How Dentists Can Drive Behavioural Change in Patients
What may not be apparent is how prepared your patient is to receive your message. The TransTheoretical Model (TTM) of behaviour change can help you tailor your message to match your patient’s readiness more precisely for adopting healthy oral hygiene habits.
The TTM stages of change are:
- Precontemplation: The patient is not ready and may be unaware of their need to change.
TIPS: Encourage your patient to re-evaluate their current habits and engage in self-exploration first (rather than immediate action). Explain to them, in a personalized way, the risks of continuing their current behaviour. For example, if they don’t practice good oral hygiene at home, they may require more invasive dental treatments to address cavities and other problems.
- Contemplation: The patient is thinking about changing and is more aware of the benefits of changing.
TIPS: Encourage your patient to evaluate the pros and cons of making a behavioural change in their oral hygiene practices. Identify and promote positive outcomes, such as feeling more self-confidence due to a healthy mouth, having better overall health in later life and being less fearful of dentist visits.
- Preparation: The patient is planning to change and is taking small steps toward action.
TIPS: Help the patient to identify and overcome obstacles to change. Identify people who can support them. Ensure that they have the skills to bring about behavioural change. Encourage them to make small initial steps.
- Action: The patient is changing habits. Teaching the proper oral hygiene techniques is important during this stage.
TIPS: Restructure cues (signals that have significance to the person) and social support (assistance from others) to reinforce positive messages for oral health. Bolster your patient’s self-efficacy (their own judgement of how well they can cope with a situation based on their skills and circumstances). Fight any feelings of loss and remind them of long-term benefits.
- Maintenance: The patient is achieving results with a new routine and is considering how to prevent relapse.
TIPS: Encourage them to find additional support. Point out internal rewards (physical and mental outcomes of the changed behaviour). This might include having a brighter smile, feeling more confident around others, sleeping better due to lack of discomfort and being in better overall health.
Discuss how they can avoid relapsing into old habits, such as writing notes to themselves as daily reminders to brush and floss teeth. Teach them how to deal with “triggers.” In the case of oral hygiene, a trigger may be snacks at work, and the solution may be to bring a toothbrush with them for a quick cleaning during the day.
You can more effectively communicate your message of brushing twice daily and cleaning interdentally daily by combining the TTM with another model, the Health Belief Model. Getting your patient to act based on the information you provide depends on whether:
- The patient believes that a negative health condition can be avoided.
- The patient has an expectation that a recommended action results in the avoidance of disease.
- The patient is convinced that it is possible to succeed in taking action.
These two models are interrelated and can help you deliver your oral health message clearly, timely, and effectively. Keep in mind that your message will need to be “customized” for proactive and reactive individuals.
There are many techniques to help you get your message across more effectively. See “Why Strong Communication Skills Are Essential for Today’s Dental Professionals” for helpful tips on how to successfully communicate with your patients.
Know Your Plan
As dentists' awareness increases regarding the link between oral health and serious medical issues, so does the understanding of the urgent need for patients to change. This requires dental professionals to shift from focusing on treatment to coaching patients to improve their oral hygiene habits.
This includes building rapport, communicating a precise oral health message, and helping patients choose the right products to improve their oral health.
For more help on how you can help your patients improve their oral hygiene and overall health, contact SUNSTAR GUM®.