Trust me...

A dentist is a prestidigitator, one who puts metal in your mouth and pulls coins out of your pocket, according to Ambrose Bierce in The Devil’s Dictionary, 1910. The prestidigitator is a magician who performs tricks by clever use of his fingers. But we are not like this, or are we? In our practices over the years we strive to build up trust with our patients so when we recommend a course of dental treatment, the patients ‘take it on board’ and readily consent to it being carried out. This undoubtedly spills over to the care of teeth by the patients, between appointments during a course of treatment, or in between check-ups  and this is where prevention in practice comes in to this trust. We, the team, with our hygienists, dental surgery assistants and receptionists spend considerable time attempting to educate and reiterate the continuation of good oral-hygiene regimes and their continual reinforcement. Yes, of course, it becomes bordering on the monotony but this forms part of this circle of trust.