This month, Claire Berry and Faye Donald discuss the importance of learning styles, what each one is, and how understanding them can significantly improve patient communication.
Ever noticed how you can give identical oral hygiene instructions to two different patients – one absolutely gets it and the other comes back seemingly confused about the very basic idea?
It could be them. After all, not everyone has the same level of intelligence. But pause for a moment and ask yourself if we, the clinician, might be part of the problem. Or to be more specific, our teaching style.
We all experience the world in unique ways, and with that comes variations in the way we take in and process information. This is known as a ‘learning style’ or ‘an individual’s preferred method of learning’.
Without understanding, acknowledging and adapting to the different ways in which our patients learn, we risk ending up with a handful of patients lagging behind and labelled as non-compliant. But, in actual fact, it was our style of teaching that didn’t activate their unique learning style.
Understanding these different learning styles and adjusting our delivery accordingly can drastically impact the way oral hygiene instruction is received by patients.
Personalising oral health education
Although studies have shown that various methods of oral health education have been shown to be effective, one thing is clear. This is that no one delivery method suits all patients.
Therefore, part of personalising oral health education should include taking time to understand your patients’ learning types and the way their brains receive information. By understanding which learning type our patients are, we can tailor the delivery of oral hygiene instruction.
By tailoring information according to individual learning preferences, we automatically improve the uptake of information to the brain and the patients understanding of the topic.
Broadly speaking, there are four different learning styles. Auditory (discussion based), visual (pictures/diagrams), reading/writing (reading info/literature) and kinaesthetic (hands-on sensory or touch/feel).
Not everyone fits neatly into one specific learning type. But most of us will have one style that is more dominant than the others.
Visual learners
Someone with a preference for visual learning is partial to seeing and observing things, particularly pictures and diagrams. They will use language such as ‘I don’t like the look of those brushes’, which is a key give-away.
When catering for the visual learner, having pictures ready or an iPad that can be drawn on, or good old fashioned pen and paper will be your best friend.
Visual learners also tend to need more time to process information as they observe the visual cues before them. So, be sure to give them a little time and space to absorb the information. You might need to revisit instructions more than once for these learners.
Try sending them videos to watch at home. This will help reinforce the message and give them more time to process the information.
Auditory learners
Auditory learners tend to learn better when the subject matter is discussed or explained. They prefer listening to information presented to them vocally.
These patents would much rather listen to you telling them how the disease process works than read leaflets or watch videos.
Spotting an auditory learner is easy since these type of people find it hard to stay quiet for more than a few minutes! They tend to learn by asking lots of questions. So, encourage this and take time to answer and enter into their discussions so they can process and properly understand the information you’re giving.
Podcasts or recorded descriptions of how to clean are also helpful tools for this group. You’ll often hear an auditory learner use language like ‘I don’t like the sound of that’.
Kinaesthetic learners
Kinaesthetic learners, sometimes called tactile learners, learn through experience or the act of doing things. They learn through touch and feel and they need to use their hands to touch in order to understand concepts.
The best way we can help these patients learn is by getting them to hold an oral health aid so they get used to how it feels in their hands and in their mouths.
Once kinaesthetic learners can physically sense what they’re trying to learn, difficult concepts become much easier for them to understand.
You’ll often hear a kinaesthetic learner say things like ‘I don’t like the feel of that’, or’ ‘I can’t stand how the floss feels against my teeth’, for instance.
For these patients, hands-on demonstrations inside their mouths are a must. Trying to show them how to clean using a model will never work. They simply can’t translate the information.
Reading/writing learners
Reading/writing learners prefer to learn through written words. They succeed with written information or text-heavy resources more than spoken words.
While there is some overlap with auditory/visual learning, these learners are note-takers and perform much better when they can reference written text.
They tend to look up information and will search the internet for just about everything. Encourage it.
You will notice this type of learner saying things like ‘I read an article last week and it said blah blah…’. Directing these patients to internet resources or research papers will be particularly useful for them.
How effectively are you giving information?
Understanding these different learning styles dramatically improves patients’ ability to connect with the topics we’re teaching, as well as enhancing how they participate with the appointment.
The majority of us are attempting to educate our patients every day, but ask yourself how frequently you effectively transfer information in a way that results in changed behaviour and improved skill.
It’s well documented that the best educators can cater to different patients strengths, ensuring they are truly grasping the information. Are you one of those educators, or are you simply going through the same motions for every patient, accepting that some engage and some don’t?
Instead, try asking yourself how well you got to know your patient and if you did enough to help them truly understand.
Think of it like this: imagine being back at dental school and being taught your entire course purely through powerpoint lectures. That might suit some, but not all of us. Imagine how hard those of us that learn through touch and feel would find concentrating on that style of teaching.
Patients are no different. If you take the time to deliver oral hygiene instruction that suits their style of learning, you’ll increase their knowledge. With increased knowledge comes an increased desire to apply that knowledge and naturally the narrative switches from what we want for them to what they want for themselves.
Give it a go next time you’re in clinic. Learn to listen out for phrases patients use to describe how they’re feeling or their likes and dislikes. Once you’ve mastered the art of logging individual learning types, you’ll find you can’t help but adjust your teaching to suit them.
Read previous Contemporary Hygienist columns:
- The importance of being assertive
- Adopt an ‘associate hygienist’ mindset
- Referring to a periodontal specialist
- Navigating pressure in an isolated job
- Establishing the hygiene department as a practice cornerstone.
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