The role of healthcare

[Uninformed]

In many dental school, they now teach students to educate patients on the risks of smoking. In my opinion, students buy into this request and are now even a little pushy in trying to get patients to stop. I understand that smoking can lead to periodontitis and edentulism. However, kids not wearing helmets can lead to edentulism (loss of teeth) as well. And HIV and herpes can lead to oral health problems. Should dental schools be training their students to talk to each patient about wearing helmets and practicing safe sex?

What is the role of a dentist in educating patients? Although gov't run healthcare could make the question moot, what are the legal ramnifications of dentists not educating their patients of all the possible lifestyle risks involved in oral care? What are your opinions on the subject, good, bad, or indifferent? How do you feel about it as a patient?

 

[OldHippie]

I think it is reasonable to talk to patients about ongoing behavior that increases health risk in the area of specialty that the professional practices. If a person is smoking and that can affect dental health, the dentist should give that information to the patient. If the dentist knows his patient has HIV or oral herpes and it can affect dental health, the dentist should give the patient that information. I don't know about dentists, but as a person who works with head injury, I advise friends to wear seat belts in cars and helmets on bicycles and motorcycles. I also advise head injured persons I work with to practice behavior that will reduce the risk of another head injury such as wearing seat belts in cars and helmets on bicycles and motorcycles.

 

[brandons87]

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[MaduroUTMB]

If every dentist in America spent 1 day per week driving around with a baseball bat smashing the kneecaps of all of the smokers they could find, it would be worthwhile. And there would be both net and individual savings in health care costs.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

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[Uninformed]

Battleship,

I am an expert in the area. But, I consider the interaction between a patient and a doctor to be personal, dictated by the two people interacting rather than by government or society. If I feel like I can help a patient by changing his lifestyle and I feel that the person wants help, great I'll give him advice. However, I don't want to give assembly line healthcare and dedicate 10min on smoking cessation, 5 min. on safe sex, 3 min. on wearing mouthguards and seatbelts, and 8 min. on oral hygiene. I'll speak based on what the situation dictates and I don't want to be held liable for not getting a current smoker to stop smoking. If each person is treated in an assembly line fashion, then any changes to that procedure can lead to a lawsuit.

In reality, schools just do this because they hope students can come away with some enlightenment. They don't really care whether the person instructing comes from the public health department or the dental or medical school. They are just happy someone is willing to teach the students. And they hope that students are willing to learn. When it bothers me is when an instructor sits over a student treating a patient and tells him that he forgot to talk about smoking when; the patient already has a relationship with the student but doesn't know the instructor and the patient has some specific and problematic work that needs to be conducted where the instructor's assistance is truly needed.

So if a patient smokes, I have no problem telling him the dangers of smoking to a point, that point being that the patient is willing to listen. If a young patient doesn't smoke, I somewhat do mind telling him about the dangers of smoking. I absolutely mind being forced to tell every patient the dangers of smoking. And I absolutely mind going over all the various things that can lead to disease. Public servants would say I am wrong because all patients need to be told of all risks and that I need to put my patient's health above prospects of making money. If it takes an hour to go through all the dangers to a patient so be it. And if I don't do it....