Effective Communication Is The Cornerstone of Success
Good communication in the workplace supports the ability of each team member to perform his or her best, fosters a constructive workplace atmosphere, and boosts efficiency. We all know how important communication is so why is it so difficult?
I’m sure there are myriad reasons why humans continue to struggle with effective communication, particularly in the workplace. A desire to avoid conflict and/or difficult conversations is probably at the top of that list. A lack of clearly defined mission, too much information to wade through, and weak leadership all contribute to poor communication.
I suppose the more important question is how do we improve our communication? In this issue of Front Office, communication is front and center, even when we’d rather hide in the break room. Michele P. Carr, RDH, MA, EdD, shares some insight on one such situation — when we need to discuss the cost of treatment with patients. It may not be “fun” but explaining the rationale behind treatment costs and why professional dental care is so important to oral and systemic health can make or break patient compliance.
Cultural competency also impacts our ability to communicate effectively and Kristine Barry, RDH, MSEC, dives right into this topic with a discussion of the Cultural Orientations Framework assessment, which supports the goal of optimizing team performance.
The American Association of Dental Office Management goes deep into digital oral health scans and how the dental office team can maximize their usefulness in patient education, a key facet of effective dental office communication.
All of us here at Front Office are dedicated to communicating with you — our audience of dental practice managers — to ensure you have the skills needed to be successful. What would you like to see us cover in our next issue? I’m all ears at lkent@belmontbusinessmedia.com.
— Lorene G. Kent
Publisher
From Front Office Magazine. November/December 2023; 1(2):
