Patients today often have a long list of highly qualified professionals from which to choose when seeking reconstructive and cosmetic dentistry services.

So how is a patient to choose the best dentist to meet their needs when the field is filled with talented professionals?

The professionals at Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry became aware years ago that in addition to selecting an experienced professional, patients in need of porcelain veneers or other cosmetic dentistry services should be able to like and trust the dentist they choose to perform the needed procedures. That is why they adopted the Homoly Method within their practice.

The Homoly Method is named after Dr. Paul Homoly, a comprehensive restorative dentist and leader in dental education for more than 20 years.

In a sense, the Homoly Method is incredibly obvious, said Dr. Charles Nottingham, a cosmetic dentist who is the senior partner of Smile South Florida. It simply involves meeting with patients on a friendly level to set them at ease and ensure their comfort. It is a concerted effort at strong customer service and good old-fashioned friendliness.

"As dental professionals, it's easy to get caught up in speaking in scientific, logical terms to patients about the procedures and options," Dr. Nottingham said. "But we have found that reaching out to the patient on an emotional level has done more to set patients' minds at ease about their procedures."

In turn, patients have become more amenable to undergoing much-needed procedures to improve their dental health and restore their self-confidence.

Dr. Nottingham attributes this to the feeling of hope he and the other doctors at Smile South Florida instill in patients.

"Hope is an incredibly motivating emotion," Dr. Nottingham said. "I have an opportunity every day to give my patients hope that they can smile again with confidence and they can put to rest their feelings of inadequacy and self-consciousness once I restore their smiles."

Reaching patients on an emotional level goes beyond explaining a procedure to a patient. It involves the atmosphere of the office and the way each patient is treated by the entire staff, not just the dentist, said Office Manager, Marianne Taylor.

"Going to the dentist can be scary," Ms. Taylor said. "We do what it takes to make the patient feel comfortable and relaxed, whether it's the way our staff greets them when they arrive, or the chair and neck massagers they get to experience in the treatment rooms."

"Some patients find comfort in something as simple as the lush greenery and baskets full of magazines in the waiting room," Ms. Taylor said. "Other times it is found in the little things in the treatment rooms, such as warm towellettes in lemon and lavender scents that patients use to clean their faces after a dental procedure."

For some patients, the refrigerator stocked with various drinks and snacks is what sets them at ease and makes Smile South Florida the dental practice where they want their procedure performed.

"Patients need to be treated special," Ms. Taylor said. "There are numerous ways of showing that we care about our patients on more than just a professional level, and we strive every single day to demonstrate that to our patients."

Autor: Alex N.

This article is free for republishing