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NEWS & EVENTS COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR LIFE PRODUCT GUIDE ADVERTORIAL PRODUCT GUIDE S ome Australian dental practices are experiencing an unprecedented decline in overall business. It has been reported that many practices are facing up to a 40% decline in patient flow. This, in some cases, is enough for practices to limit trading days, and even permanently close their doors. But why is this happening, and how can practices turn this around? There are many external factors including the influx of new dentists, the rise of corporate and health fund operated surgeries and increased cost of living expenses to the Australian public. This has lead to the cut in what is perceived to be non-essential spending by Australians. Unfortunately, dental treatment falls into this category for many. With this decline in patient flow, the first consultation has become even more important. Not just for identifying dental pathologies to treat (it is thought that as many as 50% of carious lesions are missed when using mirror and probe), but importantly influencing the patient to accept the necessary treatment. More often than not, the first consultation is the only consultation. Why? The patient for the most part simply doesn’t understand what the dentist is telling them and feels detached from the process. The use of intraoral cameras goes a long way to reversing this effect. Patients treat what they can see, and understand. This builds trust in the dentist by making the patient active participants in their own treatment. It is best summed up in this way: “Tell me, and I will forget, Show me and I may remember, Involve me and I will understand” Q People only remember 11% of what hear but remember 83% of what they see. 1 QA study conducted by the Wharton School of Business revealed that audiences found visual presentations to be 70% more persuasive. 2 QIt’s estimated the 90% of all case treatment plans that go untreated are a direct result of the patient’s lack of understanding. 3 Q Approximately 87% of all significant financial and health decisions are made at home with loved ones. Dentists can now send emails of intraoral images to the patient while they’re still in the chair. This allows them to discuss the treatment options with loved ones at home. 4 Fluorescence technology in cameras such as ACTEON’s SoproCARE and SoproLIFE go that one step further in helping the dentist tell the story of what is happening in their patient’s mouth. It’s possible to see carious lesions in a regular daylight image, but to be sure you will probably need to probe the area or take X-rays. This and other pathologies may be apparent to the dentist/hygienist, but we must stop thinking like a clinician and start thinking like a patient if they are to understand. The use of colours representing plaque, calculus, gingival inflammation and caries, make it easy for the patient understand. With SoproCARE and SoproLIFE you have co-discovery. The patient sees what you see! This goes a long way to building the confidence and trust in the dentist that is required by the patient to accept treatment. Even with the current decline in patient flow and overall business for dental practices across Australia, the use of fluorescence in intraoral cameras with their compelling visual benefits ensures that the rate of treatment acceptance for a practice will continue to rise. And it’s a known fact that the use of cameras with fluorescence technology has that added ‘wow’ factor attached and patients will tell their friends and family, leading to referrals to your practice at the expense of others who fail to connect with patients on this level. Which begs the question: Can you really afford not to be using the latest intraoral camera technology to facilitate patient education and case acceptance in your practice? For further information or to arrange an in-surgery demonstration of a Sopro intraoral camera, contact 1800 225 010 for your local A-dec Territory Manager or Authorised A-dec Dealer. 36 Intraoral camera product guide Earning patient trust to increase treatment acceptance By Eric Kroegel, Product Manager Acteon Australia New Zealand 1. Paul Martin Lester, “Syntactic Theory of Visual Communication,” California State University at Fullerton, 1994–1996. 2. ”Effectiveness of Visual Language Presentations,” MacroVU, Inc. 3. The National Survey of Adult oral Health: South Australia. Cat. No. DEN 179 Dental Statistics and Research Series no.43. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 4. Sergio Chrisopoulos, Jane Harfordm “Oral health and dental care in Australia Key facts and figures 2012”, University of Adelaide

Earning patient trust to increase treatment acceptance

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NEWS & EVENTS COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR LIFEPRODUCT GUIDE

ADVERTORIAL

PRODUCT GUIDE

S ome Australian dental practices are experiencing an unprecedented decline in overall business. It has been

reported that many practices are facing up to a 40% decline in patient flow. This, in some cases, is enough for practices to limit trading days, and even permanently close their doors.

But why is this happening, and how can practices turn this around? There are many external factors including the influx of new dentists, the rise of corporate and health fund operated surgeries and increased cost of living expenses to the Australian public.

This has lead to the cut in what is perceived to be non-essential spending by Australians. Unfortunately, dental treatment falls into this category for many. With this decline in patient flow, the first consultation has become even more important. Not just for identifying dental pathologies to treat (it is thought that as many as 50% of carious lesions are missed when using mirror and probe), but importantly influencing the patient to accept the necessary treatment.

More often than not, the first consultation is the only consultation. Why? The patient for the most part simply doesn’t understand what the dentist is telling them and feels detached from the process.

The use of intraoral cameras goes a long way to reversing this effect. Patients treat what they can see, and understand.

This builds trust in the dentist by making the patient active participants in their own treatment. It is best summed up in this way:

“Tell me, and I will forget,Show me and I may remember, Involve me and I will understand”

Q People only remember 11% of what hear but remember 83% of what they see.1

Q�A study conducted by the Wharton School of Business revealed that audiences found visual presentations to be 70% more persuasive.2

Q�It’s estimated the 90% of all case treatment plans that go untreated are a direct result of the patient’s lack of understanding. 3

Q Approximately 87% of all significant financial and health decisions are made at home with loved ones. Dentists can now send emails of intraoral images to the patient while they’re still in the chair. This allows them to discuss the treatment options with loved ones at home.4

Fluorescence technology in cameras such as ACTEON’s SoproCARE and SoproLIFE go that one step further in helping the dentist tell the story of what is happening in their patient’s mouth. It’s possible to see carious lesions in a regular daylight image, but to be sure you will probably need to probe the area or take X-rays. This and other pathologies

may be apparent to the dentist/hygienist, but we must stop thinking like a clinician and start thinking like a patient if they are to understand. The use of colours representing plaque, calculus, gingival inflammation and caries, make it easy for the patient understand. With SoproCARE and SoproLIFE you have co-discovery. The patient sees what you see!

This goes a long way to building the confidence and trust in the dentist that is required by the patient to accept treatment.

Even with the current decline in patient flow and overall business for dental practices across Australia, the use of fluorescence in intraoral cameras with their compelling visual benefits ensures that the rate of treatment acceptance for a practice will continue to rise.

And it’s a known fact that the use of cameras with fluorescence technology has that added ‘wow’ factor attached and patients will tell their friends and family, leading to referrals to your practice at the expense of others who fail to connect with patients on this level.

Which begs the question: Can you really afford not to be using the latest intraoral camera technology to facilitate patient education and case acceptance in your practice?

For further information or to arrange an in-surgery demonstration of a Sopro intraoral camera, contact 1800 225 010 for your local A-dec Territory Manager or Authorised A-dec Dealer.

36

Intraoral camera product guide

Earning patient trust to increase treatment acceptanceBy Eric Kroegel, Product Manager Acteon Australia New Zealand

1. Paul Martin Lester, “Syntactic Theory of Visual Communication,” California State University at Fullerton, 1994–1996.2. ”Effectiveness of Visual Language Presentations,” MacroVU, Inc.3. The National Survey of Adult oral Health: South Australia. Cat. No. DEN 179 Dental Statistics and Research Series no.43. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare4. Sergio Chrisopoulos, Jane Harfordm “Oral health and dental care in Australia Key facts and figures 2012”, University of Adelaide

Page 2: Earning patient trust to increase treatment acceptance

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*Contact your A-dec Territory Manager or A-dec Dealer for further information. Offer ends 31 December 2014

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