Multidisciplinary Approach In Dental clinic

Dental treatments have advanced to a point where a dentist alone can no longer solve all the issues that patient complains. Complex oral, facial and cranial problems, most importantly patient’s demands and hope require a different approach. It has influenced dentistry and has established the need for new treatment approaches that ensure the best possible results. Multidisciplinary dental treatment excels where specialists from different field work together to ensure both function and aesthetics. The key is to build a team of like-minded, dedicated professionals who share a common goal of providing optimum oral healthcare to patients.

This methodology have benefits like improved patient care and outcomes through the development of an agreed treatment plan, educational opportunities, improved coordination of care, streamlined treatment pathways and reduction in duplication of services. Patients also get advantages like access to most appropriate treatment decision made by a team of experts, which improves satisfaction with treatment and care.

For team creation some guidelines need to be followed i.e. all team members should pass around the photographs and record their observations prior to any discussion. Once everyone is finished, each team member should elaborate what they observed. The options for correction of any dental problem involves the ‘4 R’ i.e. Reshaping, Repositioning (orthodontics), Restoring, Repositioning bone.

There should not be any gingival inflammation, periodontal diseases, dental caries. Sharing of all records including photographs, radiographs and diagnostic models should be done. As a patient will be discouraged by being referred to multiple practitioners to have repeated diagnostic procedures.