After a patient told me my small talk was 'too clinical,' I stopped asking about flossing habits

She said, 'Mary, I don't want to chat about my gums while you're scraping my teeth.' So now I just ask about weekend plans or what they're watching on Netflix, and it's made the whole appointment way less awkward. Has anyone else had to adjust their approach based on a blunt comment from somebody?

2 comments

2 Comments

margaret_jackson731mo ago

Oh man, this is so relatable. Last year a lady named Carol straight up told me, "I don't need a dental sidekick, just clean my teeth." I was so embarrassed I almost dropped my mirror. After that I switched to asking about her grandkids' soccer games instead of her brushing routine. It's way less weird now and she actually talks to me during cleanings. Sometimes people just want to zone out and not think about their mouth getting poked at, you know? So now I mostly just stick to weather or TV shows and let them lead. It's made my job a ton easier honestly.

xena3731mo agoMost Upvoted

YES, exactly this! I had a patient once who just stared at me when I tried to ask about flossing and said "can we just get this over with?" I felt SO stupid. Now I just chat about what show they're binging or the weather outside. Makes EVERYONE more relaxed. People are there to get their teeth cleaned, not make a best friend or get lectured. I swear it's like a different job now that I stopped pushing the conversation. Good for you for figuring that out with Carol, some people just need to zone out in the chair!