How to manage your messages

No matter what the changes are, it's always a good idea to have a plan in place to let patients know about them in advance. Here are our top tips for communicating change to patients.

Start early

It makes sense to tell patients about changes affecting them as soon as you can to help manage expectations. You don't want to sour relations with someone by leaving them to find out from another source (which might be confusing or incorrect) or blindsiding them at their appointment.

With the Scottish Statement of Dental Remuneration, practices had several months to familiarise themselves with the changes, which in turn allowed time to communicate them clearly to patients.

Use multiple channels

Don't assume patients will regularly visit your website. It's better to also use other communication formats when communicating important changes, such as your newsletter, practice noticeboard and enclosing a letter with check-up invitations.

You could also consider using social media to direct patients to your site, but this will need careful monitoring in case other users post replies with misleading or incorrect information.

To make sure your communication doesn't go astray, it's a good idea to have a system for regularly checking you have the correct contact details for patients, as well as their preferred contact method. Bear in mind that some patients might need information in accessible formats, and the GDC expects you to try and meet their communication needs.

Be consistent

Check all your communications carry the same messages. You may have updated your site's homepage, but are you actively maintaining the rest of the site, like information on treatment fees or unscheduled care appointments? Be sure to remove old and inaccurate information on your site, noticeboard and other places where you post and display information.

Be clear

The GDC says dental professionals must communicate effectively with patients and give them "clear information about costs", including a simple price list in reception and clear information about prices on your website and in practice literature.

When something has changed, it makes sense to highlight what's new. You could also consider adding a Q&A section to address likely queries.

As with all practice communication, use plain English when talking about changes. For example, it's better to explain terms like Statement of Dental Remuneration, recall intervals or unscheduled care, rather than assuming they will be readily understood.

Train practice staff

Make sure everyone in the dental team is aware of changes and understands how to respond to patient queries before the change is communicated to patients. Whether it's the retirement of a senior clinician, a change of ownership or an increase in fees, you don't want the patient to be faced with blank looks when they ask a question.

Check the patient understands

When a patient attends for their next appointment, it's an opportunity to talk with them about the change(s) you've just announced and confirm they know what's happening and what it means for them.

For example, if they are in good oral health, you could explain that they won't need to attend every six months because of the new risk assessed approach to recall intervals.

As required by the GDC, you must provide "full information on the treatment you propose and the possible costs" and "satisfy yourself that patients have understood the information you have given them, for example by asking questions and summarising the main points of your discussion."

Look out for non-verbal signs of anxiousness or confusion in patients (like their expression or body language) so you can pause to reassure them and provide further explanation.

Don't put patients under pressure

If changes mean patients have to make a decision about their dental care, give them time and space to do so, and let them know they can come back with questions. You could also give them written information to take away.

It's important not to suggest to a patient that changes to NHS dental services mean they can't access NHS care, or encourage them go private to get better treatment.

Respond professionally to unhappy patients

Be prepared to meet patients who are unhappy with change. In this situation the best approach is often to hear them out and then calmly explain why the changes have been made and reassure them that they aren't being singled out.

Make sure you're able to answer likely questions or direct the patient to the right place for additional support.

Don't accept abuse

Frustration might sometimes be inevitable, but don't hesitate to follow your practice's zero tolerance policy if you or your staff are subject to aggression or abuse. This includes considering ending the professional relationship, if appropriate.