Something new for dental nurses and practice managers – The Association of Dental Implantology (ADI)
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 1st July 2019
The Association of Dental Implantology (ADI) once again ensured that dental nurses and practice managers alike had lots to think about with its Nurses’ & Practice Managers’ Programme at the ADI Team Congress 2019.
Looking beyond the clinical
The highly varied programme this year kicked off with a welcome by moderator Fiona Sandom, quickly followed by the first lecture of the day – an enjoyable and comical talk by Tracy Stuart. Entitled “Your Team is as Strong as its Weakest Link” the session asked delegates to look at the different personality types present in their practices and to remember that there is no such thing as bad people – only bad behaviour.
Between jokes and anecdotes about her own experiences with big personalities, Tracy Stuart addressed the full lecture theatre about the importance of looking to see how emotions and past experiences craft an individual’s behaviour, and why we should all apply this perspective before judging colleagues and patients for their actions.
She then went on to look at the different personality types that we all have as defined by the DISC principle (Direct, Influential, Steady and Compliant). Tracy spent time explaining the main features of these categories and suggesting what challenges individuals with each personality type could pose to a dental team, whether the person is part of the team themselves or a patient.
She also outlined the different types of team that we are likely to have in professional environments – High Potential, Mediocre, Resistant, Dysfunctional and Winning. This was an excellent way to encourage delegates to think about their own teams, as well as how they can better understand their colleagues and any tricky patients on their lists.
Sharon Kirton, a Dental Nurse in attendance commented:
“I really enjoyed Tracy Stuart’s talk – it was very engaging.”
The next session was titled “How Psychology Can Help Improve Patient Communication” by Nicola Southern. A fascinating insight into how psychology can impact daily interactions in the practice, this session provided lots of food for thought for delegates and encouraged them to look deeper into their interactions with others.
Stephanie Finnerson, another delegate, said:
“I found the lecture on psychology very interesting and informative. I shall definitely take what I have learnt and use it in everyday practice.”
A clinical perspective
A short break for lunch and a wander around the exhibition later, and delegates returned to the lecture theatre once more to hear Stuart Kilner’s talk entitled “What Could Possibly Go wrong? And How We Can Avoid It”. This lecture looked at universal problems faced when placing dental implants, including biological complications such as the onset of peri-implantitis, biomechanical issues and prosthetic issues.
Stuart continued his lecture with video testimonials of happy patients after receiving dental implants – showing the emotional impact that successful treatment can have and further highlighting the importance of success in order to keep all parties satisfied.
He then linked the topic back to psychology – indicating that the loss of a tooth has myriad damaging effects on an individual mentally and that dental professionals need to be aware of this when treating patients.
Tools of the trade
Ending the Nurses’ & Practice Managers’ Programme was an interactive session by Peter Gordon. Focused on photography, the session was called “Implant Photography for the Dental Team” and encouraged delegates to learn more about how cameras work and the best way to implement dental photography into their daily workflows.
A varied way to finish the programme, this session combined introductory knowledge, an interactive quiz (that delegates could participate in using their smartphones) and a practical session where Peter encouraged dental nurses to take to the stage to practise what they had learnt in front of their colleagues.
Helen Mercer, a Dental Nurse delegate, commented:
“I really enjoyed the last session about photography. It felt really involved and it was really tailored towards dental nurses and their roles.”
A chance to branch out
Much like previous years, the ADI ensured that dental nurses and practice managers had lots of things to consider and implement within their own practices following the Congress. From delving into personality types and taking a more psychological stance when interacting with patients, to some more clinical aspects and helpful, practical advice, the programme succeeded in encouraging dental nurses and practice managers to get involved every step of the way.
Tsitsi Adamson, delegate Dental Nurse said:
“This is my first visit to the ADI Team Congress and I have found it informative and educational. I feel like you get an understanding of how people do things in their practices and also get to see the bigger picture. I would be very interested in coming back for the next Team Congress as it has been a real eye opener!”
For more information on the ADI and all upcoming ADI events, please visit www.adi.org.uk
ADI members benefit from significantly reduced rates for ADI educational events, join online today.
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