3 minute read
ARE WE ALIGNED?
We look at how lock-down may have provided us with the opportunity to reposition our role in the dental practice?
By Robyn Russell
WHAT A CRAZY time we’ve all had these last few months; I don’t think I need to tell you that this has been stressful. Speaking from my own experience, it’s felt very surreal – who could have foreseen a government directive forbidding the provision of dental hygiene services?
During this period of change, there has been a lot of negative traffic on social media platforms. These negative comments have come from all members of the dental community and really highlighted a lack of alignment between oral health therapists (OHT), dental hygienists (DH) and dentists. While COVID-19 may have been the bowling ball that knocked over all the pins – a lack of alignment has undoubtedly been simmering for some time.
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 I conducted a survey that aimed to gauge the opinions of OHTs, hygienists and dentists on a variety of topics, mainly focusing on the use of OHTs and hygienists in private general practice. The results highlighted the disparities between oral health professionals and practice owners. One of the areas where I found the biggest lack of alignment was when each party was asked to define the role of an OHT/DH.
A standout statistic was that 35% of OHT and DH respondents felt under-utilised within their practice. With some employers looking closely at their dental teams, there is no better time to let them know that we offer so much more than just preventative services to our patient base.
I know, the hairs on the back of your neck may be starting to stand up and bristle with this information. How can you accurately quantify the value of having OHTs and hygienists? It’s impossible to quantify the intangible values of having a preventative department. We are the relationship builders, the ones who care for the whole patient base. We educate our patients, and spend quality time them to communicate the oral systemic link, advising on home care and apprise them of all the treatment possibilities. If utilised to our full scope we are the backbone of private general dental practices.
In contrast, 30% of employer respondents felt that they did not receive a significant return on investment from their OHT/DH department. Many employer dentists are also not aware of the scope of practice for OHT/hygienists. This causes confusion, as the education of many practitioners varies greatly, hence affecting the scope of each individual’s practice.
The road to re-alignment lies in communication and collaboration. Communication is the key to all relationship building; so how can we convey the importance of our role to employers and organisations? Firstly, we need to align our visions for the OHT/DH department. This vision needs to work for the patient, the providers, and the practice or organisation. We then need to engage in open and frank conversations, which will lead to achieving congruence of ideas. Do you have an active vision for your individual role within the practice?
I know from my own experience in dentistry when you lose sight of this vision, you lose focus. Late last year I resigned from a role that I loved, and on reflection the main reason was my own lack of focus – I lost sight of the reason that I was there. Let’s not allow dentistry to lose sight of the plethora of skills we all possess. •
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Robyn Russell is a graduate of UQ Bachelor of Oral Health – 2005 and works in a large general family dental practice in Brisbane. The views expressed in this article are based on her own research and professional experience.
