Written by Dr Jane Butterworth
We work as a close team priding ourselves in providing the highest standard of dental care. We maintain a strong preventative ethos, enabling patients to avoid future dental problems through a range of measures such as early detection, oral health education combined with product advice and other treatment modalities.
During National Smile Month, we are offering special discounts on examinations and products such as Oral-B toothbrushes. We are also holding our Invisalign open day this month to raise awareness of teeth straightening in relation to good oral health and maintenance and systemic disease. We will be offering substantial discounted fees in a bid to raised awareness of the importance of good oral health for all-round health.
Getting there
Excellent communication is key to patients taking care of their teeth and our patient care pathway begins the minute anyone calls and speaks with the practice. Advice is available on the phone even before the patient walks through the door. Knowledge is paramount to the patient to enable them to make an informed decision on treatment options. Patients are encouraged to visit our fabulous dental therapist on a regular basis (at least every three months) for hygiene maintenance and to ensure patients stay motivated. We also offer advice on diet, smoking cessation – all free of charge!
All staff members are trained to offer this advice to ensure that there is plenty of time available to for patients to ask questions and understand.
Regular team meetings and lots of lunchtime updates keep staff abreast on new products and techniques. Staff training ensures everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet. The team is encouraged to attend meetings such as the ADI and these are funded by the practice.
We are a small practice with lovely patients who are often recommended by existing patients and, because it is small it is like a close family, we support each other and encourage all staff to participate in all areas of the practice and treat patients as part of that family. Regular visits and a comfortable and warm atmosphere ensure compliance from patients, too. We never leave patients feeling unable to ask advice and we demonstrate huge encouragement and praise for when patients show improvement.
Selling points
Our main seller is the Oral-B professional toothbrush range and the Pro-Expert toothpaste. We do stock a variety of products depending on what is required for the patient’s needs.
Our practice provides implants, orthodontics all of which rely on good oral health for the long-term success of the treatment. We plan to keep our patients for life so we’ve a vested interest in keeping them healthy! Recommending products that you know work can be highly motivating – patients can see and feel the difference when using these products – particularly in stain reduction which leads to increased oral health awareness and personal confidence.
High Five
- Never offer a patient less than they deserve and always aim to provide the highest standard possible
- Listen to the patient’s needs, treating each one as an individual and considering the patient as a ‘whole’
- Work closely with your practice team encouraging continual professional development
- Establishing mutual respect and appreciation within the team – they are ALL essential ingredients or cogs in the machine
- Accept that you are not perfect and, if mistakes do occur, always be honest. Refer when you need to.Dr Jane Butterworth (pictured right) has been practising dentistry for almost 30 years, after gaining her qualifications in 1984.
Oral Health Foundation
The Oral Health Foundation is a charity that works to improve oral health by providing education, advice, and support to millions of people every year, changing lives for the better. Our mission is to support others in achieving a healthier life through better oral health. Our vision is to live in a world where everybody has a healthy mouth and is free of dental disease. Poor oral health can have a harmful and devastating effect on a person’s life – both for their physical health and mental wellbeing. We are determined to help more people achieve good oral health and have a better quality of life. Sadly, oral disease remains common, across the life course. We are taking the challenge to reduce the harm caused by poor oral health and the responsibility to create a healthier future for everybody. We do this because we believe that everybody deserves to have good oral health. To make sure this happens, by 2024, we will:
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• Work towards decreasing the prevalence of oral disease across communities.
• Increase the number of people accessing our help and information services.
• Diversify our range of resources to reach more communities.
• Successfully campaign for policies which help people achieve healthier lives.
• Generate new and nurture existing income streams that enable us to deliver our charitable objectives.
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• Running awareness campaigns like National Smile Month and Mouth Cancer Action Month.
• Giving anybody who needs it direct support through our Dental Helpline.
• Influencing policy on subjects like dental access, sugar, and tobacco.
• Providing consumer advice on oral health care products and working alongside manufacturers to make sure products do what they claim to do.
• Creating resources and information that communicates positive oral health messages.
• Working alongside others who share our passion for health and wellbeing.
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