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Most of our clients at Dental Practice Solutions tell us they want more new patients.
One would wonder how a dental hygiene consulting/coaching business would be able to help a dental practice acquire more new patients. Let me tell you how it can be done.
3 Tips to Get More New Patients
Tip #1: Ask!
If you never ask, the answer is always “No.”
I’m sure you have heard this before. We show our client teams how to ask for new patient referrals. Each team member chooses one patient on the schedule each day and they are responsible for asking this patient for a referral. And next is accountability.
In the morning team huddle each team member reports how that referral they promised went. Of course, it’s scary or may feel awkward in the beginning to ask for a referral but the more you do it the easier it gets. Accountability is key so we ask the team members to talk about the response from that patient they asked a referral from the previous day.
Tip #2: Doctor Must Call All New Patients to Welcome them
Our client doctors know how their new patients are about 3-5 days before they arrive to their office. They call the new patients a few days before their first appointment to give a warm welcome.
What happened today when one client called a new patient? He discovered this patient who is scheduled to arrive in his office on Friday is deathly afraid of the dental office. Doctor was able to provide comfort to the patient before they even arrived at the office. And best of all, he can give a “heads-up” to the other providers to provide some TLC.
Tip #3: WIIFM
Our clients currently offer free tray whitening. Exactly what they are providing patients is the Lifetime Smiles. This is only available to your new patients who make an appointment to see the hygienist for a prophylaxis, radiographs and complete a doctor exam.
Lifetime Smiles is also used to reduce short-notice appointment changes.
Want to know more about this topic?
Register for our webinar Thursday July 14, 2016.
Webinar: “TEETH WHITENING: STEPS TO GROW YOUR PRACTICE AND KEEP PATIENTS COMING BACK “
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Many offices register and use our webinars for their next team meeting. Register and let us know in email. We are happy to send the link to listen with your team at your next meeting. We even provide a handout for the team to follow along and begin implementing what you learn.
ABOUT DEBBIE SEIDEL-BITTKE, RDH, BS
Debbie Seidel is founder of Dental Hygiene Solutions, Powered by Dental Practice Solutions.
She is also a top leader in consulting according to DENTISTRY TODAY.
Debbie is also a former clinical assistant professor for the dental hygiene program at USC in Los Angeles.
In 2007 she wrote the accreditation, the curriculum, hire the teachers and oversaw the build out- managing a 2 Million Dollar Budget.
Debbie now works full –time and is the visionary for Dental Practice Solutions
Dental Practice Solutions guides dental teams to provide a profitable, patient-centered dental practice through improving systems and efficiencies in the dental hygiene department.
Check out the Free 3-Part Hygiene Department Training: http://www.dentalhygiene.solutions