Are You 'Out to Lunch' on Patient Priorities?

If I called your office today shortly after 12 pm, what would happen? Would someone pick up immediately and begin to engage with me? Would they attempt to find out my needs and explain what your practice could do for me? Or would I get a recorded message telling me that the office was closed for lunch?

It's one thing to say that you always put patients first, but the proof is in the details. I honestly believe that most dentists and their teams really do have that sentiment in their hearts. You may want to consider that for many patients, their lunch time is one of the few convenient times in a day to make a dental appointment. Even the smallest dental practice should be able to stagger breaks so someone is always available to answer the phone. It really doesn't make sense to shut down contact at such a crucial time.

It isn't just about phone calls, either. Any time you are running late and a patient is kept waiting without an apology or explanation, you are putting the priorities of the practice ahead of those of the patient. The same rule applies any time you give a new patient a clipboard full of forms with a lot of duplicated information to fill in on each one. You may not even realize it, but I promise you that patients do.

The dental practices that are consistently recognized as "the best in town" are the ones that really believe in giving every patient the VIP treatment. Those dental practices are the ones that stand out from the crowd. That means streamlining the intake procedure by working through the necessary forms together in a high-value way and making sure that you fill out what you already know in advance. You must acknowledge any delays and offer to make their wait more comfortable. It means being attentive and anticipating their needs throughout their visit. That starts with being there to answer the phone at any time during business hours.