For those of you that know me, I am a numbers girl and it is the numbers that help the dental practice make decisions on systems and protocols for the office. When you see numbers going in a direction that might not be healthy for the practice, then the doctor, the team, and your trusted advisors need to come together with a plan to tweak the systems. Numbers tell a story … and the story coming up will have a tragic end if you don’t make some corrections now.
If you look at your hygiene schedule between mid-September and late-November, what do you see? Is it open? Your practice was closed between mid-March through late-May and these patients did not schedule their recare visits because you are still trying to get them in from the closure.
THIS IS THE STORY WE NEED TO RE-WRITE SO YOU DO NOT GET TO THE THIRD QUARTER OF THE YEAR AND ARE SCRAMBLING TO FILL AN EMPTY SCHEDULE.
The good news is you have some time to make course corrections and put some things in place now to curb what is coming. As a Dentrix user, you have several systems you can put in place to help your team fill the schedule and your patients book appointments. It is not going to be easy and will take work on your part. Some solutions you can put together in your office and some will require a third-party solution.
I know. You are saying, “One more thing I have to think about and strategize about.” However, you are not alone and there are resources to help you and your team.
So what can you do in the office with your team to help fill this looming schedule?
- Work the reports – I have been teaching the importance of working your scheduling reports on a regular basis even when your schedule is full. Being proactive with your schedule is the key to having an abundance of patients in your appointment book and not reacting to openings. You can read my blog about the top three reports for weekly management by clicking here.
- Be aware – During your morning huddle or during your pre-visit checklist, it is a good idea to see if your patients have other family members who are not scheduled. You can use the Dentrix Route slip or Visit Form for this information or if you are a Dental Intel client, you will see this information in the Morning Huddle.
- Ask for referrals – Now is definitely the time to boost your new patient numbers. Asking for referrals is very easy but you must remember to do it. The best way to ask for a referral is during normal conversation and especially if you receive a compliment about your practice or anyone on your team. Now, what if you want to supplement what you team is already doing in the office? If you want to grow your business and give your patients an easier way to schedule their recare and new patient visits, then you can add these third-party solutions.
- Online Booking – This is a must! Your patients are already booking dinner reservations, airline tickets, and making purchases online. Make booking their dental visit just as easy. What are you waiting for? Don’t worry. You still have full control over what the patient sees. There are two solutions for you to choose from and both are fully integrated with Dentrix.LocalMed – I have been working with LocalMed for many years and their online booking solution is amazing. For more information and to schedule a demo, CLICK HERE
- Dentrix Online Booking – This option is now available as a solution for your practice. It will integrate directly with your continuing care system and you can use perfect day scheduling for new patients. For more information and to schedule a demo, CLICK HERE
- CallForce – Your team has a lot to do. If your team needs help with making calls to patients who are not scheduled, then look into this solution. You can outsource the phone calls to unscheduled patients to CallForce and give your team some much-needed free time to work on other projects. For more information CLICK HERE.
- CallForce – Your team has a lot to do. If your team needs help with making calls to patients who are not scheduled, then look into this solution. You can outsource the phone calls to unscheduled patients to CallForce and give your team some much-needed free time to work on other projects. For more information CLICK HERE.
The Novonee on-demand webinar library has several resources for your team if you want to learn more about the reports in Dentrix to find unscheduled patients and verbal skills to help your team get patients in the office. You got this … and lots of resources to help.
