Dental education articles on communication, clinical growth, mindset, and more.
What if the communication models taught across healthcare do not actually fit the realities of dentistry? Drawing on 110 observed dental appointments and interviews with 27 dentists across Victoria, this research explores what really happens when patient anxiety, time pressure, invasive procedures, financial discussions and clinical responsibility all collide in the same appointment. The findings reveal a gap between the ideal of perfectly shared, patient-centred communication and the fast-moving reality of dental practice. In response, the thesis introduces Empowering Contextualised Dialogue, a new approach designed specifically for real-world dentistry, helping dentists communicate with more flexibility, confidence and care without losing clinical leadership
