How To Make First-Time Denture Wearers Less Anxious About Their Dentures

It can be a very anxiety-producing thing to be a first-time denture wearer. Patients may have many questions and concerns. As a denturist and business owner, you may not have the amount of time you would like to answer them all or alleviate all their fears, even as much as you would really want to help. There are a few ways you can help your patients with all of their first-time denture concerns.

Offer a "Denture Clinic" at Your Denture Clinic

Schedule a monthly session, possibly on a weeknight or weekend, where you can teach about dentures. Start with an hour-long session and ask your first-time denture patients if they would be interested in attending the session. Provide denture-friendly refreshments that can open the conversation to what foods patients can enjoy and that having dentures does not mean you have to stop eating the foods patients like. Then continue the session with proper care, oral health, emergency situations, etc. Round out the session, or "denture clinic," with a little Q&A, and most of your first-time denture wearers should be quite sated with the experience.

Create a Pamplet You Can Give New Patients That Explains Denture Wear and Care

Most dentists provide word-of-mouth instructions to new patients, but may miss something in the information that they provide this way. While you can certainly still provide oral instructions to your new patients, you could also create a pamphlet that you can give to new patients. The pamphlet could and should explain denture wear and care in full detail, leaving nothing out and attempt to answer most of the questions that new denture wearers frequently have and even some of the ones they do not. (Even better, create a large print version for senior citizens and those who have trouble reading a standard 12- or 13 point font.)

Provide First-Time Denture Wearers with an After-Hours Help Line

If you really want to make your first-time denture wearers feel more comfortable and at ease, create an after-hours help line. Provide patients with the telephone number they can call with questions, concerns, or emergency needs. Either you or one of your staff can be on call to answer the phone so that patients know exactly who they are talking to when they call in on nights or weekends. Sometimes just knowing that there is help when they need it and it is available when the office is closed is enough to relieve new patient anxiety.

For more information, contact a company like Kamloops Denture & Implant Centre Ltd. Dentures.