Technician

Linda Navarro

Larry Browne, technician at Ellis Browne Technical Services in Surbiton, Surrey.

"Communication can only be improved with training. It requires a fuller understanding of our own roles and those of the rest of the team, so that nobody has a ring fence on information. Unfortunately at undergraduate level team members are not taught communication skills or it isn't emphasised enough. Within the clinical team it is really up to the practice principal and their willingness to spend time on it. With surgery and laboratory communication it comes down to the philosophy of the two principals, the surgery principal and the laboratory principal. The laboratory principal needs to get across to his technicians that they are there to support the dentist and in so doing they need to communicate. The principal of the practice as the receiver of patient's information needs to ensure it is communicated to the technician. It is one of those things that everyone needs to learn."

Hygienist

Louise Collie, hygienist at Northbridge Dental Clinic in Hawick, Scotland.

"The team must get along with each other and be able to discuss issues with members of staff without feeling intimidated. Regular staff meetings can help pull the team together and iron out problems. Regular health and safety updates can help the team to communicate during a situation making an ordeal easier for the patient. Dentists and hygienists must write up patient records promptly and accurately to assist the person treating the patient next. It is also helpful if all staff use the same form of notation. In our practice we also find that a good night out can boost staff morale and improve team communication."

Receptionist

Linda Navarro, receptionist at J P Navarro Dental Surgery in Nottingham.

...there have to be times when everybody is together when problems can be discussed.

"In our practice we have a computer network so I can send messages to make sure that everything goes well throughout the day. I see the patients when they are coming in and can see whether they are nervous or are worried about the bill. They can talk to me and I can put a message through to whichever dentist or hygienist they are seeing. Communication works well in our practice, we have two hygienists and one dentist at the moment and we can talk easily if any problems arise, which helps everything run smoothly. You have to feel that you have a forum for speaking, so there have to be times when everybody is together when problems can be discussed."

Therapist

Gail Stonehouse

Gail Stonehouse, therapist at two dental practices in Lancashire.

Training days for all staff are excellent as everybody is treated as an equal and it is good for team building.

"I think there are a number of things you can do to improve communication. Regular staff meetings are a good idea with minutes recorded and distributed after the meeting to ensure that everyone is kept informed. Notice boards and newsletters can also be used and memos sent round the practice that everyone has to sign when they have read them. Appraisals are another way of keeping on top of people's learning goals and are also a chance for people to say if there is something that is making them unhappy. Training days for all staff are excellent as everybody is treated as an equal and it is good for team building. As far as my job goes it would be good to always have written prescriptions. Sometimes I get prescriptions that are just notes stuck on the card – these can get lost, whereas with a written prescription there is no confusion."

Practice Manager

Jane Armitage, practice manager at Thomson and Thomas Dental Practice in Sheffield.

"Our practice has protocols for communication within the dental team to ensure that the patient has a good experience at the dentist. It is a very open practice, so we encourage staff that have any ideas about how we can do things better to share them. It doesn't have to be through staff meetings, it can be any time. They talk to us and we listen to them. We make sure that we are all involved and that is why we are such a good team. I am a deep believer in working on one level, we are a team and that is how quality care is going to be given. Right from when a patient comes through the door to when they leave good teamwork is at the core of the practice."

Dental Nurse

Hannah Jordan, dental nurse at Stoke Gifford Dental Surgery in Bristol.

"I think good communication is all about socialising as a team. We try to do as much as we can together, which helps with team building. You can really get to know everybody that you are working with well. Each member of the team communicates very well in our practice. We have a computer system that helps with this – the receptionists can send us messages about the patients so we are fully prepared for them. We also rotate among the dentists in our practice so we usually work with one dentist for three months and then we move on to the next one. That means that we have to be good at communicating with different people because we are changing who we work with all the time."

Our regular perspectives section is your chance to share your views with your colleagues. Please send your comments on the issues that interest you to: Perspectives, Vital magazine, BDJ, Nature Publishing Group, 4-6 Crinan Street, London N1 9XW or email vitaleditorial@nature.com