Dental Tribune UK Edition, September 13-19, 2010, Vol. 4 No. 21

September 13-19, 201022 United Kingdom EditionEducation C onsumers are becom- ing more and more aware of what is going on in the world of facial aes- thetics. The sheer amount of information available in the media means there are now millions of patients around the country who feel they are ‘specialists’ in the field, despite the fact none of them have ever picked up a syringe, or are ever likely to. It can be frustrating when a patient enters your surgery and appears to know all there is to know about the treatment you are about to carry out, simply from reading something in Heat magazine about the lat- est treatment a celebrity has had. I understand that people are keen to research the treat- ment they are about to under- go, however, the media only ever seems to write about non- evidence based procedures and the horror stories – neither of which are necessarily the best information to base one’s beliefs on. Negative impact If people come to my clinics, having read countless horror stories in the press in the run up to their appointment, they are often nervous and uncom- municative, with their mind full of negative preconcep- tions. It is then very difficult for them to absorb any positive suggestions that my staff or I might make, and they may leave the clinic having not got the best out of their visit. Having said that, some pa- tients are very well informed, and have obviously spent a lot of time and effort finding out all they can about the procedure they are planning to embark on, although unfortunately, they are in the minority. As a practitioner, I feel that it is my responsibility to fully explain the treatment options available to each individual patient. Every face is unique, so it is impossible to suggest that a standard treatment can be performed in order to solve every concern. For example, even if you have two pa- tients who want a treat- ment to smooth out crow’s feet, you may not necessarily suggest you peform the exact same procedure. Other factors may have to be considered, and it is the role of the professional to explain this fully to the patient. Open to suggestions Fortunately, I find that regard- less of how informed they are, most patients are open to suggestions. People enter my clinics wanting to leave feeling relaxed and refreshed, but are not sure how best to go about it. I am usually able to offer them a treatment plan designed to give them the final effect they desire, but maybe not us- ing the processes that they were expecting. Technology in this field is moving so fast, I can often suggest new and excit- ing evidence-based methods to patients they haven’t even heard about yet. If people are educated in the correct way, a little bit of background knowledge can be a distinct advantage. However, it entirely depends how and from whom the patient has re- ceived the education. In order for any professional to fully explain the benefits of facial aesthetic treatments, they would need to understand the proce- dures and treatments available. This is knowledge that frankly, most people just do not have. In my opinion, if a practitioner is not 100 per cent confident in the information that they are planning to pass on to patients, they should not say anything at all, and instead should refer the patient to a trained profes- sional who can offer clear, trust- worthy advice. If a patient receives differ- ent information from various people, the issue becomes more and more confused and the poor patient can often end up with unrealistic, unobtainable ex- pectations that simply cannot be achieved. Products available One area that patients are starting to become more aware of is the wide range of uses products such as Botox and dermal fillers have, in the area of facial aesthetics as well in medical treatment. The fact that these new and exciting treatments are well publicised in the press, both trade and consumer, means not only are the pa- tients themselves more aware of the treatments, but their GPs and dentists are also kept more inthe loop – meaning referrals are more and more commonplace. The numerous articles in the press and on web- sites dedicated to speculat- ing who’s had what done, and television programmes such as Ten Years Younger are making the public more aware of facial aesthetic treat- ment than ever before. However, word of mouth remains one of the most effetive tools for spreading information. Now that treatment has be- come commonplace, most peo- ple know someone who has had a facial aesthetic treatment. It is human nature to be fascinated by something like this, and I see a lot of patients who enquire having seen a friend who has had treatment. Most people are surprised at the natural look that can be attained, and are keen to see what they could achieve. DT Transforming misconceptions Many potential patients are intrigued by facial aes- thetics have been put off by horror stories in the press, but are likely to relax and consider a treatment plan if things are fully explained, says Bob Khanna ‘If people are educated in the correct way, a little bit of background knowledge can be a distinct advantage. However, it entirely de- pends how and from whom the patient has received the education. ’ The UK’s leading supplier of dental anaesthetic, Septodont, already bring you the high quality Septoject and Septoject XL needles and would now like to introduce a new development to Ultra Safety Plus. Ultra Safety Plus syringe is a sterile, disposable and self aspirating syringe system with a pre-mounted needle. Its use means needle stick injuries can be virtually eliminated. With the option of a NEW single use handle (non sterile), Ultra Safety Plus is now 100% disposable. For more information please contact your dental retailer www.septodont.co.uk Anaesthetics • Endodontics Restorative Dentistry • Dental Surgery Prosthetic Dentistry • Disinfection & Hygiene About the author Dr Bob Khanna is widely regard- ed as one of the world’s leading exemplars of dentistry and facial aesthet- ics. President and founder of non-profit organisation The International Academy for Advanced Facial Aesthetics (IAAFA), Dr Khanna heads the only UK organisation to combine medical and den- tal professionals. He is the appointed clinical tutor in facial aesthetics at the Royal College of Surgeons and has trained thousands of dentists and doctors through the Dr Bob Khanna Training Institute.