Community Magazine September 2003

16 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE s xc I remember hearing Hurdle Tawil speak to a group of business- men about customer service. He started his presentation by putting a pair of shoes, white ladies’ pumps, on the desk in front of him. He took off his shoes, put the ladies white pumps on the floor and then proceeded to walk around the room. His size 13 foot did not exactly fit in a size 9 ladies shoe but he wanted to drive the point home. “Put your- self in the customer’s shoes!” His lesson made a lasting impression on me. I try whenev- er I can to do just that. I may sit in the reception area to see what it feels like. Or I may call the office and listen to the on-Hold message or how the staff answers the phone. The other day I had the ultimate opportunity to test- drive what it feels like to be a patient in the dentist chair. One of my fillings broke and a lot of food was getting stuck in the hole in my tooth. I scheduled an appoint- ment with Dr. Kassab for a filling. The sensation of getting numb is humbling. I couldn’t rinse because my lips were too numb to hold the water. And for hours after the visit I had to be careful not to chew my lip. This gave me an added sen- sitivity to the patient who is numb. As I sat in the chair and Dr. Kassab was working I was acutely aware of the noises, side con- versations and visual experience of a den- tal visit. When a conversation took place that I was not included in I couldn’t help but feel like an object instead of a per- son in the chair. I began to think about how I would, as a dentist, answer a question or ask about something that didn’t include the patient. Knowing what I know about teeth, fillings, materials and techniques – I wanted to be sure that at the end of the visit my tooth would be comfortable. There are a number of critical steps that make a comfortable tooth more pre- dictable. As I sat there watching every step – I again thought of my patients and myself as the dentist. There is nothing more uncomfortable than a filling that is too high or that has a sharp edge. I remem- ber the days before we wore gloves. In those days it was simple for the dentist to feel the tooth to make sure there were no sharp edges. Today with gloves we can’t tell if there are sharp edges. When the patient is numb they also can’t tell. It makes the job of smoothing and pol- ishing that much more critical. No one wants to come back because the tooth was high or the edge was cutting their tongue. After my numbness went away I found myself exploring the tooth from all sides – just like a real patient. I was happy to find that everything felt fine. The saying goes, “The proof of the pud- ding is in the eating.” Would it hurt? Would I get food stuck? Would the food get chewed up properly? Supper was a suc- cess! But I also realized that long after my patients left my office they were still involved in the dental experience. Thanks Hurdle for making me a more “aware” dentist. I would def- initely encourage any of you to try and do the same. No matter what your size shoe – it’s always a good idea to “put yourself in your customers shoes”. Dr. Doueck has practiced restorative dentistry in the community for over 25 years and has taken over 1000 hours of advanced training. He is a clinical con- sultant to the Dental Advisor, a monthly publication. He is certified by the Academy of Laser Dentistry. His Associate Dr. Alan Azrak is a specialist in Pediatric Dentistry. His associate Dr. Jack Kassab has advanced training in Family Dentistry. B Y : D R . J A C Q U E S D O U E C K D D S Hey Doctor, Why Don’t YOU Sit Down and I’ll Work on YOUR Teeth. CM