Professional responsibility and patient retention: alerts for the new dentist

Getting to know your patients, well beyond recognition of their specific chief dental complaint, is most important in operating a successful and satisfying practice. In addition to the clinical findings and pertinent history alerts, a good understanding of the person being treated can go a long way toward cementing lasting and rewarding doctor-patient relationships. Almost all new patients to the practice are welcome. However, an occasional "difficult" patient can be identified. This is the patient who you will not be able to satisfy, who cultivates misunderstandings, is unfairly over demanding, wastes office time in innumerable ways and eventually causes great frustration for the dentist. These patients may leave the practice in an unpleasant termination. Concerns of litigation arise, and one must also consider the waste of economic and emotional currency, as well as any other negative repercussions that may result. The dentist should become skilled at early identification of potentially risky, disruptive and problematic persons seeking treatment.