Texting In the Chair: Poll Reveals Messaging Activities Continue In Office and During Treatment.

The survey was conducted between July 16 and July 25 via email and among dentists in the CDS’s Facebook Fan Page.

In addition to those who responded to the poll and indicated their patients regularly text in the dental chair, 46% said this habit hampers their ability to provide care. The CDS reports the high number of dental chair texters is also surprising, given that 32% of the poll’s respondents indicated they have a cell phone/mobile device policy posted in a visible location in their office.

“We have signs up in the waiting room and directly in front of where the patients sit stating that they need to turn off their phones but most simply ignore them,” wrote one respondent. Another respondent indicated texting or answering calls can create a barrier to the delivery of care because of the many times the patient sits up during treatment to answer a call or text.

According to some respondents, however, texting activities are not always disruptive.

Cissy Furusho, DDS, a pediatric dentist in Chicago, says her young teen patients have mastered texting to the point that they do not have to look at the phone keyboard during treatment.

“This may surprise people, but most of my younger patients are very polite about using their cell phones in the chair,” Furusho says. “The kids never answer their phone while getting treatment.”

Even dentists who do not have a stated policy against texting maintain it can still interfere with communication between dentist and patient, according to CDS.