Just consider that the patient is paying to get you out of dental school. Without the patient you can't graduate. What are you going to do to make sure the patient is happy? (In private practice the patient pays for your clothes and your vacations and your car, and your...).

What you say to the patient is an important part of the treatment. The patient may be happy or unhappy with the treatment simply on the basis of what you say. If they like you they will tolerate much more. If they don't like you they will find something to complain about.

Words are powerful tools. There is a difference between "bleeding and "hemorrhaging" between "coughing" and "hacking" between "bother " and "hurt."

When I employed a person they had to know the definition of "euphemism." It means "soft synonym." When speaking to me in front of the patient they had to use euphemisms. Can you give me a euphemism for slaughterhouse or toilet? (The answers are in the addendum under questions and answers.)

©1999 by Julius Rosen, D.D.S.