Don’t Ignore The Detail

It’s great to see the bigger picture but you mustn’t miss the wood for the trees. A rolling stone gathers no moss so rushing headlong into procedures may lead to problems growing like Topsy.

OK, enough of the metaphors, even though I love them so! How many more could you have read before becoming seriously irritated? Literary style like anything else needs attention to detail; try not to repeat words, don’t make sentences too long and attempt to keep the reader engaged.

Our practices are full of areas where detail is paramount. These extend from the clinical treatments we provide to the overall patient experience. I don’t just mean the details imposed by our regulators, of course we have to attend to them but in order to be successful we need to go much further. A good place to start is to put ourselves in the position of our patient and see the practice in a different way. Notice the little things; the things that well-known dentist Paddy Lund who practices in Australia terms ‘the essential non-essentials.’ (Not awkward prose but attention to detail; he’s actually British even though it’s tempting to say ‘Australian Dentist Paddy Lund!’) Is Reception accessible or are there barriers in the way? Can the patient comfortably sign forms on a work surface of convenient height? Is there a hook behind the loo door to hang coats or bags? At the very least, is there a mirror to adjust make-up after the appointment?

In the treatment room itself has as much scary equipment as possible been concealed? Has the head-rest been adjusted properly? Have team members removed all traces of alginate before the patient leaves?

Clinical detail is much more complex but also includes simple things. If Bayer or Ivoclar say a certain impression material needs 4 minutes to set they don’t mean 3 minutes and 58 seconds you know! Reading instruction leaflets on materials can be an eye-opener and can constitute the difference between excellence and failure.

You can’t attend to detail if you can’t see it. Use magnification. Always. Photograph as many of your procedures as possible and review them afterwards to identify potential areas of improvement. The BACD offers regular courses in clinical photography if instruction is needed.

Look at the details provided for you on medical and social histories. This information can enable you to tailor individual treatment plans more precisely. Above all listen. Listen to what the patient says; their concerns, symptoms and desires. Don’t pre-judge but really hear the detail that is being presented.

Attention to detail is essential and can avoid a plethora of clinical and medico-legal problems as well as increasing the success of the practice. Detail encompasses everything; patient well-being, diagnosis, clinical treatment and record-keeping. We’re all highly-trained professionals. We’re good but looking after the minutiae can make us even better!

As for me, I’ll continue to work on the writing style. I’ll try to avoid the metaphors as much as I can but I’m not promising anything; after all, we all know a leopard can’t change its spots, don’t we?!

For further information about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacd.com