Dr. Sharon Barr On Treatment Built On Trust

Today, Dr. Barr talks about the pillar of the doctor-patient relationship: trust. She outlines the diagnostic philosophy of Longworth Dental, as well as the steps she takes to get to know her patients and her staff. In her practice, informed patients and collaborative staff cooperate to make the best treatment decisions.

Trust is fundamental. When I offer options, I want the patient to trust me.

Diagnostic philosophy is unique to each doctor. Some people are more preventative; others are more conservative. There are pros and cons to each. I like somewhere in the middle. I am a bit more on the conservative side. I try to preserve as much tooth structure as possible and be as minimalistic as possible when providing treatment. The most minimal, but preventative I can do, the better for that tooth.

Treatment philosophies at Longworth have the same flavour no matter which dentist you see. We hire for dental culture based on my diagnostic philosophy. The differences are slight because my associates are aware of my diagnostic philosophy. If they don’t fit with that, we don’t hire them. All of our associates are collaborative and open-minded. We learn from each other and are always willing to see things from a new perspective. We talk and collaborate. We build trust with each other. Communication is key. We talk openly about cases—failures and successes. We talk about our great days and not-so-great days, and we learn. We treat our patients with the best technology and materials out there. We want to do it the best way possible.

I like to inform my patients of all of their options. Of course, not a detailed list of options to overwhelm them, but the major ones. For example, let’s say they are missing a tooth, I start by asking them if they want something that stays in their mouth or can be removed. Then, I go into more specific options like an implant or bridge. From there, I go into more specific details as they figure out what they want. I explain the pros and cons of each option to help them make an informed choice. We go from a broad array of options and then funnel them. It’s important for the patient to make the decision.

Many patients ask me what I would do if they were my mom. This shows the trust relationship that has been built, which is really sweet. I always give them my honest opinion about what is best for their teeth. And if I do make the decision for them, I want them to be informed and understand why I made that decision and why it’s the best for them.

Patients respond well to this. Patients want to know that I am making the best decision for them. For example, the crown. There are so many different types of crowns I can make. There are so many options. If I tell them all of them, they will be overwhelmed. So we stick to what works and what our lab does best. We offer the patient our best option.

Trust comes from getting to know the patient. I have the privilege of getting to know them over time. Some ten years, some a couple months.

I notice patient habits to help me determine their best options. For example, if they grind, I would offer a gold crown because it’s the strongest. We need to know who patients are as people and what they do and how stressed they are.  Their diet and lifestyle determines what option is best for them. Getting to know the patient and  earning the patient’s trust go hand-in-hand. We offer individual care based on a patient's lifestyle and habits.