simply not respecting their patient and this is a quick way for trust to dissolve.
3) Helping to learn.
Nearly all who visit dentists have limited technical experience about the subject beyond the usual day to day cleaning routine. A good dentist will help to explain things and educate their patients. Not only does this empower them to take control of their own oral health, it can also help them to spot or reduce chances of problems.
4) You are unique.
As you saw from our ‘opening statement’ we aim to treat all customers as individuals – we believe that this is a fundamental principle. We may all have teeth, but there are variations and differences between us all. These differences need to be dealt with on a case by case, one by one basis, and this can only be done if someone is treated as unique. Everyones experiences and stories are different and this also adds weight to the fact that all customers are and should be treated as individuals.
5) Respect of your custom.
(Private) dentists are not businesses in the traditional sense that you may think a shop is, but nonetheless, a dentist is a business and needs to earn it’s money in order to operate. Imagine going into a local supermarket that always opened an hour late, never had much stock, had rude assistants, and expensive items. Not somewhere you are likely to return!
The inclusion of the same kind of positive principles apply to dental practices and therefore good dentists respect their customers and client base by taking account of:
- Time factors – doing the best possible to be punctual to all patients and avoiding cancelling unless exceptional.
- Pricing – setting fair prices which do not appear to fleece the customer.
- Work – carrying out high quality work which is important as a sense of satisfaction for both customer and dentist alike.
Does your dentist adhere to these 5 values? We’d like to think our clients believe so!
To have a look at our treatment prices, visit our fees page.
