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Professional Courtesy: Great Patient Relationships? F.U.! by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD

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Everyone finds some frustration in the patients who are always chasing the best deals and not the best care. I have had my share of current patients ask if I will match some ridiculous whitening special advertised in a coupon mailer and I can comfortably say no. Why? Because I'm building a relationship of mutual respect, and when I tell the patient that I simply can't provide that service at that price—they are free to make a choice. They may have me do it for a bit more, or they may chase the deal and never return. It's a win either way in my book.

Wait a minute—did I just say that they might never return? Yes I did, and if I have developed a strong relationship, I know the majority of the time they will come back. In fact, they come back with an even greater appreciation for what I have to offer and an understanding of why I might charge more than Groupon's deal of the day. You know the old saying: "If you love something, set it free. If it comes back it was meant to be."

Don't worry, we will get to the F.U.—I'm going to drag that teaser for just one more paragraph. I didn't want to go any further without describing my practice, because I think that is very germane to this discussion. I have a practice that is similar to the majority in that I participate with a number of PPO plans—four to be exact. I also practice in a community where a large percentage of people in my area are from someplace else—including me. So in a world where the abundance of PPO providers allows patients to move freely from one office to another, distinguishing yourself is an important ingredient to a lasting relationship and a strong practice.

How can you build strong patient relationships? Let's get to it. F.U. = follow up. There are so many ways we can follow up with our patients and each time we do it, the act is often unexpected and the patient is pleasantly surprised. First, the personal phone call to your patient is one of the most mentioned and least performed in dental circles. Modern technology has made it a breeze because very few people answer their phones any more. Simply place a call and leave a message. If the patient answers his or her phone, even better, you can have a brief conversation. The latest and greatest appointment reminder systems also provide a mechanism for follow up in the form of a review. The vast majority will be positive and you will always learn something from the negative. Sometimes you learn that you have a patient with unreasonable expectations or you have a weak spot in the quality of service you are providing.

Another simple follow up occurs when a patient comes in to have something checked or there is something discovered in hygiene, but no treatment is planned yet. Perhaps it is a soft-tissue lesion that will likely heal or a sensitive tooth that may get better. The first task is to have someone from your staff call two weeks after the visit to see if everything has resolved. We often give the patient the default instruction: "If this is still bothering you, give us a call." Why not take the lead and make the patient's day by checking up on them?

Treatment plan follow up is a task that many offices will do on a routine basis but can be overlooked. The obvious benefit is in your schedule and practice productivity. This is also an opportunity to gather feedback and discover unanswered questions from the last office visit.

I hope you will find these suggestions refreshing reminders of the opportunities that wait in your practice to develop better relationships with your patients. Great relationships not only help retain patients but also avoid lawsuits and increase that magical goodwill that people factor into the value of a practice.

If you like Twitter, follow me @ddsTom. I can be reached via email: tom@dentaltown.com.


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September 2025
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