When it comes to ensuring the schedule is full and production goals are met, filling open appointment times in the hygiene schedule must be a priority for the business staff. If there is less than ½ day notice of a cancellation, move an existing, scheduled patient from another day into that time. If a patient gives more than ½ day notice, contact patients listed on the recall report that need appointments. Those patients who are overdue for recall should be given priority because they are the most likely not to return unless the practice is diligent in contacting them and makes an ongoing effort to emphasize the importance of regularly scheduled oral health care appointments.

Retaining existing patients is as important to the continued growth of the practice as is recruiting new patients. And keeping the hygiene schedule full is a key element in maintaining a solid patient base. It is essential to establish patient retention goals as well as new patient goals based on the office’s past performance. For example, let’s say your practice goal is to increase patient numbers by 50% annually. The practice averages 200 recall patients per month and retains 90%, 180 patient are retained and 20 are not. Therefore, the practice needs to see 40 new patients each month to reach the goal.

For additional assistance please visit our New Dentist Resources page under Practice Management at http://www.thenewdentist.net/resources.htm

Certainly, the last year brought more change than most care to think about, as much of it was not easy.  If you don’t ever again want to face a year like you just did, I strongly suggest you commit to making economic change of your own in the coming months and ensure that regardless of the financial sector’s projections of  boom or bust, you practice is well positioned.

Start with the messages that you and your team regularly communicate to patients. Does your staff convey ordinary or outstanding, state of the art or status quo? Is the excellence of the team and the dentistry routinely conveyed to the patient? And, most importantly, have you even considered the messages you’re sending to your patients in every interaction, from the first phone call, to the emergency appointment, to the routine visit? If not, it’s time to listen up and script your success.

Use a well-crafted script to discourage patients from canceling appointments. When a patient calls to cancel, your business staff should ask for permission to put them on hold, access their file, and use the information to motivate them to keep the appointment. For example: “Mrs. Jones, I’m looking at the doctor’s notes and she emphasized that there is significant decay in that tooth. I know it is very important that you keep the appointment, would you reconsider?” The patient may still cancel, but in some cases, they will be convinced to keep it. Moreover, calling specific attention to the patient’s need for the appointment further underscores the value and importance of pursuing the recommended treatment, and emphasizing the need for care has never been more critical. Particularly since even in the best of economic times, many patients will put off certain procedures for as long as possible. Additionally, ensure that there is an established protocol to follow-up with patients who cancel. In many offices, it is months before anyone follows up on a cancellation.

I started my practice from scratch about five years ago. Right now, I have two days of hygiene per week and I want to build this to four days. I also want to increase my new patients. I used to get about 18-20 new patients a month, that’s dropped to about 14. Thankfully, I don’t think I’m losing my existing patients. But how do I know? I’m starting to worry.  Midwest DMD