Elsevier

Dental Abstracts

Volume 62, Issue 4, July–August 2017, Page 183
Dental Abstracts

The Front Office
Communication

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.denabs.2017.03.014Get rights and content

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Background

Poor communication in a work setting or socially can be frustrating and counterproductive. In a dental office, poor communication can lower morale and make each day at the job a long one. Not everyone is a great communicator in all situations and most people aren’t born with natural great communication skills. However, these skills can be learned with determination, a positive attitude, and practice.

Workplace Principles

It’s important to recognize that you can only take care of how you communicate and not how others communicate. A few principles to be remembered along the way are as follows:

  • 1.

    You need to take responsibility for your communication, whether it’s when you send it or when you receive it.

  • 2.

    Being a good listener is the first step to being a good communicator.

  • 3.

    Rather than assuming you understand, it’s important to follow through and ask others to allow you to explain back to them what you heard, giving

Social Principles

Not all communication in the workplace involves instructional interactions, but many of the principles are the same even in less structured exchanges. Communication is still vital to being able to get along well with others and maintain a respectful attitude. People who work together should remember a few things about personal interactions:

  • 1.

    Common sense isn’t always present—appreciate it and try to ensure you are using it whenever possible.

  • 2.

    The goal is not perfection—just excellence.

  • 3.

    What you

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Whisenhunt J: Working together as a team: Communication skills that help create a healthy dental office. RDH, vol 36, Dec 2016

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