implement person-centered care,” he explains. “The surgical nature of dental practice creates a high dependency on technology, and dentists have turned this technicality into an ideology of sorts—a dental art form, the pursuit of perfection.” Although this approach values efficiency, it risks overshadowing the patient’s everyday experiences. The dominant model often pushes for reasoning in terms of optimal treatment, sometimes forgetting that the care objective should come from the patient’s perspective. Dr. Bedos hopes to see a shift away from this top-down logic. This broader perspective allows us to approach oral health as a complex phenomenon, influenced by factors such as diet, housing, education, isolation, poverty and discrimination. The Montreal-Toulouse Model: A Biopsychosocial Vision The Montreal-Toulouse model encourages moving beyond the traditional caregiver-patient dichotomy to adopt a more systemic view. It operates on three levels: • Individual: Understanding the patient’s expectations, resources and personal obstacles, shared decisionmaking and intervention. • Community: Integrating the patient’s immediate environment, available services and support networks. • Societal: Considering public policies, social determinants and structural inequalities. “Dental professionals should be active participants and leaders in their communities, building relationships with other medical and social service providers so that they become part of a team,” says Dr. Bedos. “In this way, we can become part of a local, intersectoral network that supports the well-being of our community members. This broader perspective allows us to approach oral health as a complex phenomenon, influenced by factors such as diet, housing, education, isolation, poverty, and discrimination.” One innovation from this model is social prescribing— guiding patients toward local, non-medical resources that support their well-being such as transportation, food assistance, psychological support and social activities. This community-based network transforms the dental clinic into an active player within the community. And it doesn’t take “Many students tell me, ‘This patient needs this or that.’ I ask them, ‘Do you know this because they told you or because you think so?’” he says. “What’s good for the tooth isn’t necessarily good for the person who has the tooth.” When that mismatch occurs, it can create distance, misunderstanding, or even rejection of the treatment plan. 19 Issue 6 | 2025 | Issues and People
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