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Putting It All Together: Introduction to Treatment Planning

As discussed in chapter 1, the clinical process is sequentially divided into three main components: (1) data collection, (2) establishment of the problem (problem list or diagnoses), and (3) development, presentation, and implementation of the treatment plan (Figure 8.1). The intent of this chapter is to provide the fabric for the treatment planning process.

Data collection is the indispensable first step in initiating the clinical process. Interpreting and correlating the database in the light of principles gained from basic biomedical and clinical sciences will lead to the establishment of coherent, defendable, relevant, and timely diagnoses (Table 8.1), which provide the basis for the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Table 8.1 Examples of problems/diagnoses requiring consideration.

Figure 8.1 Clinical process.

Rational Approach to Treatment Planning

Within the concept of TQM, as a treatment plan deviates from optimal design and implementation, its quality (value, outcome) decreases at an accelerated rate. Consequently, in considering preventive and therapeutic options the clinician must consider not only disease-related variables, but such other factors as the availability of material resources (e.g., facilities and equipment); human resources (e.g., the clinician’s own knowledge and technical skills, the availability of an adequate number of qualified support personnel, and a cooperative patient [a patient physically and/or psychologically able to undergo and respond to dental care]); and organizational resources (access to consultants).

The above variables clearly affect outcome and mandate different solutions for identical problems and, at tim/>

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