Managing Patients: The Patient Experience Guidelines for Pratctice Success. American Dental Association

care that maintains, or improves, their oral health and their overall health and well-being. It’s also an important factor in developing and fostering a trusting relationship based on mutual respect that can last for decades.

      The Patient Experience: What It Is and Why It Matters

      The best way to understand the importance of your patients’ experience with your practice is to put yourself in their shoes. Consider these questions, not as a dentist, but as a patient:

      • What would you want and expect from your dentist?

      • What would you want and expect from the members of the dental team?

      • What makes a dental visit a positive experience, even if the treatment or care provided involves discomfort?

      • What makes you willing to return to the same practice?

      The answers to those questions can make a huge difference in your ability to develop positive relationships with your patients. When they are considered from both a personal and a business perspective, those answers can affect your no show, cancellation and case acceptance rates, patient referrals, and treatment plans.

      Dental care has been driven by preventive and restorative treatment, and the foundation of every clinical procedure you recommend and perform is built on the relationship you’ve established with each patient. Like the team of dental professionals supporting you in providing care, your patients are part of your dental family. From the first phone call to the completion of the treatment plan, your ability to successfully communicate with patients will determine how effectively you meet their expectations. Good communication is the cornerstone of any successful practice.

      Good communication is the cornerstone of any successful practice.

      The Managing Patients module of the American Dental Association’s Guidelines for Practice Success™ (GPS™) details aspects of patient management via four major topics that offer a framework for handling some of the elements of communication that can make or break the patient experience.

      Patient Intake

      Although everything your team has done up to this point is important, you really do have only one chance to make a first impression. Most new patients are very aware of what they see and hear the minute they open your front door. These tips can help you and your team make every patient feel welcome and confident in their selection of you as their dentist.

Phone Calls from Prospective Patients

      Even though people are doing more from their computers, phones and tablets, a phone call is still likely to be the first communication with your practice. Follow these tips to make a patient’s right connection:

      • Try to answer every phone call by the third ring.

      • The person who answers the phone should speak “with a smile” in his/her voice. Try it; having a smile on your face really does make your voice friendlier.

      • Have a standard greeting that is used without exception by everyone who answers the phone. Make sure it mentions the name of the practice, the name of the person speaking and that it invites the caller to share the reason for their call.

      • Use scripts to handle the most frequent topics covered over the phone, whether it’s visiting the practice, changing or canceling an appointment, or handling an emergency, etc.

       Scripts ensure that the same message is communicated to every patient every time.

      Scripts ensure that the same message is communicated to every patient every time.

       Have your team role play different telephone scenarios so they become comfortable with them.

      Have your team role play different telephone scenarios so they become comfortable with them.

      • Don’t allow interruptions or put callers on hold unless there is a medical emergency or a situation that requires staff members to abandon their duties. Short holds to answer another line before the fourth ring may be necessary.

      • Once callers indicate they’re interested in a first appointment, restate your name and ask for theirs.

      • Start completing a new patient intake form.

       Basic questions that should be on the form include:

       The date of the caller’s most recent dental appointment

       The patient’s availability

       Any medical issues

       How they prefer to be contacted if necessary

       Whether they have coverage through a dental benefit plan

       Any other information that will allow you and your staff to better accommodate them

      • Thank callers for contacting your practice and invite them to visit the office, even if they don’t make an appointment. While few callers will take you up on the offer, it lets them know that your practice is an accessible and caring environment.

      • Make sure every caller feels like he or she is the most important person you’ll talk with all day.

      Make sure every caller feels like he or she is the most important person you’ll talk with all day.

      • Have the front desk staff direct all new patients to the practice website. You and your staff can even suggest specific pages with content that’s relevant to their visit. Of course, make sure your website looks professional, has strong visual appeal and is easy to navigate.

       Consider whether you’re comfortable with patients making online appointments; if so, ask your webmaster if that feature can be integrated into your website.

      Consider whether you’re comfortable with patients making online appointments; if so, ask your webmaster if that feature can be integrated into your website.

       Many practices also offer a newsletter, available by an “opt-in” email and via the practice website. This is a great way to keep patients engaged with you and your practice.

      Resources:

      • Standard Telephone Protocols,