Staff Report ▫▫ Is the entire office team effectively educating and encouraging patients to comply with home care instructions? From the new patient exam to the last appointment in treatment, there is an opportunity to create continuity and trust between the practice members and patients/parents to foster compliance. Blending compassion, excellent verbal skills, and effective use of technology can go a long way to create a successful result. Discussion & Prevention Action Plan: _ __________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Figure 1 Poking Archwires ▫▫ Are the ends of the archwires always double-checked before the patient leaves? This may seem like a silly question; however, a final patient check for anything that could be uncomfortable is important to prevent the patient from returning before the next scheduled appointment. Perform a gloved finger check rather than solely relying on the patient to say that everything feels fine. Sometimes it takes a day or two for a wire to begin irritating (Figure 1). ▫▫ Has the archwire skewed around to one side? If so, was there a crimpable stop placed when the archwire was inserted? Can the ends be cinched, or can training on crimpable hooks help to prevent the problem (Figure 2)? ▫▫ Is the poke due to spaces closing? If so, can the wire be bent distal to the terminal tooth to prevent further problems? Should appointments be more frequent for patients during space closure? Discussion & Prevention Action Plan:____________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Figure 2 Summer 2020 PCSO Bulletin Archwire out of Slot ▫▫ Is the wire out due to space opening? Wires can sometimes be left long and cinched to prevent the archwire from coming out of the slot. 71