As I entered an intern's dental operatory at Jamaica Hospital, I was immediately bombarded by his patient's over enthusiasm.

"This young dentist is fabulous. He is the best dentist I have ever been treated by. Everything he does is perfect!" exclaimed the middle-aged woman patient, squirming in the dental lounge chair.

I asked the intern to step outside the room, and I delivered this sermon, which has a universal message.

If a patient praises you to the skies, by wary! Do not accept praise idly and just bask in it. The patient is really nervous and praises you to bolster themselves. As readily as they praise, so too will they damn.

If something goes even slightly wrong, they will quickly turn on you. In a heartbeat, you will see them sullen and uncommunicative. From a heavenly paradise you will fall and descend into a satanic hell.

There are two ways to prevent this from occurring:

1) Protest against the constant series of compliments and uninvited lauding.

Do not just accept the praise. Say, "It is only my job and my duty. Nothing more or less." Or...

2) Make the patient a participant in the procedures. I learned this method in 1957 from a patient-management course at the NYU College of Dentistry, led by Dr. Lewis Blass. He was a smooth talker, and he had great insight into patient-dentist relationships.

His method was to keep repeating this phrase to the overpraising patient: "You make me wonderful! Without you, I couldn't be this successful."

By doing and saying this you have made the patient a full-fledged partner in the proceedings.

Soon they will tire of their obsequious routine and return to the real world. This approach has value in many personal and business associations.

A realistic relationship is always the best relationship!

The intern thanked me, and returned to his waiting patient.