Dental Assisting Ch. 61 Communication in the Dental Office

External marketing

Advertising, website, blog, social media marketing, marketing material (business cards, letterhead, logo), health fairs, presentations to school children or senior citizen groups

Subjective fears:

Also known as acquired fears, are based on feelings, attitudes, and concerns that have developed at the suggestion of peers, siblings, parents, or other individuals

Objective fears:

Also known as learned fears, are those related to the patient's experiences and his or her own memories of those experiences

How should telephone messages be obtained when the dental office is closed?

Answering service and answering machine

Safety

Avoiding harm; attaining security, order, and physical safety

Physiologic

Biological need for food, shelter, water, sleep, oxygen, and sexual expression

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:

Bottom to top: Physiologic, Safety, Love and Belonging, Esteem and Recognition, Self Actualization

Which dental professional is key in the marketing of a practice because they have first contact with the patient?

Business assistant

How are objective fears attained?

By learning fears from past experiences

How could a patient be psychologically influenced by the attitudes of others?

By subjective fears

A ________ is a business machine that can make duplicates from an original.

Copier

Americans spend more time with their ________ than anyone else.

Coworkers

The business machine that can be a component of the phone system and can send written or typed materials is the ________.

Fax machine

What piece of equipment allows you to send and receive typed documents?

Fax machine

Semi-block letter format:

First line of each paragraph is indented, the date is over to the right, the closing is over to the right

Self actualization

Fulfillment of unique potential

Love and belonging

Giving and receiving affection, companionship, and identification with a group

Which component is included in the salutation of a letter?

Greeting

Simplified letter format:

Same properties as the block letter format, but the greeting or salutation is eliminated. Helpful when you don't know the recipient's gender of marriage status

Esteem and recognition

Self-esteem and the respect of others; success at work; prestige

What is the key to a successful work environment?

Teamwork

The ________ is the most important item in a dental office used for public relations.

Telephone

Human behavior

The collection of behaviors exhibited by human beings who have been influenced by a person's culture, attitudes, emotions, values, ethics, and authority

The business telephone should be answered after ________ ring.

The first

Dental-phobic

The mere suggestion of a routine dental visit can bring an overwhelming sensation of panic and terror to some patients

Letterhead

The part of a letter (or printed stationary) that contains the name and address of the person sending the letter

Salutation

The part of the letter that contains the introductory greeting

Socialization

The process through which society influences individuals

Nonverbal communication

Type of communication in which body language is used as a form of expression

Verbal communication

Type of communication in which words are used as a form of expression

________ is the type of communication by which we use words to express ourselves.

Verbal communication

An example of an external marketing activity is ________.

Website

The best way to calm an irate patient is to ________.

1. Listen 2. Maintain eye contact 3. Nod your head when the patient is talking

Letters to insurance carriers:

1. Patient ID information: name, address, DOB, contract or identification number 2. Case information: nature and extent of the case, any unusual circumstances or conditions, and an estimate of the fees to be incurred 3. Radiographs: included only if required

Meeting patient needs:

1. Positive atmosphere 2. Sincerity 3. Showing respect 4. Respecting patients time 5. Resolving complaints and misunderstandings 6. Remaining approachable 7. Respecting patient confidentiality

Types of business letters:

1. Welcome to the practice 2. Congratulations 3. Acknowledgment of a referral 4. Completion of an extensive case 5. Continuing care (recall) 6. Missed appointment 7. Proposed treatment 8. Collection of payment

Listening skills:

1. do not let your mind wander 2. do not concentrate on formulating a reply 3. look as well as listen 4. do not stereotype 5. be careful of selective hearing 6. do not get impatient

What nonverbal behavior could signify tension and uneasiness in a dental patient?

1. restrained gait 2. grasping the chair arms 3. rapid shallow breathing

What percentage of gross revenue should a dental practice invest in marketing?

3% to 5%

What percentage of verbal communication is never heard?

90%

Fax machine

A business machine attached to a phone line that transmits hard copy written messages (handwritten or typed); "fax" is short for facsimile

Copier

A business machine that can make duplicates (copies) from an original

Word processing software

A computer program designed to create most types of business documents

Marketing

A way of advertising or recruiting people to a business

The part of the letter that contains the introductory greeting is the ________.

Salutation

Which would not be a stress factor for someone working in a dental office?

Job flexibility

The ________ is the part of a letter that contains the name and address of the person sending the letter.

Letterhead

________ is a way of advertising or recruiting people to your business.

Marketing

Block letter format:

No indentations, single-spaced words, double-spaced between paragraphs, all text is lined up together

Which type of communication describes our body language?

Nonverbal

________ is the type of communication that uses body language for expression.

Nonverbal communication

Besides patients of the practice, who would the business assistant correspond with?

Other dental professionals, physicians, and dental insurance companies

Which is a valuable communication tool for a dental practice?

Practice newsletter

Select a less intimidating term for the word "drill":

Prepare

Internal marketing

Publishing a practice newsletter, sending birthday or other special occasion cards to patients, sending flowers to patients who refer other patients, sponsoring giveaways, office open houses, and other promotional events

Alternative block letter format:

Return address, date, closing, name, title, and signature to the left side of the page

________ is utilized to create most types of business documents.

Word processing software