The heart of a treatment coordinator – by Katie Varley

As a treatment coordinator at Infinity Dental Clinic we are the first people that potential patients connect with, I don’t use the word connect lightly, as in my experience that first conversation is the start of a meaningful connection between us and our patient.

As a treatment coordinator at Infinity Dental Clinic we are the first people that potential patients connect with, I don’t use the word connect lightly, as in my experience that first conversation is the start of a meaningful connection between us and our patient. I speak with many people over the phone on a daily basis. Each conversation is unique and so often it is emotional. One recent conversation I had with a patient really tugged at my heart strings.

From the minute he answered the phone and began to explain his dental situation I felt so much empathy for him and realised how a new smile would change his whole life. Like many patients he’d not been to the dentist for years due to dental anxieties and bad experiences. I listened as he explained how his oral health negatively affects him in many ways, at work, as a husband, a friend, and even as a parent, and how he isn’t the character he once was before his oral health deteriorated.

We had discussed his fear and anxiety and how he had made appointments previously at dental practices and would then not attend them due to feeling so anxious. I really wanted to help this patient and I knew that as soon as he sits with Dr Mohsin Patel, that his predisposed fear would ease away. It’s very easy for me to tell a patient who is needing dental implant treatment that as soon as they meet Dr Mohsin Patel their anxieties will reduce. I know this to be true as I see it on a daily basis, patients I’ve spoken with over the phone have sat in the waiting room anxiously waiting for Dr Mohsin Patel to greet them and that’s exactly what he does, he greets all patients with a calm, warming welcoming manner. The fear and anxiety that they have turns into a positive experience at the dentist and I knew this patient needed this. The same can be said about the way all of our dentists greet patients, we always endeavour to put patients anxieties and concerns at ease.

I booked his first consultation, it was a Tuesday evening, I’d recommended that time to him as that is our implant consultation afternoon, into the evening. It’s a more relaxing, quieter clinic time and I knew this patient like many nervous patients would benefit from this.

As a treatment coordinator, not only do I have the opportunities to discuss that first consultation and how that is carried out, I also get to speak with the patient afterwards and find out how their first consultation experience was for them. As soon as I met this patient after I’d spent time over the phone with him, I’d noticed a more relaxed tone to his voice. I’d chatted with him and his wife. I’d asked him how his consultation was and his face lit up and said ‘it was all you said it would be’ this sentence for me made me so happy as I like to be very transparent. I had explained over the phone exactly how he would be treated and how his consultation would be carried out. This patient had gone from, less confident, quiet and fearful to a more positive, happy bubbly man. His personality was starting to shine through in the consultation room, he was chatting away, very bubbly, making jokes and even planning a family party for when he gets his new teeth! I cannot wait for his treatment to be completed and to see the transformation back to his happy, confident self.

I’m in a very unique position where I can be the support to our patients from the beginning right through to the end of their life changing journey. All patient needs are different and their journey becomes ours as well, we will walk this whole journey with you. This is why I love being a treatment coordinator at infinity dental clinic.

Thank you for reading,

Katie Varley  (Treatment coordinator and Dental radiographer)