[Dentist-patient communication under time constraints]

In the present clinical trial dentists were asked to talk to patients about the subject of "Prevention". A patient-dentist conversation was to be conducted in two different time frames. In the first group the dentist took as much time as seemed necessary for communicating with the patient. In the second group the restricting condition was that approximately an average number of patients had appointments under office conditions. The results demonstrate that under controlled conditions dentists show a communicative behavior which will focus the patients attention on compliant oral hygiene. However, under the pressure of limited time, this behavior will no longer be sufficient to achieve optimum patient compliance through such a talk alone.