Patients are recommended to visit a dentist for a check-up after every 6 months. There is however a healthy patient-doctor relationship that should be maintained. Patients, therefore, need to seek a second opinion before settling on the dental procedure. The second opinion enables a patient to make better choices.

Preparation stage

Preparation becomes key when it comes to dental appointments. The patient needs to be aware of the location of the clinic and the visiting hours to book an appointment. The patients should be aware of the background information of the clinic, to gain trust.

Implications

The patients need to know the health implications of the dental procedures involved. The procedure will have financial implications and costs. The patients, therefore, need to arrange for payment to cover the costs The patient, for example, needs to know the stages of the procedures they seek for treatment. A dental procedure like an implant involves several visits within a duration of time. If the patient does not adhere strictly to the time frames stipulated there can be severe health repercussions which can:

• Prolong the healing process.
• Increase health risks leading to infection.
• Increase the cost of the procedure due to an increase in infections.
• The patient might develop a negative attitude towards the clinic, the procedure and the doctor with the thought that the doctor is not qualified enough. There will be a blame game involved.

Psychological preparation

Psychological preparation becomes key to ease the work of both the dentist and the patient. The patient needs to clearly understand the procedures involved and agree to the terms and conditions with their dentist. This will ease the tension the patients might develop. The dentist, on the other hand, will have an easy time dealing with the patient.

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