Dental Office Management Corner with Janette Douglas
Improve Patient Experience
I was in an office recently where a patient was asked about something that was a repeat of the prior week. She was visibly annoyed; the tone was set.
This could have been avoided by being prepared before the patient’s arrival. A checklist ensures that things aren’t missed. Equally important is a designated place to note that each has been addressed. Examples:
• Unscheduled treatment
• Past due hygiene
• Unscheduled family members
• Outstanding balance due
These are a few crucial pieces of information that, with prior knowledge, will help your staff to know what they are doing and come across confidently. If that had been the case with the annoyed patient, the tone set for that entire visit would have been much different. The additional bonus is that your team member is prepared, so whatever needs attention, it will get resolved before the patient leaves the office.
Final tip: How do you feel when someone remembers your name? If you aren’t taking photos of your patients and entering them into the patient file, I encourage you to do so. A photo to look at before the patient arrives will help with recognition so they can be greeted by name.
