evening or weekend hours if an analysis of your patients’ availability finds that many, if not most, need appointments during those hours.
• Consider your patients’ demographics and availability when setting your office hours and schedule.
• If patient demand warrants, you may want to consider adding an associate to the practice in order to accommodate patients’ availability.
Offer evening and weekend appointments if possible to help schedule patients with limited availability.
Open communication and a good working relationship with your team members who schedule appointments can keep patients moving in and out of the practice smoothly and at optimum production levels.
• Let your team members who schedule appointments know your preferences, such as whether you prefer to perform certain procedures on certain days of the week or at certain times of the day.
Develop a plan for educating your team about how you want the schedule to flow and for resolving scheduling conflicts that might arise.
• Determine how much daily practice time should be devoted to consultative, diagnostic and clinical work.
• Leave time open daily for emergency appointments.
Review your schedule each morning and talk with your scheduler about the best time slot for emergency patients.
• Accept and acknowledge that unavoidable delays sometimes cause you to run behind schedule.
When that happens, your staff should apologize to any patients kept waiting. They should not offer a vague statement such as “the doctor is very busy.” Your patients expect you to be busy. They’re busy too, and they want their appointments kept in sync with their schedules. You should also offer an apology to any patient kept waiting more than a few minutes and consider mailing a letter of apology directly from the dentist to any patient who has had to wait more than 20 minutes recognizing the importance of their time. While it takes some time and effort, that patient will appreciate the extra effort and attention. It can also help overcome any frustration the patient may have experienced.
Reception Area and Office Décor
Your office décor communicates your attitude towards patients, your philosophy of dental practice, and maybe even a little about your interests outside of the practice. Since this is a new patient’s first real contact with you, take a moment to see it through their eyes. Step outside, and before coming back in, imagine you’re a new patient entering the practice for the first time. How does the front desk and reception room look? Is it clean, tidy and orderly? Are the color schemes and furnishings outdated or showing signs of wear? A cheery, pleasant and comfortable reception room will put patients at ease and offer subtle cues about how much you value your patients.
Your office décor communicates your attitude towards patients, your philosophy of dental practice, and maybe even a little about your interests outside of the practice.
• You may want to consider whether the reception area is cheerful and comfortable without being obviously showy or extravagant.
• Remember that women make 85% of all health care appointments for their families. Make the reception area comfortable for them.
• Remember that patients may use what they see around them to form an opinion about the quality of care you provide. Make sure the reception area reflects the quality, cleanliness, and state of the art of your practice.
Resources:
• Reception Area and Office Décor Checklist, p.14
The Patient’s First Visit
The patient’s first visit to your practice sets the tone for the future of the relationship. A positive initial experience translates to a positive, long-term relationship. Remember that the new patient’s first visit should always end with them being given a special welcome packet that includes the basics (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, etc.) as well as any pamphlets, brochures, and other appropriate informational materials that relate to the patient’s needs. Avoid materials that depict the less attractive side of dental work, e.g., blood.
A warm welcome puts patients at ease and makes them feel like they’re part of your practice family. When you make the best first impression you can, patients will feel comfortable and confident that they’re in the right place for their oral health care.
• Train your receptionist to use the new patient’s name to greet them as soon as they arrive.
• Your front desk staff should welcome each patient with a smile, state his or her name, and ask the patient’s name. Whenever possible, approach new patients before they get to the reception area and shake their hand.
Your front desk staff should welcome each patient with a smile, state his or her name, and ask the patient’s name.
RECEPTION AREA AND OFFICE DÉCOR CHECKLIST
The reception area and office décor communicate
