As patient diversity increases daily, dentists with different cultures also increase. There is a consensus that increasing racial diversity among dentists and the dental workforce is essential to reduce barriers to good oral health and improve outcomes effectively.
Experience:
1) When a southern Asian patient visited the clinic, despite not being fluent in English, he could discuss his problem. With the dentist’s help, we discussed the treatment plan and rendered a treatment without any issues.
2) Another instance was with a Hispanic patient who had limited English proficiency. In such cases, non-verbal communication becomes crucial in making the patient feel comfortable and reassured. I even took the initiative to learn some basic Spanish phrases like ‘seavre ‘, ‘pakito ‘, and ‘gracias’ to aid in the procedures. The use of Google Translate also proved to be a valuable tool in understanding the patient’s needs.