Photography and you

Why bother?

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how to incorporate mobile dental photography (MDP) into dental practice. There are a multitude of reasons for taking clinical photographs in dental practice.^1,2 The implementation of MDP should result in high quality dental images, which can be used to aid patients’ understanding of their suggested treatment plans through pictorial portrayal (‘showing’ rather than ‘telling’), and also assist the practice by enhancing patient record-keeping – thereby avoiding possible confusion or misunderstanding and helping to prevent potential claims or litigation.

Words can only promise what treatment may achieve, whilst photographs show instant proof and reassurance – inform before you perform! Photographs are vital to patient communication. They reveal the outward view of the smile. Imperfections that are not readily visible to the patient will be immediately apparent in photographs, allowing the patient to visualise and assess their own smile and oral condition with the same acute perspective as the dentist. This helps the patient understand the rationale for the recommended treatment.