The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health gives a seemingly simple piece of advice: ‘Doctors should treat children with a big smile.’ 1
After all, a smile is a cornerstone of good non-verbal communication and it is arguably the most important tool we have for establishing rapport with a patient. However, if a smile really is so important for a doctor–patient interaction, where does this leave the GP who cannot smile? I found this out the hard way.
Last summer, I woke up one morning with excruciating ear pain and looked in the mirror to be confronted by a face that I barely recognised. My left cheek hung heavy and motionless, dragging the corner of my mouth down with it. My …