Teaching individualized oral health education to the patient

The importance of patient education in dental hygiene is very crucial. There will be patients who will visit their dental hygienist and they'll ask questions as to why is it important to brush their teeth twice a day and why do they need to floss. As a dental professional in dental hygiene, I find it very important in educating my patients on those very topics of brushing, flossing and maintaining a healthy oral cavity. What I learned in dental hygiene school is the five basic principles of effective teaching to my patient. They are presenting small amounts of information at one time, letting the patient set their own pace, supervising the patient, providing immediate feedback, and using positive reinforcement. Assessing, communicating, educating, and motivating-these are the fundamentals that dental practitioners should employ to attain patient compliance. There are many factors associated with each category, and it is essential that the dentist and the dental team be well-versed in these areas so that their patients understand the importance of maintaining good oral health in their lives.