1.  To keep track of patient achievements with oral hygiene and pinpoint problem areas.

     2.  To recommend alternative options in modifying cleaning techniques.  If an ID area is consistently missed, you can look at floss wands, different ID brushes, Hummingbird etc.  When at Trade displays, courses or whilst surfing the net,  you can research and assess new cleaning aids on the market  that may be useful for a particular patient who cannot transfer and translate oral hygiene instruction to technique in the mouth.  It keeps you constantly on the alert for what is going to help someone "get it right".

     3.  It can be a reality check for your own communication skills.  Is your message getting across? Maybe you need to use a different approach or analogy. Maybe you need to take a step back and not overload the patient with too much information.  Perhaps work on one thing at a time e.g. Get the brushing perfect, then the flossing and then the ID brushes etc.