DT News - UK - Primespeak: A global language for dental professionals

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 15 March 2016

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MANCHESTER, UK: Many dentists find it difficult to communicate the right treatment options to patients, who through false or incomplete information on the Internet present to practices with unrealistic expectations. While the majority of patient communication training programmes available today often focus on one or more fixed strategies at a time, there are other concepts that aim to make this process more natural and less stressful for the dentists. One of them is Primespeak, an import from one of Australia’s leading practice management companies, which is currently making its large-scale debut in the UK.

First introduced to the market here by Sydney-based Prime Practice three years ago, the seminar series is now on an extended road tour in the UK, stopping in cities like London, Birmingham, Bristol and Belfast, throughout the year and is made possible through a partnership with Henry Schein company Software of Excellence. The series was recently launched at a premier event in Manchester with 40 participants, where Dental Tribune had the opportunity to speak with some of the programme’s directors and trainers. According to Prime Practice General Manager of Education and Training Patric Moberger, one of the key objectives of the programme is to help patients take responsibility for their own teeth and to understand the damaging consequences of not looking after them. In order to achieve this, the programme provides a number of tools and strategies that, when applied at the right time and in the right combination, can help dentists gain patients’ compliance with treatment, particularly those who do not truly understand the options before them.

“Primespeak is applied at its optimum for patients who think that nothing is wrong because there is no pain involved. It is quite like high cholesterol: you do not feel the consequences until it is too late,” Moberger explained. “By stepping away, we let the patient come to you ask for a solution instead of recommending something they may not understand and thus want to get involved in.”

“Normally in sales you move towards the patient with a solution. All the tools that we are using with Primespeak however are counter-intuitive to sales training. The role that the dentists and the team have here is to make the patient understand that things are going on in their mouth and that they offer the right solutions for them,” he added.

Feedback from dentists who participated in Primespeak seminars held in Australia and the US, where the series has been available to dental professionals for many years, has been very positive and encouraged the company, together with word of mouth, to bring the concept to the UK. In addition to the live seminars, it offers master classes, private consultations with a trainer and a library of online training videos. Seminars for dental assistants and front-end staff are under consideration. Participants at the seminar in Manchester responded positively to the programme.

"If a dental professional is looking to build trust quickly with patients, save time and gain greater acceptance of treatment, that person should come to a Primespeak Seminar. Time very well spent," commented a dentist from Hull.

Another participant from Glasgow said: "I cannot recommend this course enough. It will remove the pressure when interacting with patients and is key to avoiding sales pitching perception."

Primespeak is holding its next seminar in June in Birmingham. Dentists or dental staff interested in registering for the programme can obtain more information at primespeak.com/uk.

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