TA Services

$. Workshops/Presentations . Seminars . Continuing Education .  . Freelance Writing and Editing . Publishing . My focus is on assisting dental professionals to enhance their understanding of and proficiency in communication. Communication creates and sustains relationships and fosters trust among staff and patients. Dental professionals who communicate well are more effective and efficient in all aspects of care and, as studies show, have a healthier, more satisfied, and loyal clientele. These programs are especially important in light of recent research that has shown: • Health care providers think they are better at both general and intercultural communication than their patients think they are. • Training improves communication ability. My interactive programs employ a combination of PowerPoint guided lecture, individual and group activities, handouts, and favors depending on the context of the presentation. All presentations can be combined and/or individualized to meet your needs in regards to topics and times. Choose among the following PROGRAMS or contact me about other communication topics. Becoming Cultured: Understanding Intercultural Communication to Enhance Patient Care The study of intercultural communication is a new and critical topic in dentistry. Minority groups are the fastest growing segments of our population and they also have the poorest general and oral health. Diverse cultural views profoundly influence how health is perceived and how health care is delivered. This program will help dental clinicians understand different cultural perspectives, including their own. This knowledge enhances the attendee’s ability to communicate with a diverse clientele in order to foster understanding and trust and facilitate the delivery of patient-centered and evidence-based care. Some topics include: various cultural perceptions of health; importance of cultural self-awareness; as well as the cultural concepts of ethnocentrism, direct and indirect communication, individualism and collectivism, and differing perceptions of time. Learning Outcomes for Becoming Cultured: • Appreciate culture’s influence on communication in health settings, especially dentistry • Understand four cultural concepts • Increase cultural self-awareness • Enhance intercultural communication skill The Tap Dance of Communication: Understanding Nonverbal Communication to Enhance Patient Care The words we speak convey only a small fraction of our meaning. What do we “say” to patients with our nonverbal behavior, and what are they trying to “tell” us? The content of this course extends beyond body language to include the use of touch, time, space, expression, listening, and more. It also addresses the varying “rules” of nonverbal communication in different cultural groups. This program is designed to help dental care givers become more conscious of and comprehend those out-of-awareness messages that they may be sending and receiving, an enhancement that will help them understand the patient’s view and become better communicators in order to deliver patient-centered and evidence-based care. Learning Outcomes for The Tap Dance of Communication: • Understand the role of nonverbal communication in the dental office • Know the basic concepts of nonverbal communication • Appreciate varying nonverbal communication “rules” in different cultures • Become more aware of incoming and outgoing nonverbal communication Do You Speak Gobbledygook? Caring for Low Literate and Limited English Proficient People We in dentistry speak gobbledygook*, or at least that’s what our language sounds like to many patients. Almost half of United States and Canadian residents struggle with low literacy skills, and one in five are functionally illiterate. Literacy predicts health more strongly than age, income, education, employment, race, or ethnicity. People with low literacy sit in our chairs every day, but we may not recognize them because they represent all races, ages, and socioeconomic levels, often speak articulate English as their first language, and work hard to hide their limited reading abilities. People who speak English poorly or not at all are more easily recognized, and, while they may be literate in their own languages, face even greater challenges when trying to access health care in North America. This course explores the ramifications of low literacy, limited English proficiency, and the resulting low dental health literacy, including poor oral health and limited access to care, and offers practical strategies that can be used right away to address the issues. Many people need our help more than we know. Learn how to lead them to higher levels of health literacy—and health. *Gobbledygook: the incomprehensible jargon of professionals Learning Outcomes for Do You Speak Gobbledygook?: • Identify the issues of Low Health Literacy (LHL) & Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in dentistry • Recognize low literate patients • Understand Plain Language principles • Acquire practical strategies for communicating with LHL and LEP patients • Enhance ability to identify and/or create appropriate literature for LHL and LEP patients • Learn how to work with both ad hoc (friends and family) and trained interpreters • Know where to find resources for LHL and LEP patients It Takes Two To Tango: Motivating with Communication Skill Dental professional spend a lot of time trying to persuade people to change their opinions and their behaviors. We ask people to listen to us, but the number one complaint from dental patients is that WE don’t listen to THEM. The patients’ views are also part of the evidence base, so it is important to elicit their thoughts and preferences. Learn classic and new views of listening, motivation, persuasion, and patient education. This course brings these topics together to help practitioners deliver evidence-based and patient-centered care. Learning Outcomes for Becoming Cultured: • Appreciate the importance and impact of listening in dentistry • Acquire strategies to improve listening Enhance knowledge of persuasion Understand six important elements of patient education Relate the themes of listening, choice, simplicity, and reinforcement to patient education$

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