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Provide Additional Patient Care Through Motivational Interviewing

Provide Additional Patient Care Through Motivational Interviewing
by Sonny Chokka, DDS

Aside from always having to remind patients to floss when you know they won’t, what do you wish you could change about your patients’ habits? In his article for Dentistry IQ, “Guide Dental Patients to Accept Treatment with Motivational Interviewing (MI),” Sonny Chokka, DDS recommends a technique for actively discussing care with patients in order to help them, and you, take better care of their oral health.

Even though patients pay for our expertise as health professionals, simply advising them of what we think is best isn’t always the most effective approach. Research from the ADA indicates that by framing recommendations of needed treatment to patients in a way that aligns with what they value, dentists can help to persuade them to accept treatment.
 
Dr. Chokka recommends using motivational interviewing (MI) techniques to discuss patient care and learn about patient values, a technique which he has successfully implemented in his practice. MI involves using open-ended questions, among other steps, to facilitate constructive discussion with patients that will allow you to identify what they value.
Once you’ve successfully implemented this technique in your discussion of needed care with your patients, it can lead to the sale of other treatments, such as increased preventive care and cosmetic procedures. Finding a way of providing additional services to existing customers is a great way to grow your business. 

Read the full article on DentistryIQ.