As healthcare providers, our expertise and skills are at the forefront of what we do, but our “bedside manner” is just as important, precisely because we are dealing with other people’s health.

“No Half Smiles” is a treatment philosophy I developed a few years ago and it is based on the idea of always doing what your patients need, not what they want. But how do we do that? And why do so many dentists give in to what a patient wants and end up doing quick fixes instead of treating the entire mouth?

For private practitioners, dentistry is a gentle balancing act between providing safe and quality oral healthcare, and running a business based on other people’s wellbeing, including their own and that of their staff. A business is always a business, and healthcare is always healthcare, which means it’s crucial that patients understand the investment that goes on behind the scenes of a private dental practice when questioning why a dental appointment is so expensive.

In a world that’s so used to moving fast, it is becoming increasingly important to know when and where to slow down. And dentistry just so happens to be one of those areas – thanks to the global phenomenon Slow Dentistry that has gained popularity in over 50 countries worldwide. I know what you’re thinking: why would patients want to spend any longer than they already have to at their dentist? Let’s discuss why.