Dr. Tom Giacobbi returns with another installment in his Just a Minute, Doc video series, this time focusing on the necessary steps in conducting a successful new patient exam.
Check out more videos in the series here.
Video transcript
"I just got to the office. I'm going to have to call you back in a minute.
"Let's take a minute today to talk about the new patient exam. Now, a new patient is somebody that's either in your practice for the first time and ready to become a patient of record or a patient with an emergency, and this is the first way you're meeting.
"With new patients that need a panorex, that's the first stop, because it's on the way to the operatory.
"Next, the dental assistant will collect information from the patient, find out what their needs are. When the doctor comes into the room, the dental assistant will relay the patient's concerns to the doctor so the patient isn't telling their story twice.
"Next, we begin gathering data on a new patient. We're going to chart all the existing restorations, do the perio charting, and take some intraoral photos. And boy, the intraoral camera is your best friend for today and moving forward.
"Lastly, the dental assistant will take the necessary x-rays, and then the dentist can return to the operatory to review the treatment.
"It's important for a patient not to be overwhelmed, but it's also important for them to understand our goal today is to identify everything that we want to address over time.
"Now let's get back to work."
