A lot of people would feel more nervous about going to the dentist compared to the doctor. Because of the many videos of painful wisdom tooth extraction going viral online, you will notice that some of your patients are hesitant with going through the procedure. Some of the surgeries require patients to stay awake, which means that they are capable of twitching during the complicated operation. When a patient is wiggling too much, the dentist might commit a mistake. You should find ways to keep patients calm and prepared before the procedure begins. Here are a few tips to help you provide a comfortable waiting room for nervous patients:
Provide Distractions
Patients will be thinking about the wisdom tooth extraction a lot. You will not help them prepare for the procedure if you keep them in an empty waiting room. Patients who have nothing to do in the waiting room tend to think how much the extraction is going to hurt. You will need to provide them with activities to distract them from their bothersome thoughts. You can set up Wi-Fi in your waiting room. You should also consider placing a television to help your patients take their minds off the procedure. Magazines, newspapers, and books should be available in your waiting room bookshelves and coffee table. If you have extra budget, you can provide them with access to board games and gaming consoles. Keeping patients distracted before the operation will help them feel more comfortable.
Update Furniture
When you dive into the patient’s mind, you will be thinking about the painful surgery you are about to experience. You will feel uncomfortable while you are in the waiting room. However, the nervous feeling intensifies when you notice that you are sitting on a crooked chair. The simple surgery will suddenly turn into torture. If the waiting room furniture causes discomfort for your patients, you need to have them replaced with new ones. You must always keep your furniture in good condition. When your patients feel like they are being taken care of in the waiting room, they will know that they are in good hands.
Maximize the Space
The mind plays tricks when we are getting nervous. When you give patients a huge space, they might feel like they will be going on a long and uncertain journey. You do not want your patients to feel that way ahead of the surgery. Consider assigning items and furniture in vacated areas. You can also do a complete remodel of your waiting room to give it a new life. To start, you can hire a company that provides office fitouts in Brisbane for your dental clinic.
Hire an Assistant
Nervous patients require support ahead of the wisdom tooth extraction. However, there might be times when someone will have to go through the surgery alone. Hiring an assistant will help you provide patients with a friendly face. Consider assigning a liaison to help you keep patients calm. However, the person you hire needs to have access to your patients’ profiles. Your patients must feel like they are a priority inside the waiting room. When you have an assistant, your dental clinic will be able to attend to people’s needs ahead of the surgery.
Both children and adults alike can feel fear ahead of a painful wisdom tooth extraction. It is your responsibility to provide them with a space that can make them feel comfortable.
