[Systemic communication in a dental context]

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• Psychology in Dentistry
• Patient-Doctor Relationship

Background:

• Patients in medical or dental settings experience vulnerability, necessitating emotion regulation through mindful, systemic communication.
• Placebo and nocebo effects significantly influence patient experiences and interactions with healthcare professionals.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for improving patient outcomes and therapeutic alliances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review placebo and nocebo effects within verbal, paraverbal, and non-verbal communication in healthcare.
• To analyze the impact of these effects on patients and their relationships with dental and medical professionals.
• To introduce a training curriculum designed to equip dental students with effective communication skills.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of placebo and nocebo effects in clinical communication.
• Analysis of communication strategies in dental and medical patient interactions.
• Description of a systemic communication training curriculum for dental students.

Main Results:

• Verbal, paraverbal, and non-verbal communication channels are significant vectors for placebo and nocebo effects.
• These effects can profoundly impact patient perceptions, treatment adherence, and overall satisfaction.
• The described training curriculum effectively enhances students' communication competencies and their understanding of these phenomena.

Conclusions:

• Mindful, systemic communication is essential for managing patient emotions in vulnerable healthcare situations.
• Healthcare professionals' communication styles directly influence placebo and nocebo effects, impacting patient care.
• Training programs focusing on solution-oriented communication can improve dental professionals' ability to navigate these effects and foster better patient relationships.