Effectively  Communicating  with  Patients  

Teaching  Dental  Spanish  to  Students/Faculty  

 

Maria  p.Rodriguez  Cardenas,  DDS  

Kenneth  Allen,  DDS  MBA  

Cheryline  Pezzullo,  Class  of  2015  

Dental  Spanish  for  use  in  the  Clinic  

Faculty  Dental  Spanish  Classes  

Understanding  our  patients  •  Studies  indicate  that  disparities  exist  in  the  status  of  one's  

dentition  based  on  race/ethnicity  ,education    and  income:    

•  (1).Research  shows  there  is  an  underutilization  by  minorities  

of  medical  and  dental  services.    

•  (2)Cultural  and  language  barriers  may  contribute  to  lower  

quality  patient/doctor  relationships    

•  (3)Making  the  patients  feel  more  

comfortable,  by  speaking  in  their  native  

language,  would  serve  to  minimize  language  

barriers  thereby  improving  dental  literacy  and  

acceptance  of  treatment.    

Background  

•  This  program  was  the  result  of  a  project  driven  by  

dental  students  who  were  taught  conversational  

Spanish  by  their  peers  in  order  to  increase  their  

communications  skills  in  the  clinic.    Faculty,  after  

hearing  about  the  program,  asked  to  participate.  

Methods  

•  During  each  learning    session  we  use  clinical  

scenarios  so  that  the  participants  will  learn  

how  to  establish  a  conversational  Spanish  

program  for  both  students  and  faculty  with  an  

emphasis  on  treatment  and  diagnosis  

•  The  topics  discussed    in  this  course  were    

•  Introducing  yourself,  medical    history,  dental  

history  ,radiology,  treatment  planning  ,  during  a  

dental  procedure,  dental  exam,  

endodontics    ,complete/partial  dentures,  and  

pediatrics.    

•     

•  The  format  hour  classes,  every  other  week.  The  Faculty  Staff  

Development  office  at  NYUCD  sponsored  this  pilot  program  

for  the  faculty.  

•   The  primary  focus  was  conversational  Spanish  with  emphasis  

on  Dental  treatment  and  diagnostic  communication.  This  was  

accomplished  through  a  series  of  scenarios,  in  which  

conversational  dialogue  was  encouraged  to  recreate  the  

clinical  setting.    •     

•     

•     

Methods  

•  One  objective  of  this  program  was  to    help  

Spanish  speaking  patients  feel  more  comfortable  

while  visiting  the  dentist.    It  is  acknowledged  

that  patients  who  understand  and  are  more  

comfortable  with  their  dentist  are  more  likely  to  

be  compliant  with  proposed  dental  treatment  

•     

•  In  a  clinical  setting  the    booklet  we  developed  and  in  

use  ,is  most  effective  ,when  we  are  able  to  

memorize  terms  ,and  specific  words  ,and  common  

phrases.  For  example  •     

•  Do  you  have  pain  right  now?Tiene  algun  dolor  en  estos    momentos  ?    

•     

•  How  long  have  you  had  this  pain?  Cuanto  tiempo  ha  tenido  este  dolor?    

•     

•  Do  you  feel  the  pain  getting  better  or  worse?  Siente  que  el  dolor  esta  mejorando  

o  empeorando?  

Examples  •  Do  you  have  pain  right  now?    Tiene  algun  dolor  en  estos    momentos  ?    

•     

•  How  long  have  you  had  this  pain?    Cuanto  tiempo  ha  tenido  este  dolor?    

•     

•  Do  you  feel  the  pain  getting  better  or  worse?    Siente  que  el  dolor  esta  

mejorando  o  empeorando?    

•     

•  The  student  will  become  familiar  with  commonly  used  phrases  ,and  

words  in  Spanish  that  are  used  in  a  clinical  setting    

Faculty/Student  Class  

Faculty  Classes  

Student  Classes  

HSDA  announcement  for  Student  Classes  

Faculty/Faculty  Dental  Spanish  Classes  

Student  English  Spanish  Dental  Class  

HSDA  of  NYUCD    E-­‐Board  2013-­‐2014  

Faculty  Staff    Development    sponsored  lecture    

Thank  You  Office  of  Professional  

Development  

 •  Maureen  Mc  Andrew,  DDS,  MSEd  

•  Bill  Eidtson,  EdD  

•  Kenneth  Allen,DDS,  MBA  

•  Andrea  Hayek,DDS  

•  Lucy  Truncoso,  DDS  

•  Mara  Zelaya  

Student  Instructors  

•  Cheryline  Pezzullo(2015)  

•  Marcela  Cardona(2015)  

•  Leydi  Barros(2016)  

•  Vanessa  Lebron(2015)  

•  Francis  Lugo  ,DDS(2014)  

•  Ingrid  Murra  (2015)