In this video, the first provider asks closed-ended questions during a caries risk assessment with an adolescent patient to show how ineffective they can be. Then, a second provider engages in a caries risk assessment that is more like a conversation, creating an atmosphere that is warm, engaging, and inviting — and less like an exercise in checking boxes. We then hear from the patient about the difference between the two experiences.
This video is part of the “Using Motivational Interviewing in Dentistry” series, which highlights skills and techniques used to effectively engage with patients and to encourage them to become designers of their own oral health care. Motivational interviewing promotes trust and collaboration between the care team and caregiver/patient and is a foundational skill of person-centered care.