IADR Abstract Archives
The Four Habits Model for Dental Visits (4HD)
Objectives: The project aims to present a patient-centered consultation model for improving dental consultations.
Methods: The proposed model is based on the original Four Habits Model for medical consultations, but has been adjusted to the specific structure and content of a dental visit. A characteristic of the dental visit is its division into dialogue phases and clinical phases, which makes communication especially challenging. In clinical phases, dialogue is mostly inhibited by oral treatment and patient control is decreased. Facilitation of perceived control has, therefore, been added to the model.
Results: An adapted consultation model, The Four Habits Model for Dental Visits (4HD), and its components are described and supplied with dialogue examples. The model consists of a structural core framework relevant for all dental consultations, as well as additional extensions that are applicable to various tasks and challenges.
Conclusions: This model should have clinical relevance both for improving patient care and patient experience, as well as easing everyday life for dentists. Similar with the original model, the dental version represents both a model for busy dental clinicians, and a framework for communication skills training at all levels of dental education. More research is needed to further develop, validate and test the model, (or selected parts of it), in various clinical contexts, and in dental education.
Methods: The proposed model is based on the original Four Habits Model for medical consultations, but has been adjusted to the specific structure and content of a dental visit. A characteristic of the dental visit is its division into dialogue phases and clinical phases, which makes communication especially challenging. In clinical phases, dialogue is mostly inhibited by oral treatment and patient control is decreased. Facilitation of perceived control has, therefore, been added to the model.
Results: An adapted consultation model, The Four Habits Model for Dental Visits (4HD), and its components are described and supplied with dialogue examples. The model consists of a structural core framework relevant for all dental consultations, as well as additional extensions that are applicable to various tasks and challenges.
Conclusions: This model should have clinical relevance both for improving patient care and patient experience, as well as easing everyday life for dentists. Similar with the original model, the dental version represents both a model for busy dental clinicians, and a framework for communication skills training at all levels of dental education. More research is needed to further develop, validate and test the model, (or selected parts of it), in various clinical contexts, and in dental education.