Hygiene Consultant: It’s Important to Be Informed

“Informed Consent” What is this? The American Medical Association defines this as “more than simply getting a patient to sign a written consent form. It is a process of communication between a patient and their doctor that results in the patient’s authorization and agreement to undergo certain medical intervention.” You as a patient that will sign these documents need to know about Informed Consent. When you visit your dental hygiene consultant, how informed are you really? Has someone fully explained in detail all of the procedures that you will be undergoing? Are you aware of the type of techniques that will be used or the time commitments that these dental procedures will require? Have you been informed of all the risks involved with having these treatments done? Were you told about all the materials and instruments that will be used for this treatment and how if at all they will or can affect your health? Most importantly have all the consent to treat forms been signed by both you and the doctor? If you have been able to answer any one of these questions with a “no” ten you may want to reconsider both the treatment and the doctor that you have chosen to perform said treatments. A good and knowledgeable doctor will not have left any of these questions with a “no” answer. It is their job not only to provide these services to you but to make sure they are done in a manner where everyone involved is comfortable and understands fully what is taking place.

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Your overall health is greatly affected by your mouth as it is a gateway into your body. The importance of the role your mouth plays in this is highly underestimated by most people. Every day that passes and you are going about you normal activities you are going to be affected by your oral health. Eating properly, good digestion, speaking and smiling are all directly affected by how well you take care of your mouth and teeth. In studies that have been done there are certain dental conditions that have been linked to heart disease, stroke, neurological problems, obesity, diabetes, preterm labor and low birth weight babies, headaches, facial pin and more. So getting with a dental hygiene consultant and getting your oral health back to where it should be is extremely important.

In the past, people have considered the field of dentistry as the forgotten child of the medical community. General medical practitioners are not trained in the importance of oral health or the factors it can play in a person’s overall health, while dentist are by law only allowed to treat conditions that a patient suffers with in the head and neck areas. As these two practices conflict there is a gap that could use being worked on. Many dental hygiene consultants have issues with the poor insurance coverage of many of their patents. When so many of their services and treatments are not covered by their patient’s medical insurance, this to can create many problems for them. It is a struggle and a battle that has been long fought by doctors in this field. It is a problem that is getting worse as many employers are dropping dental coverage all together. So this put more pressure on you and the customer and patient to increase your knowledge and educate yourself more. Knowing all the issues you have and the treatment options helps you to be able to make a smarter more informed decision concerning your healthcare. It is your body after all and you should be aware of all the treatments that it will be having done to it. The foundation of this is informed consent.

Having a good start and beginning things right is of the utmost importance for you as the patient. Your initial examination with your dental hygiene consultant and any tests that are performed is the first step that you take in gathering knowledge. Providing an accurate and detailed medical and dental history to your doctor is critical. As this history does not only include your recent complaint but it give the doctor and understanding of the medical history including surgeries, medications, past illnesses, family history of medical problems and an overall understanding of your body’s system. This information can greatly affect any course of action he or she may recommend. Upon review of this information your doctor should explain the type of impact it can have on your treatment plans as well as your general health. If need be the doctor can give you the appropriate referrals to other qualified practitioners. The informed consent form should at this time, after all of this information has been reviewed and relayed to you, by both you and the doctor. When you decide on a treatment plan this becomes the blueprint for how he plans to address your dental needs and concerns. You should schedule another appointment to sit down with the dentist himself, not an assistant or nurse, and go thoroughly over all of these plans in detail. Be sure that you have spent time discussing any risks that may be involved and that you understand fully every one of them. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask questions as that is what he is there for. You should also cover all the benefits and options of these proposed treatments.

You should always maintain open and solid lines of communication between yourself and you dental hygiene consultant, as well as the staff. Don’t stop asking questions until you feel they have been answered to your satisfaction. If at any point there are any changes in the treatment plan be sure you have fully discussed and agree to them and understand them. They need to be accepted by both you and your doctor and then you need to ensure that they are put into writing and signed by you both!