Interpreting HK dentistry.pdf (1.12 MB)
Download fileInterpreter mediated dentistry
journal contribution
posted on 2015-03-27, 16:46 authored by Susan Bridges, Paul Drew, Olga Zayts, Colman McGrath, Cynthia K.Y. Yiu, H.M. Wong, T.K.F. AuThe global movements of healthcare professionals and patient populations have increased the
complexities of medical interactions at the point of service. This study examines interpreter mediated
talk in cross-cultural general dentistry in Hong Kong where assisting para-professionals, in this case
bilingual or multilingual Dental Surgery Assistants (DSAs), perform the dual capabilities of clinical
assistant and interpreter. An initial language use survey was conducted with Polyclinic DSAs (n=41)
using a logbook approach to provide self-report data on language use in clinics. Frequencies of mean
scores using a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) indicated that the majority of DSAs spoke mainly
Cantonese in clinics and interpreted for postgraduates and professors. Conversation Analysis (CA)
examined recipient design across a corpus (n=23) of video-recorded review consultations between non-
Cantonese speaking expatriate dentists and their Cantonese L1 patients. Three patterns indicated were:
dentist designated expansions; dentist directed interpretations; and assistant initiated interpretations to
both the dentist and patient. The third, rather than being perceived as negative, was found to be framed
either in response to patient difficulties or within the specific task routines of general dentistry. The
findings illustrate trends in dentistry towards personalized care and patient empowerment as a reaction
to product delivery approaches to patient management. Implications are indicated for both treatment
adherence and the education of dental professionals.
Funding
This study was funded under the General research Fund (GRF) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Ref: 760112).
History
School
- Social Sciences
Department
- Communication, Media, Social and Policy Studies