At Pont Steffan Dental Practice, we are committed to all the preventive aspects of dentistry. Our team works closely to avoid the need for preventable treatments. This is achieved through regular visits to our dental hygienist and/or therapist. By spending the time educating patients on oral health, hygiene and diet, we can reduce their treatment need and improve the patient’s experience of visiting the dentist. Patients quickly learn to take responsibility for their own mouth and understand that, if they follow the advice given they can avoid preventable dental treatments. This has a resoundingly positive effect on both patients and staff. Visiting the dentist becomes a more pleasant experience for patients, and a practice full of happy patients makes for an enjoyable work environment for the staff. From the moment a patient requests to join the practice they are introduced to our preventative approach. One of the benefits of using a modern dental team is that there are multiple points at which we can provide oral health advice.
Points of contact
Our receptionist provides any potential new patient with literature explaining our practices preventive ethos, along with a short questionnaire. The questionnaire is designed to be simple to fill in but still gather as much information as possible on a patient’s current oral hygiene regime, diet history and own opinion of their dental health.
During the initial consultation, the dentist discusses the answers given in the questionnaire and highlights any areas of concern which might lead to dental problems in the future. The dentist then carries out a full dental examination and with appropriate radiographs which are then displayed on a large flat screen television in the surgery. Any dental issues noted are discussed with reference to the answers given in the questionnaire. This ensures patients have a clear understanding of the cause of their current dental problems. At least one half-hour appointment with our dental hygienist is then booked to review a patient’s oral hygiene.
Our hygiene appointments are scheduled on a different day to the initial consultation so as not to overload a new patient with too much information. The hygienist discusses the findings of the initial consultation appointment and focuses on oral hygiene, interdental brushes, fluoride and diet advice. We have a display model Oral-B Triumph electric toothbrush in all our surgeries, which our hygienist finds extremely useful for demonstrating good brushing technique. Patients can see the advantages of using an electric toothbrush, and the ease at which good oral hygiene can be maintained by using one. The hygienist also gives out free samples of Oral-B Pro Expert toothpaste, and explains the benefits of using a good toothpaste for preventing caries and periodontal disease.
Once the course of hygiene treatment is complete, our therapist is able to carry out any restorations required. During these appointments, oral hygiene is further monitored and diet advice is given, with a specific reference to caries prevention.
After completing any restorations, the patient will return to the dentist for more complex work, such as crown and bridges. This is only undertaken providing the patient has maintained good oral hygiene and adhered to diet advice, and is caries free. Any relapse results in additional appointments with our hygienist/therapist to tackle the issue.
Top 5 tips for a new dentist
1.Get good at the basics. Make the most of your F1 year by booking longer appointments until your confidence grows.
2. Know your limitations. Don't be afraid to refer if you don't feel confident carrying out a complicated treatment plan. Use it as a learning experience to build up your skills further.
3. Get inspired. Go on courses and seminars as much as possible, find out what interests you.
4. Make a plan. Decide how you want your career to pan out and set realistic targets and dates for achieving it.
5. Put the hours in. Building up a successful dental practice is hard work, so expect long hours at the practice, and taking work home with you. On the plus side, when you enjoy your job it doesn't feel like work!