Flinch — The First Few Minutes That Settle a Patient for Good

Sasha Rutnam is an Australian dentist, published author and speaker who has spent more than three decades learning what truly keeps patients coming back: not pressure, polish, or perfect clinical language, but genuine human connection.

After building and selling her own dental practice, Sasha began noticing something that had once felt ordinary to her. Her own patients stayed with her for years. Many brought their families. Some relationships now span four generations, from great-grandparents through to great-grandchildren. When she started employing other dentists, she realised that kind of loyalty was not automatic. It came from the way she communicated, remembered people, made them feel safe, and treated them as more than a name on a chart.

That insight became the foundation of Dental Patient Communication Made Simple, her book for dentists who want to explain treatment clearly, build trust, and improve case acceptance without feeling pushy or scripted. Sasha believes communication is not simply a “soft skill” or a nice extra in dentistry. It changes the patient experience, reduces fear, strengthens practices, and makes work more enjoyable for the practitioner too.

Her other book, Beyond the Smile: The Critical Connection Between Dental Care and Total Health, speaks to the public about the link between oral hygiene and overall wellbeing.