In the upcoming summer months, maintaining a full hygiene schedule can be challenging for dental practices. As a previous dental practice manager, I’ve found that a proactive approach is key to keeping our schedule full and ensuring that our patients receive the care they need. In this conversation, I’ll share strategies for using the four Dentrix reports for keeping your dental hygiene schedule full.
One of the most effective strategies is reaching out to patients who are overdue and unscheduled using a combination of automated systems and personal communication. Automated reminders can be sent via email, text message, or phone call, reminding patients to schedule their next appointment. But remember, automated messages are not a set it and forget it system. Personal communication, such as phone calls or personalized text messages can also be effective in reaching out to patients who may have fallen through the cracks.
To identify these patients, we rely on three reports in your Dentrix software: the Unscheduled List, the continuing Care List, and the Treatment Manager. The Unscheduled List shows us patients who have been on our schedule, but for some reason fell out. This list is often forgotten because of the lack of attention to it. The Continuing Care list helps us track patients who are overdue for their regular hygiene visits but are not scheduled. The Treatment Manager allows us to see which patients have treatment plans that are incomplete or have not been scheduled.
In addition to these reports, we also create a VIP list for patients who are scheduled far in advance but would like to be contacted if an earlier appointment becomes available. This helps us fill last-minute openings and keep our schedule full.
Overall, these strategies have been instrumental in maintaining a full hygiene schedule during the slower summer months and all year for that matter. By reaching out to overdue and unscheduled patients, using automated systems and personal communication, and utilizing reports to track and follow up with patients, we can ensure that our patients receive the care they need and that our schedule stays full.
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