How to Help Patients Make Informed Decisions: Communication and Education in Dental Care

(This is the third of 3 installments of ICT’s interview with Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC, dental assistant speaker and trainer, and a member of the Infection Control Today^® (ICT^®) editorial advisory board.)

Clear communication between dental professionals and patients plays a crucial role in both treatment decisions and patient safety. In the third installment of a series marking Dental Assistants Recognition Week, dental assistant, trainer, and speaker Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC, discusses how education, transparency, and patient engagement help ensure patients make informed choices about their oral health.

According to Busby, who is also a member of the Infection Control Today^® (ICT^®) editorial advisory board, when patients decline recommended treatments, the issue is often not resistance but misunderstanding.

“Most people refuse things because they don’t understand the need,” Busby said. “They don’t understand the benefit and how the procedure can help them.”

Dental assistants often play an important role in bridging that gap. By helping explain procedures and providing context, assistants can help patients understand both the risks of delaying treatment and the benefits of addressing problems early.

Busby offered the example of a dental crown. A patient might feel that a damaged filling is not causing immediate discomfort and decide to postpone treatment.

“You might have a very large filling that is leaking or cracked,” Busby explained. “Right now it may not be broken, but when you bite down, it could break.”

Helping patients visualize potential outcomes can make a significant difference. Dentists and assistants frequently use photographs, scans, and X-rays to show patients exactly what is happening inside their mouths.

“If you need that crown and you don’t do it, the tooth could break or become infected,” Busby said. “If you do it now, you restore the tooth to function and prevent those problems.”

Follow-up communication is another important part of the process. Busby noted that patients may feel overwhelmed after hearing treatment recommendations, particularly when cost is involved.

“It’s been proven it takes seven times to hear something before we start to listen and eight times before we start to believe it,” Busby said.

Because of this, dental teams often revisit recommendations during future visits or through follow-up communication.

“If someone comes in for an exam and leaves without scheduling treatment, the office should follow up,” Busby said. “Maybe two weeks later, ask if they have questions.”

At the same time, Busby emphasized that patients always have the right to make their own decisions about care.

“My job is to give you the facts and the benefits,” Busby said. “You are an adult, and you make your own decisions.”

She also encourages patients to seek second opinions if they feel uncertain about a recommendation. Dentistry, like other areas of medicine, can involve professional judgment and varying clinical philosophies.

“Every provider has an opinion based on their training and experience,” Busby said. “One doctor may take a more conservative approach while another recommends treatment earlier.”

Modern diagnostic tools are also helping patients better understand their oral health. Technologies such as digital imaging and artificial intelligence can highlight areas of concern on dental images, making conditions easier for patients to see and understand.

“AI doesn’t tell the dentist what to do,” Busby said. “It helps the patient see what’s there.”

For patients, Busby recommends preparing questions before appointments and taking an active role in their care.

“As consumers and patients, it’s our responsibility to ask questions,” she said. “Write them down if you have to so you don’t forget.”

By combining clear communication, patient education, and modern diagnostic tools, dental teams can help patients feel more confident about their treatment decisions while strengthening trust in dental care.