Prevention Compass™Protocol: A Chairside Workflow for Patient Behavior Change
A Two-Part White Paper Series
A Review of Literature and Introducing a Pragmatic Approach for Behavior Change
Effective prevention remains the cornerstone of oral health, with consistent biofilm management serving as its foundation. Despite advances in clinical care, long-term oral health outcomes continue to depend heavily on patients’ daily behaviors. There is a challenge in modern dentistry in translating behavior change evidence into practical application during patient-clinician encounters.
The TePe Prevention Compass™ Protocol was developed to address this gap by providing a structured, chairside approach that integrates prevention with behavior change. The protocol brings together evidence into a cohesive, pragmatic workflow designed for everyday clinical use.
Part one of this series focuses on the structure and application of the protocol as TePe's proposed solution, while part two provides a deeper exploration of the neuroscience, behavioral change models, and digital innovations that inform the protocol.
Key takeaway include:
- A preventive approach to oral health depends on patient behavior outside the dental chair. Despite decades of behavioral science, practical chairside strategies for lasting change are underutilized in dentistry.
- Oral diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people worldwide, with dental caries and periodontal disease being the most prevalent, yet preventable.
- Prevention Compass™ Protocol integrates twelve behavioral change theories, along with exploration of neuroscience and digital technologies.
- Prevention Compass™ Protocol is a 7-step clinical chairside workflow for behavior change.
