Why ask dental patients about upcoming medical events even when they have already filled out a health history form?
Because patients routinely forget to mention significant upcoming medical procedures, especially elective surgeries scheduled months out. The health history form captures current conditions and past history. Future events are easy to overlook on the form, particularly if the patient is focused on their dental concern and not thinking about the rest of their healthcare calendar. The doctor asking directly during the consultation, “Is there anything else happening medically, such as upcoming surgeries?” surfaces information that would otherwise stay hidden. Upcoming procedures can change everything about dental treatment timing. A patient scheduled for cardiac surgery in two months needs dental work completed beforehand to clear the medical sequence. A patient about to start chemotherapy has different priorities than one with a clean medical calendar. A patient anticipating bariatric surgery may need treatment timed around recovery. The question takes a few seconds. The answer can reshape the case plan substantially. Put it on the checklist so it never gets skipped.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.
