Memory decay

Clear communication between a dentist and their patient is the foundation on which good oral healthcare can be built. Creating trust can empower both practitioner and patient to feel more confident with each appointment and treatment.

A key tenet of a dental appointment is the oral health advice given to the patient. As the dentist may recommend a check-up in several months, it is important that patients remember the recommendations and incorporate them into their oral hygiene routine, staying healthy in between appointments. In the practice, the dentist identifies potential problems, educates the patient on preventative measures and helps treat disease, but outside of the practice it is ultimately up to the patient to look after their oral health. 

However, there is an alarming level of forgetfulness among patients. Concerning appointment recall, patients forget 40-80 per cent of the information given to them. Meanwhile, patient memory retention for more technical details is also poor: in a study examining orthodontic information recollection, 70 per cent of information conveyed could not be remembered 10 days later.