Table 2 The 25 items used in assessment of communication skills and the answers of the participants
From: Rating communication skills in dental practice: the impact of different sociodemographic factors
Communication skill | Always % | Often % | Sometimes % | Rarely % | Never % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. I greet and welcome the patient as soon as they enter the clinic. | 74.8 | 20.7 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
2. I make a warm smile when the patient comes into the clinic. | 66.6 | 26.2 | 5.9 | 1.3 | 0 |
3. I leave whatever makes me busy in my hands when the patient come in the clinic. | 35.7 | 43.3 | 15.4 | 4.3 | 1.3 |
4. I make eye contact with the patients whenever I talk to them. | 74.1 | 22.3 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
5. I discuss the treatment plan thoroughly and provide the treatment options to my patients. | 84.3 | 12.8 | 2.6 | 0 | 0.3 |
6. My decision to communicate with the patient is not based on their appearance and behavior. | 28.2 | 24.3 | 21.6 | 17.7 | 8.2 |
7. I do not start thinking about my next question when listening to the patient’s answers. | 30.8 | 32.1 | 25.2 | 9.2 | 2.6 |
8. I do not interrupt the patient if I disagree with a statement they have made. | 26.6 | 28.5 | 29.5 | 13.4 | 2.0 |
9. I do not lose interest easily in conversations because most patients have nothing interesting to say. | 45.2 | 24.9 | 20.3 | 8.2 | 1.3 |
10. I do not interrupt my patient when I have a contribution to make regarding the ongoing discussion. | 18.0 | 33.4 | 29.2 | 17.7 | 1.6 |
11. I do not finish patient’s sentences for them when they pause and I know what they are going to say. | 19.3 | 25.6 | 28.9 | 22.0 | 4.3 |
12. Many patients do not call me back to clarify my advice and recommendations or tell me in the next visit that they didn’t understand my advices. | 24.9 | 42.6 | 19.7 | 10.5 | 2.3 |
13. I do not tend to say what I think, without worrying about how the patient perceives what I am saying. | 36.4 | 26.6 | 21.0 | 13.1 | 3.0 |
14. I do not assume that I understand patients’ feelings and emotions without telling them. | 11.5 | 15.4 | 32.8 | 31.1 | 9.2 |
15. I do not sit and listen to my patients with my arms and legs folded in front of me. | 26.9 | 23.9 | 29.5 | 15.1 | 4.6 |
16. I do not use medical terms when discussing the diagnosis and the treatment with the patient. | 16.1 | 32.1 | 32.1 | 16.4 | 3.3 |
17. I do not become impatient with patients who do not express their symptoms or emotions clearly. | 32.1 | 30.2 | 28.2 | 7.5 | 2.0 |
18. I use open ended questions that cannot be answered with a simple Yes or No when talking to my patients. | 5.9 | 32.8 | 30.5 | 19.0 | 11.8 |
19. I repeat the patient’s sentences in fewer and different words. | 10.8 | 33.1 | 41.3 | 10.5 | 4.3 |
20. I pay attention to body language when I speak to my patients. | 47.2 | 37.0 | 11.8 | 2.6 | 1.3 |
21. I give at least one minute to listen to my patient after the 1st question. | 30.8 | 35.4 | 26.2 | 6.2 | 1.3 |
22. I consider myself very convincing when proposing the treatment plan to the patients (the doctors feel more pushy or forceful). | 23.3 | 41.0 | 22.3 | 8.5 | 4.9 |
23. I feel comfortable to talk about money with the patient. | 8.5 | 24.3 | 32.1 | 19.3 | 15.7 |
24. I find it easy to convince the patient about the cost of the treatment by sharing the benefits and outcomes of the plan. | 14.4 | 32.8 | 30.8 | 15.1 | 6.9 |
25. I welcome the presence of accompanying person during the treatment. | 30.5 | 27.5 | 27.9 | 8.5 | 5.6 |