Learning Objectives: 

• Recognize how to defuse patient anxieties and gain their trust 
• Discover more effective ways to position yourself and the patient
•  Appreciate how medical conditions can complicate a dental visit
•  Learn to effectively identify and treat dentinal hypersensitivity
•  Understand why people gag and how to minimize the episodes
•  Increase team support when treating complex patients

Do you really know how to best serve an anxious patient? What about one who resists reclining, or the person who can’t turn their head, or is confined to a wheelchair? How do you deal with a patient who complains that every tooth is sensitive? And what about those gaggers? And what is the best way to respond to the patient who gives you a big eye roll while you’re just trying to do your job? No one ever said practicing dental hygiene would be easy, but if you’ve been in practice more than 5 minutes, you know these real-world challenges exist. Who wants to be annoyed with a patient? No one! Learn how to decrease these frustrating experiences with creative accommodations where you can provide better treatment that does not leave you feeling so depleted.