The Importance of Kindness in Restoring a Person’s Lost Dentition
In a recent vlog, one of the UK’s foremost prosthodontists, Finlay Sutton, touched on a point often lost in our fast-paced daily lives: 'Why Kindness Matters More than Technical Skill.'
As Dental Prosthetists, our main objective is to mimic what nature intended and restore the edentulous condition with artificial teeth. We position the teeth where they once were, but the supportive materials—acrylic and metal substructures—were never meant to be in the mouth.
The amazing thing about the human condition is our ability to adapt to a wide variety of circumstances. Things that initially seem like a tall order, we adjust to and "get on with it" – assuming the dentures are made correctly from the start. However, achieving the best patient outcome isn't always as simple as just making a correct set of dentures and allowing the patient to adjust to their "new normal" within an appropriate timeframe.
Over the years, having treated countless patients with dentures, I've come to understand that getting the patient on board within the first consult is one of the most crucial aspects of what we do. This is why it can be so hard for many prosthetists to get it right; it's a skill nuanced beyond measure. We need patients to be completely confident in our ability, happy and willing for us to enter their personal space, and ready to show us their vulnerability. Quality of life is often considerably compromised, both functionally and emotionally, when we lose our teeth.
We are more than dental clinicians tasked with restoring teeth; we restore a person's ability to have confidence again. Confidence in eating, yes, but also confidence in us as people. Without communicating correctly, without kindness, it's infinitely harder.
The initial tone set by the clinician can affect the treatment both positively and negatively. It will largely dictate the outcome, and also the long-term measure of how that interaction was a net positive or net negative in the patient's life. Remember, their set of dentures is removable, a stark, daily reminder of how you made them feel, and how well those dentures are serving them.
I often say to my team, "If people feel they cannot work with you, you have lost before you have even begun." We all vary in our ability to communicate with others, but kindness—along with all the other important and necessary traits like professionalism, integrity, competency, skill, vigilance, diligence, and good nature—is paramount in achieving the best patient outcomes. Regardless of what space you're in, we're all in the business of people to people.
