B.R.A.V.E. Framework: Integrating Patients' Availability for Dental Care Into Private Practice

Modern-day time constraints, such as patients' work schedules, travel, conflicting responsibilities, etc., can create structural barriers that impede patient availability for dental treatments and maintenance. Person-centered care considers patients' realities and logistical restrictions, helping to increase adherence and continuity of care. Although behavioral tendencies impact compliance and treatment effectiveness, availability as a clinical determinant has received limited attention. This underscores the need for a framework that incorporates behavioral and logistical considerations into daily planning. In this article, five patients receiving periodontal or implant-related care ranging from nonsurgical to complex treatments were classified within a novel proposed framework based on their availability patterns. Treatment pace, communication, and appointment sequencing were adjusted in real-time to accommodate each patient's level of time availability. By recognizing patients' availability trends, the authors outlined the B.R.A.V.E. framework (B = Busy, R = Responsible, A = Available, V = Veterans of time, and E = Emergency only). Patients with predictable availability benefited from prompt periodontal regeneration and maintenance therapy, while those with limited or crisis-driven attendance needed flexible scheduling, reassurance, and clear next steps to maintain treatment success. Integrating availability into person-centered care allows for tailored therapy that meets patients' real-world needs while retaining clinical excellence. The B.R.A.V.E. framework provides a structured strategy to better anticipate attendance patterns and organize periodontal care.