Recently on the cerecdoctors.com message boards, a doctor wanted everyone to critique a professionally made video that he was putting on his website. Many doctors came back with kudos, criticisms and comments. One comment was particularly valuable however. While critiques from doctors are especially useful, it would be better to get opinions from those who would be actually watching the video. That would be actual patients.

Along the same line of thought. We as dentists like to evaluate our own and each other’s work blown up and zoomed in on as big a screen as possible. We dissect our work bit by bit, line angle by line angle. That works out great for us and our OCD. When we have our patients evaluate our work, we need to present things a bit differently.

I know that some dentists take a photo of the patient’s new restorations and put them up on a huge flat screen in front of them. This is not a view that the patient is generally used to. You will sometimes get an odd question like, “The back of my mouth is where?” This generally means that they do not visually comprehend what they have in front of them. Similarly, if you give them a small mirror – or worse, a magnified mirror – they are looking at things that they are not accustomed to seeing. Evaluating their new dental work in this manner is difficult for them and allows them to focus in on things that may be irrelevant.

I have found that using a large hand-held mirror works well. It allows them to see the big picture, the restoration in harmony with both the remaining dentition as well as the lips. That is the way lay people can evaluate a new crown or some veneers. You can tell when they are looking at the overall image when you see them adjust their hair or fix their makeup. I also have a half-mirror on the wall so the patient can stand up and look at themselves from a conversational distance. That distance is what matters most to a patient. It's usually all about what others think of them.

Equally important, before you hand them the mirror is to clean them up a bit. I let my assistant do the bulk of the work, removing powder or wiping their lips a bit. I always make sure that at the last minute I also use a wet piece of gauze to just clean up their lip or chin a little. It shows them that I care about how they look and am a perfectionist. It is subtle, but means something to them.

So, for us and our colleagues, bigger is better. For our patients, show them their work the way they look at themselves at home. That is usually in their bathroom mirror. They need to see the teeth and the frame all clean and neat. No need for them to see that the distal incisal embrasure of the lateral is slightly more rounded than the contra lateral tooth. That's for us to stress over, not them. Give them the right tool to see their money shot and make them happy.