Life as a Socially Distanced Dental Professional
Here’s how you can stay close (without getting close) to your team and patients during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With dentistry being a highly interactive and socially involved profession, it’s no question that the coronavirus pandemic has inhibited our normal way of doing things in the field - and it certainly hasn’t been ideal.
The dental profession requires dentists and hygienists to work as a team; to regularly interact with one another and have each other’s backs, and to show care for our patients within a closer-than-6-ft radius. But today, amidst a socially distanced pandemic, things have never felt more disconnected.
With that being said, the qualities of our lives, relationships and social and mental health relies on us to find new ways to keep the contact going with our team members and patients without risking the health of ourselves or others. And fortunately, it’s still possible to stay connected to our work colleagues and foster those vital relationships while doing so safely.
Here are several ways we can conquer the obstacle of a socially distanced work life without losing connection with one another:
Get more social… online
Your patients, particularly those with a recent dental concern or those in the process of healing from a recent treatment, would likely appreciate a check-in from their trusted dental caregiver via email or phone call.
Additionally, using your clinic’s social media channels to stay regularly connected with all of your patients simultaneously has never been more essential - and certainly doesn’t hurt your business, either. If you aren’t doing so, go beyond just promoting your services in your posts - and ask how your patients are doing. Assure them that if they have any questions for you or your team, you’ll all be there to help.
Hold a fun ZOOM meeting with your team
Whether it’s regarding work or just checking in to show your colleagues you care, a socialization-based virtual meeting can help to provide a sense of connection (especially for your work mates who live alone). Suggest a virtual meet whenever you feel like your team could use a little social boost, and remember that these online gatherings don’t need to be so formal all of the time!
Make teledentistry available to your patients
“Teledentistry” or “telemedicine” refers to the online care or “virtual visits” that occur between patients and clinicians through the use of information and communication technologies - and it’s becoming more relevant now than ever before.
If your patient has a dental health concern that is likely not an emergency, encourage them to describe the details of their problem along with a photo sent via email when applicable. This will help to eliminate any unnecessary in-person visits (that your patient may feel too anxious about to begin with), while ensuring your patient still gets to receive the care and contact that they deserve.
Staying connected in a socially distanced world is still possible.
Humans weren’t designed to keep 2 meters apart from one another! But through making the right efforts to stay connected to our team members and patients during a pandemic that doesn’t allow for physical closeness, we’ll be helping to protect each other’s social and emotional wellness - while re-enforcing the importance of caregiving and support in a profession that thrives off of these values.