Compassionate care, with concern and respect.
Treating all patients as the unique individuals.
Comprehensive and Integrated care approach-patient outcomes
Rule: Better being ‘a friend’ rather than ‘a strict operator’. Sort of ‘friendship’ between dentist and patient with special needs often very helpful! (“Patients do not care what you really know but they do know when you care about them!”)
To provide high quality care in the following areas:
- Education of patients and parents or carers with regard to prevention and treatment of oral diseases to minimize major dental problems
Improving oral health for people with special needs mainly through community based dental care system - Comprehensive, routine dental care
- Urgent dental care provision
- Domiciliary dental care for housebound patients including mobile dental service
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Close cooperation with colleagues in the Hospital Dental Services and in general dental practice to ensure a team approach in the management of vulnerable people. Also with medical practitioners, residential home staff, learning disability teams, community mental health teams, social services, relatives and carers
- Making appropriate decision about: a) routine dental treatment in clinic, b) emergency care, c) treatment using inhalation or intravenous sedation, c) general anaesthesia sessions, d) domiciliary visit
Key skills of caring clinician and SDC dentist:
- communication, clinical, leadership and management
- interpersonal relationship, communication competency, diagnostic observational skills, understanding the patient, observing body language, focusing on important nuances, empathy, methodical approach.
- empathy and respect
- competency and self-motivation
- non-judgemental approach
- methodical approach with attention on details
- adaptation and flexibility towards changes and non-standard clinical problems
- clear professional ‘vision’ and attitude
- clinical integrity and positive clinical attitude
- multiple skills, including provision of different forms of sedation
- good team worker
- excellent communication skills
- time management skills
- knowledge of guidelines, policies and acts regarding SDC
- excellent cooperation with physicians, consultants, specialists, senior colleagues
- understanding a ‘bigger picture’ of patient dental treatment needs in the context of general medical conditions
- knows his/her own limitations
- referrals management, continuity of care and management of safeguarding matters relating to those under care
- awareness of personal performance target (eg. UDA’s, UK)
Public Dental Care for ‘harder to reach’ groups
Problems:
- consent
- deprived areas
- substances misuse
- addictions
- social problems
Solutions:
- walk-in centers
- encouragement
- school screening
- oral health promotion
- close cooperation with public health services
Problems:
- Commorbidities
- Decreased life expectancy
- Increase in patients demands