How To Motivate Patients To Care For Their Teeth

Some dentists can have a hard time motivating their patients to care for their oral health. This is especially true if your patients aren’t properly educated about their teeth and the dangers of neglecting them. If you’re having difficulty motivating your patients to properly brush and floss their teeth, there are a few easy tips that can help.

Motivating Patients To Floss & Brush

Below are some ways that you and your staff can help motivate your patients:

• Offer a Goody Bag – If you don’t already offer goody bags to patients after their dental cleanings and exams, you may want to start. These bags can include travel sized oral healthcare products such as toothpaste, floss, mouthwash, and even a new toothbrush. Having these products at home will increase the likelihood that your patients will use them.
• Educate Your Patients – If your patients aren’t aware of the many benefits of caring for their mouth, they may not make it a priority. For example, most of your patients probably brush regularly but may not know the importance of flossing. It’s up to you and your staff to educate your patients on the importance of each step of their oral hygiene routine. You may even want to print out pamphlets for your patients to take home outlining a good oral hygiene routine and the benefits of practicing good at-home dental care.
• Warn About the Dangers – Lastly, if the above two options aren’t working, you can ‘scare’ patients into caring for their teeth. This should include visuals of dental cavities, tooth decay, even tooth infections and gum disease. If your patients understand the pain and expense of dental problems, they may be more likely to care for their teeth.

Providing your patients with a better understanding of their dental health as well as a friendly environment and quality dental care will help you retain your patients for years to come. Additionally, you’ll increase your chances of bringing in new patients through word-of-mouth and referrals.

For more tips on patient retention or staff training, please contact CTC Associates today. Our office is here to help your practice run more smoothly.