Since I'm typically explaining some bad news to them, they typically have more on their mind than a driving need to learn logarithmic math..which, incidentally, I've had to teach to nurses and grad level audiology students, and it's not that easy. It is nothing like temp, weight, length, etc; it's a non-linear expression based on a ratio of the measured versus a reference which differs across weightings and, depending on the weighting, may differ across frequencies.
Patients ask questions like 'What is normal' and 'what should I expect' and 'would a hearing aid help', not 'so what does a 3 dB step equate to in tems of sound intensity relative to the reference pressure?' Typically, it takes a few weeks for them to come to emotional grips with the hearing loss. But should they ever show an interest in math that's unfortunately most advanced than most people remember or even had in school, while grappling with the understanding that their spouse's 'mumbling' and all the other indications that things aren't working the way they used to are likely permanent a condition, I will be sure to delve into it.
