ORAL HEALTH PROMOTION (II) Effective communication

1. ORAL HEALTH PROMOTION (II)Effective communication BY Dr.Shaza Abdulkhalig

2. HEALTH PROMOTION(HP) WHO definition of health promotion(HP) : ‘The process of enabling individuals and communities to increase control over the determinants of health and thereby improve their health’.

3. Consideration while planning health promotion It is important to consider certain factors which may influence HP: *Environmental and social factors. *Ethical issues. *Teaching style . *Effective communication.

4. Effective communication The Dental Care Professional has to be good communicator in order to get the health message across to the patient/groups. It is not always the message that is important ,but how the message has been communicated, that makes a difference to the patients’ understanding. *Communication is achieved via various methods, such as : Verbal ,that is the actual use of words. Non-verbal , theuse of body language.

5. Verbal Communication (actual use of words) 1-The Dental Care Professional should use simple language and short sentences whilst presenting the message, considering the age and intellect of the patient and use appropriate words accordingly. 2-Some factors need to be considered such as the pattern of speech, the speed, variation and level of voice. 3-The DCP should also be aware that some ethnic groups may not share the Western view of health and interpretation of certain words is difficult.

6. Non verbal communication: Factors that affects non-verbal communication: 1) Body contact and proximity . 2) Eye contact. 3) Seating position. 4) Listening. 5) Appearance.

7. Body contact and proximity • It is important to consider different ethnic groups on what is acceptable regard body contact and proximity. • In general, during an Oral Health Education session ,the acceptable distance is between 0.4- 1.2 m.

8. 2) Eye contact: • The DCP needs to maintain eye contact in order to make the patient valued. • During the clinical interaction ,the DCP should avoid delivery of oral hygiene instructions (OHI) while writing up notes, as the actual communication process and eye contact are lost. • Delivering OHE at the same time as working intraorally on a patient results in a one-way conversation and is very uncomfortable for the patient who tries to make eye contact.

9. Seating position 1. The head heights of the patient and the clinician should be approximately the same to avoid a feeling of dominance by either party. 2. Communication is generally considered to be more successful when sitting alongside the patient or at a diagonal angle to them instead of sitting or standing facing the patient .

11. Listening This is an important skill. The DCP needs to be able to listen to the patient ,just as they expect the patient to listen to them. The listener also has to be aware of their own body language. An occasional nod of the head and use of non words signify to the patient that you are following their dialogue and that they have your full attention. Appearance The patient may be making a judgment of the DCP not only by their communication skills, but also by their appearance .

12. Barriers to communication There are several barriers to effective communication which need to be considered: Environment: the presence of clinical equipment, the smell of the dental practice and the noise of dental equipment can all add to the anxiety of the patient. Discussion is usually more successful when undertaken in a non-clinical environment. Family values: these may set different priorities on the cost and time commitment of dental health in relation to other family commitments and expenditure. Ethnic or religious beliefs. Different socio-economic groups. Cultural beliefs.

14. Conclusion Key principles to successful oral health education with your patients are: 1-Plan and prepare your sessions, setting achievable aims and objectives. 2-Ensure all material/information is relevant and structured into a logical sequence. 3- Evaluate these sessions, including self-evaluation. 4- Practice good communication skills, including listening to your patient(s). 5- Involve, encourage, support and build confidence in your patient(s). 6- Understand the principles of the learning process and what helps and hinders learning.