When it comes to making your patients feel at ease, it's important that they feel comfortable the minute they walk through the door. Particularly if new patients suffer from dental anxiety, not setting the right tone only leads to chaos and possibly them seeking treatment elsewhere.
To make sure that doesn’t happen, here are a few tips on how you can make your dental office run smoothly.
Memorize Your Patients
These days, far too many dental offices tend to treat their patients like nothing more than a number. Over time, the patient may begin to notice that they’re not being thought of an individual. Instead, they feel like the dentist is only in it for the money and their overall well-being isn't important. It’s important for patients to feel like they’re being heard and that they matter.
Make notes about previous conversations and bring them up the next time you see your patients. Remembering tiny details like this will make your patients see that you care about them, not just as a patient, but as a person too.
Simplify Payments
Convenience goes a long way, especially in this day and age. A lot of younger patients want the payment process to be streamlined. In fact, they might not want to think about it all. They want to be seen, receive treatment and get back to living. Make paying for dental visits easy by implementing a digital payment system, which is accessible by phone.
Not only will this guarantee the satisfaction you’re aiming to provide, it also means your office receives payments faster. In addition, upgrading your office management software means no more waiting for payments to post or trying to contact patients who forgot to make a payment. They key is to simplify checking out and accounts receivable.
Membership Programs
Memberships are becoming very popular in the world of dentistry. A membership program is when a practice offers its clients benefits and discounts. It also provides a way for people to pay for dental work when they’re on a budget. Incorporating tiered membership programs into your dental practice is a great way to show your patients that you care and keep your business booming. It also keeps patients, both new and old, loyal to your practice.
Offer Free WiFi in Your Office
Most patients don't have hours to sit and wait for appointments. In fact, they usually need to be work. Make waiting for their next appointment even more comfortable by offering free WiFi.
With free WiFi at their disposal, your patients can work while waiting for their turn. Younger patients can also surf the internet while in the waiting room. In addition, if your practice caters to children, optimize treatment rooms with overhead televisions where patients can watch television while getting their teeth cleaned.
Follow Up with Patients
If you have free time, take the time to personally contact your patients and see how they're doing. Receiving a personal call from you shows that you care about them. If you aren't able to find the time to call each patient, you can have your office staff call them as well. You can also send a follow-up email to let them know you're thinking about them.
Making your patients feel welcome can make or break your dental practice. A little empathy and kindness goes a long way when build loyalty and ongoing relationships with your patients. From making their wait time as pleasant as possible to streamline checkout, your patients will thank you for it.