TEAM: Scared or Angry patients

TIP SHEET

Acknowledge the patient’s fear

No one wants to be told that their fear is irrational, and most of us who have worked in the dental field know that fear of the dentist (in some way, shape or form) is all too common. The most important thing to remember here is that it is your responsibility to pass on the information that the patient shares with you to the appropriate party, and be there to assure them that you will do everything you can to keep them as comfortable as possible.

Two types of angry patients

Some patients are temporarily angry and some are angry on a more permanent basis. If a patient’s anger is directly related to their treatment, it’s best to sit down in a consult room with them and allow them to be heard. Maybe their anger is about insurance and they need to be guided toward directing their anger at the insurance company rather than at us. For the permanently angry patients, it is up to your office’s discretion to determine if the anger can be tolerated or not.

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