Stress Management in the Difficult Patient Encounter

Patient care and management can present a significant source of stress for the practicing dentist. This article presents the various facets and underpinnings of stress, followed by an overview of the physiologic phenomena attending the classic stress response, with an examination of the interplay between the psychologic components of stress and its influences on the development or exacerbation of somatic disorders. In addition, the characteristics that can be attributed to the patient and the practitioner that give rise to difficult encounters are explored, with an eye toward proper professional management. Further, the motivations of select patient personae are examined, including discussions regarding the angry patient, the anxious or demanding patient, and the noncompliant and addicted patient. The article offers suggestions for management of such patients, with short- and long-term stress management techniques.