25 Things Patients Want From Their Dentist

Name: Prosites
Address: 38977 Sky Canyon Drive, Murrieta, CA, 92563, US
Telephone: (888) 932-3644

(But May Not Always Tell You)

1.

Be upfront, clear, and honest about insurance accepted.

List accepted insurances on your website and communicate this on the phone before an appointment.

2.

Offer financing options.

Provide clear information about financing options on your website to reduce patient stress around affording your services.

3.

Provide weekend appointments.

Learn what hours work best for your patients and do the best you can to accommodate.

4.

Use cancellations to your advantage.

Use an automated patient communication software to alert patients when you have a last-minute appointment available.

5.

Have good reviews.

Both current and potential patients can see your reviews! If they see that you aren’t rated well, it may make patients question their own loyalty.

6.

Respond to reviews.

If a loyal patient takes time to write a positive review, thank them for their kind feedback!

7.

Send appointment reminders.

Keep your no-show rate low and profitability high with personalized, timely patient appointment reminders.

8.

Send eNewsletters with tips and recommendations.

Stay top-of-mind throughout the year while providing valuable articles and information.

9.

Provide incentives for referrals.

Give patients a small gift card to Starbucks or a dental kit as a way of thanking them for their support.

10.

Create a personalized experience.

Hang a sign that welcomes patients in the room to show your practice goes the extra mile to make them feel comfortable.

11.

Offer surprise and delight patient appreciation days.

Once a month, hold a “surprise patient appreciation day” where you give patients an extra gift like a full-size toothpaste or mouthwash.

12.

Hire friendly staff.

Going to the dentist can be a feared experience for many, so the more gentle, personable, and friendly your front-staff can be, the better!

13.

Send follow-up emails with treatment plans.

This can help case-acceptance and can help patients remember what you two discussed in the office.

14.

Post HIPAA-compliant online forms on your website

By having forms on your website, you add convenience, help patients save time, and avoid running behind in the waiting room!

15.

Have a mobile-friendly website.

Most of your website traffic is from a mobile-device, so make sure the viewing experience is flawless with quick load times, thumb-friendly buttons, and easy-to-find contact information.

16.

Explain to patients what is about to happen.

Describe what a patient is about to experience before a procedure so they feel more at ease with you.

17.

Have good magazines in the waiting area.

While you want to keep wait time to a minimum, make the experience as entertaining as possible.

18.

Run on-time.

No one likes to wait. If you’re running behind, call patients that are scheduled in the day and let them know you’re running behind schedule.

19.

Be confident.

You’re their dentist so your advice should be clear, easy-to-understand, and assertive yet approachable.

20.

Thoughtfully answer any questions.

Make patients feel understood, heard, and at ease with thorough explanations.

21.

Have a complete website.

Make sure your website has enough details on various procedures so patients can reference it to learn more.

22.

Maintain responsive customer service.

Make sure your office monitors all contact points to ensure no patient falls through the cracks (e.g. social media, email, voicemail, etc.).

23.

Ensure up-to-date contact information.

While it may seem obvious, an incorrect address or phone # can cause a lot of unnecessary frustration and confusion.

24.

Wish patients happy birthday.

Send a direct mail postcard to help patients feel special on their day.

25.

Be authentic!

Patients are loyal when they feel their trusted dentist truly cares about them and their oral health and puts their needs first. The more you can continue to create great experiences – before, during, and after – the patient’s appointment, the greater their loyalty will be to your practice.

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