122: The Struggle Of Cutting Ties With A Patient

I’m coming clean.  In this episode, I will discuss some recent patient situations I’ve been in where I didn’t feel I handled myself in the best way possible and how to cut ties when it has to be done. Communication is a key to good chairside manner. Sometimes, those lines of communication break down. It may be a significant other who tries to control the conversation instead of the patient. It may be a conflict in personalities. I’m here to tell you that you are going to run into some patients that you are glad to see go. You might feel guilty but, in the end, you will likely realize it’s for the best.    Sometimes you might come across a patient who disagrees with your professional opinion. You may have feelings of frustration or even guilt when this happens because your goal is to help as many people as you can. Having a patient try to drive treatment that goes against your professional opinion can be disheartening and as professionals, we have to accept that we can’t help every patient who walks through our door.    In this episode, you’ll hear: Conflicting feelings when you let a patient go The importance of feeling comfortable with patient communication When a significant other drives the conversation instead of the patient How to diplomatically turn down a patient Approaching your patients with a calm and peaceful mindset Being ok when we can’t help a patient   Resources mentioned in this episode:Peaceful Practice Podcast Peaceful Practice Dr. Alan Mead Dr. Dawn Kulongowski Business of Dentistry Voices of Dentistry 2020   Connect with Russell: Dr. Russell Kirk Podcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/businessofdentistrypodcast/ IG - https://www.instagram.com/businessofdentistry/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/businessdentist LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-of-dentistry/   *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com