Building Rapport With Dental Patients Through Pediatric Orthodontics

There is no doubt that orthodontics is a major component of pediatric dentistry. If you see children in your practice from the time they are young, you have the opportunity to witness their oral growth and development through teething, transitional dentition, and permanent dentition. Offering orthodontics should not just be an optional service for a few niche practices but a standard of care in all dental practices that see pediatric patients. This is because being able to diagnose and treat young patients via orthodontics drives their oral health in the right direction.

If you are taking an orthodontic certification course for a general dentist and are thinking of ways orthodontics can benefit your patients, consider how much more understanding you will have of your patients oral conditions during evaluations. Parents are always curious about when or if their children will need braces, and now you can educate them at the right time to begin early orthodontics.

Here are some of the most important reasons orthodontics helps build rapport and increases your credibility with parents:

1. Provides Comprehensive Care

Orthodontics is one of the key treatments for pediatric dental patients because nearly 65% of Americans suffer from malocclusion. When you take orthodontic certification courses and become proficient in orthodontics, it shows parents that you are providing complete care for their children. Treating pediatric patients but being unable to treat orthodontics is like a pediatrician who can do a physical exam but is unable to take or understand bloodwork.

Orthodontics builds parents’ trust because it demonstrates you are a complete-package dentist and can diagnose and treat nearly any issue their child may have. Providing comprehensive care is beneficial for both you and the patient because there is no such time that an important orthodontic issue may be overlooked. Parents will look back after orthodontic treatment and appreciate that their children received the highest level of care.

2. Offers Convenience

When you offer orthodontics in your practice, you help parents by helping them avoid finding another provider. Parents greatly appreciate this convenience because of the hassle of finding a new dentist or orthodontist they trust, dealing with insurance and location issues, and getting comfortable with a new provider’s treatment philosophy. Offering orthodontics under one roof makes appointments easier as parents can schedule recall exams, restorative visits, and orthodontics at a single location and sometimes a single appointment.

3. Builds a Strong Rapport With Parents

Unlike other types of dental treatment, orthodontics is typically a long-term process that can span several months or years. Orthodontic appointments are usually spaced out four to six weeks, so you can imagine how many times you’d see a family in a single year. When you see a patient this often, it is natural to develop a strong connection and bond with that patient and their family. Providing orthodontics is a great way to get to know your patients through holidays, school, and vacations and see them progress throughout their treatment.

Building rapport with dental patients is not only important for them to trust you but also because treating pediatric patients sometimes takes a bit more patience and comfort for them to cooperate with treatment. When you show patients the exciting parts of orthodontics and how their smile can transform (with all the colorful appliances), they become excited, and parents are reassured that their kids are in good hands.

4. Shows Parents How You Stand Out From Other Dentists

If you’re lucky, you are one of the only dentists in town, but most dentists experience highly saturated areas with a dentist on every corner. How can you build connections and trust with parents when offices are a dime a dozen? When you take orthodontic certification courses with Dr. Brad Williams, he not only teaches you the ins and outs of providing orthodontic care but also helps you understand how to speak to patients about how orthodontics can change their quality of life.

Certified orthodontic courses for general dentists, whether it’s the Basic or the Intermediate Straight Wire course, are valuable because they make you stand apart from the crowd. Parents will quickly notice you are one of the only general or pediatric dentists providing orthodontics, and word will spread around town that you are the dentist to see.

5. Helps Parents Feel Appreciated Through Orthodontic Teamwork

It takes a village to run a dental practice, which means it is important to have your administrative and clinical staff on board when it comes to orthodontic treatment. When your team members can speak to patients at the front desk or during recall exams about the benefits of orthodontics, it speaks volumes to patients because it shows your team is confident in your treatment. Train your staff in orthodontic language and skills by taking an orthodontic certificate course with Dr. Williams. If a patient has an orthodontic question or problem, it will build trust that they can receive all the information they need from you and your team before making a major treatment commitment.

Providing orthodontics is one of the best ways to help your pediatric patients begin their orthodontic process and instill the practice of good oral health. Parents want their children’s smiles in good hands, so when you and your team are confident and well trained, you will build trust and long-term, solid relationships. For more information on how to get started, visit our orthodontics course list or contact us today.