Active Listening: Strengthening Professional Communication in Dental Practices

About This Course

Learn how to promote a culture of active listening in dental practices, enhance team communication, and support patients’ emotional needs with the course ‘Advancing Active Listening in Dental Practices’. Strengthen patient relationships and practice dynamics with this professional communication tool.

Why Take This Course?

The common problem or challenge that UK dental professionals face is poor communication and lack of active listening skills which can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings with patients. This can result in patients feeling unheard and dissatisfied, negatively impacting patient relationships and practice dynamics. The “Advancing Active Listening in Dental Practices” course addresses this challenge by providing dental professionals with tools and techniques to promote active listening and enhance team communication, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.

This course is beneficial for dental professionals who want to improve their communication skills and create a positive patient experience. It covers a wide range of topics related to active listening and provides practical strategies for enhancing team communication, supporting patients’ emotional needs, and managing legal risks. By taking this course, dental professionals can develop their active listening skills and improve their ability to connect with patients, foster trust, and build lasting relationships.

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How This Course Supports GDC Enhanced Dental CPD

“Dental professionals have a duty to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. A primary qualification is only the first step in their education and development which should last throughout their professional life” General Dental Council

Learning Objectives	Anticipated Outcomes
1: By the end of this course, students will be able to promote a culture of active listening in their dental practice and enhance team communication through active listening.	1: Upon completion of the course, students are expected to actively apply active listening techniques in their dental practice, leading to improved patient care and outcomes.
2: Upon completion, learners will have the capacity to understand patient fear and anxiety in dentistry, employ active listening for effective emotional support, and handle emotional outbursts in dental settings.	2: As a result of this course, learners will likely contribute to a culture of active listening within the dental profession, leading to improved communication and collaboration among colleagues and better patient outcomes.
3: Students will demonstrate their ability to communicate prosthetic and implant procedure details, use active listening in endodontic consultation, and explain complex dental procedures to patients.	3: The course should lead to an enhanced understanding of patient needs and emotions, as well as improved skills in providing effective emotional support and managing difficult conversations and conflicts in dental settings.
4: By the final session, participants will have mastered obtaining informed consent with active listening techniques, managing legal risks in dentistry, and communicating complaints and resolutions using active listening.	4: In the wider context, the course aims to contribute to a shift in dental practices towards more patient-centered care, with an emphasis on effective communication, empathy, and trust-building.
5: At the course’s conclusion, attendees will have developed the competency to actively listen to patients and colleagues, build trust and rapport with patients, and navigate difficult conversations and conflicts with patients and colleagues.	5: Following the course, the expectation is that students will communicate more effectively with patients and colleagues, navigate challenging situations with greater ease, and provide better overall care and outcomes for patients.

Regulatory Standards

GDC	CQC
✅ A – Effective Communication ✅ B – Effective Management ✅ C – Maintenance in Field of Practice ✅ D – Maintenance in Patient Confidence	✅ Caring ✅ Effective ✅ Leadership ✅ Responsive ✅ Safe

🕐 60 minutes of Enhanced Dental CPD

Course Description

The course “Advancing Active Listening in Dental Practices” covers various topics such as promoting a culture of active listening in dental practices, enhancing team communication, supporting patients’ emotional needs, active listening in complex dental procedures, and using active listening for obtaining informed consent and managing legal risks. It also emphasizes the role of active listening as a professional communication tool and how it can strengthen patient relationships and practice dynamics.

Course Outline

Section 1

This course focuses on the importance of active listening in dental practices. It covers topics such as promoting a culture of active listening, enhancing team communication, supporting patient’s emotional needs, active listening in complex dental procedures, and active listening for informed consent and legal aspects. The course concludes by emphasizing the role of active listening as a professional communication tool that can strengthen patient relationships and provide legal safeguards.

Section 2

This section of the course focuses on the use of active listening in dental practices. It includes promoting a culture of active listening in the practice, enhancing team communication through active listening, the impact of active listening on practice efficiency, and active listening in conflict management and resolution. Additionally, it covers supporting patient’s emotional needs through active listening, dealing with emotional outbursts in dental settings, active listening in complex dental procedures, informed consent and legal aspects, and concludes with a recap of active listening as a professional communication tool.

Section 3

Section 3 of this course covers the importance of active listening in dental practices. It includes topics such as promoting a culture of active listening, supporting patient’s emotional needs, active listening in complex dental procedures, obtaining informed consent, and using active listening as a professional communication tool. The section emphasizes the benefits of active listening for improving practice efficiency, patient relationships, and managing legal risks.

Section 4

Section 4 of this course explores the role of active listening in obtaining informed consent, managing legal risks in dentistry, maintaining confidentiality, and communicating complaints and resolutions. It highlights the value of active listening in these areas and provides exercises and techniques to implement it effectively. The section concludes by summarizing active listening as a professional communication tool and its impact on practice dynamics and patient relationships.

Section 5

Section 5 of the course focuses on the recap of active listening as a professional communication tool. It covers summarizing active listening as a pathway to emotional intelligence, reflecting on the impact of active listening on practice dynamics, reviewing enhanced patient relationships through active listening, evaluating the legal safeguards provided by active listening, and concluding with a course summary on the role of active listening in strengthening professional communication.

Course Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Great course! I appreciated the emphasis on how active listening can improve patient satisfaction and trust in our practice.

✅ Met Course Objectives

✅ Met Course Outcomes

✅ Would Recommend

✅ Had Positive Impact

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This course provided practical strategies for implementing active listening in our practice. I especially found the section on active listening during complex dental procedures helpful.

✅ Met Course Objectives

✅ Met Course Outcomes

✅ Would Recommend

✅ Had Positive Impact

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I highly recommend this course for any dental professional looking to improve their communication skills. The section on managing legal risks through active listening was particularly enlightening.

✅ Met Course Objectives

✅ Met Course Outcomes

✅ Would Recommend

✅ Had Positive Impact

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