Managing a dental office can be challenging, especially when faced with last-minute cancellations or openings in the hygiene and doctors schedule.
These unexpected gaps can disrupt workflow and impact productivity. However, with strategic planning and proactive measures, and a system in place, you can minimize these open holes and keep your schedule running smoothly.
Here are 10 effective strategies to help you plug the holes in your schedule and maintain a productive schedule:
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- Patient Audits: Encourage each team member to review and audit their patient list before the day begins. Identify patients due for hygiene appointments or those who have family members who need restorative or hygiene appointments.
- ASAP List: Maintain an “ASAP” list with contact information for patients willing to fill last-minute openings. Utilize text messages for quick communication when a slot becomes available.
- Utilize KPI’s: Consider using an app that your team can quickly log-in and view specific metrics. Each team member needs to have specific metrics that have nsights into your practice’s opportunities and scheduling gaps.
- Daily Opportunity Sharing: Dedicate 10 minutes each day for the team to share specific opportunities, such as patients who need hygiene appointments or related family appointments, etc, etc.
- Health History Updates: Ensure patients update their health histories and understand your appointment change procedures, minimizing last-minute cancellations. Make sure you also ask about the patients SMILE GOALS on your medical history or a separte Smile Evaluation (takes 60 seconds for the patient to complete).
- Voicemail Message/Instructions: Update your voicemail message to inform patients about notification for scheduling changes. Your voicemail needs to let them know they must call during business hours to “Change” an appointment. Dedicate a specific number for them to contact the doctor when they must change an appointment last minute. FYI: These voice messages to change or cancel an appointment last minute are usually a “Scape Goat” and if they are told to call doctors mobile number, you will see these cancellation voicemail messages disappear!
- Schedule Optimization: It works well to have one team member oversee your schedule. This is your go-to person when the schedule falls apart and they will notify the team in your morning 10-mins opportunity meeting about next hygiene openings, etc.
- Recall List Outreach: Automate your outreach to patients with outstanding hygiene appointments.
- Offer specials to your patients: During the times of year when you know patients are more likely to cancel, offer for example, an INVISALIGN Day or WHITENING DAY. Let patients know that when they come to your office on these specific days they receve a special discount.
- Reward Loyal Patients/The Smile Club: Consider using this Dental Practice Growth System by Dental Practice Solutions. The Smile Club is a proven rewards program used by dental offices around the world.
The Smile Club is a patient loyalty, rewards system and it’s proven to:
- Reduce last-minute cancellations
- Grow New Patient Numbers
- BOOST scheduled cosmetic cases
- Increase per-patient hygiene production
- Build a 100k profit center without adding to your overhead or patient chair time
By implementing these strategies, you can enhance scheduling efficiency, reduce last-minute cancellations, and maintain a productive workflow in your dental office.
Consistent communication, proactive planning, using a proven strategy and leveraging available resources are key to optimizing your schedule and enhancing patient care.
For further training and insights into practice success strategies, use the Dental Practice Growth System and/or consider attending one or all of our bi-monthly Dentist Power Hours.
BOOK a quick call to learn who we can support your growth without adding more patient chair time or increasing your overhead.
Together, we can achieve fuller and more productive schedules while delivering exceptional dental care to our patients!
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