Managing Patient Treatment Through Deming's PDCA Cycle: A Standardized Approach in Phases that Adds Value to Dental Care.

Abstract

This essay is an expert opinion by 3 clinicians who feel the need for a clear phased approach capable of integrating all dental therapies for the care of patients suffering from multiple pathologies of the oral cavity. At the moment, the only guidelines available when treating interdisciplinary cases, i.e., patients with multiple overlapping pathologies (carious disease, periodontal disease, malocclusion, incongruous restorations, etc.), are those describing the proper sequence of periodontal therapy. The authors take inspiration from a method developed in the manufacturing world, the so called "lean management", and its tools to outline the sequence of therapy phases and the correct placement of the various activities within these phases. In the "lean healthcare', it is the patient at the center of the attention and it is him/her who 'pulls' the process with his/her health as the main value.