By Kari Hicks, MAADOM
Patients are the lifeblood of all dental practices. Whether the practice is a super high-end fee-for-service office or a non-profit, it doesn’t matter. Successful dental practices depend on patients. Patients can choose which dental office they visit, what dentist they will see, and which treatments they will spend their money or benefits on. Providing an exceptional patient experience is paramount to our success. Many things contribute to a positive patient experience. This article will focus on three overlooked items that kill the patient experience.
Patient Experience Killer #1: Practice Cleanliness
All dental offices are required to follow Federal and State infection control guidelines. You may believe that practicing cleanliness is not an issue in your office because that is the case. It is possible to meet the legal requirements, and the practice does not appear pleasing to the patient.
When did you last sit in the patient chairs in your lobby and look around the practice? Does your front desk area need to be cleared of clutter? Do you have clinical items in non-clinical areas? Is the patient bathroom spotless? Are the floors clean and free of debris? When the patient is leaning back in the treatment chair, what do they see? There are so many factors that can cause your office to appear unclean. How can you address them all?
Start with a walk through the practice and look at things from the patient’s perspective. Create a checklist of all the things you see that need to be addressed and assign the tasks to your team. Keeping the practice clean and aesthetically pleasing is a team effort.
Patient Experience Killer #2: Frequent Schedule Delays
Strong practice managers work to create productive schedules. Many elements go into making a productive schedule. Even when the schedule is perfectly crafted, unforeseen circumstances can occasionally occur. Maybe the dentist had a patient who was hard to get numb to. Maybe the temporary crown didn’t sit perfectly. Perhaps there was a filling that ended up being endodontic treatment. While those things are difficult to anticipate or avoid, frequently running behind schedule frustrates and aggravates patients.
Many times, our patients have requested off work for their dental appointments. Sometimes children miss school when they are in our office. It’s essential to be considerate of our patients and their time. Try not to overload the schedule. Promptly communicate schedule delays to your patients. This shows respect for the patient and their time. It also allows the patient the opportunity to decide if they can wait or if they should reschedule.
If practice is running so late that your team is working into the lunch hour regularly, if your team is frequently working late, or if your team is routinely complaining about being overwhelmed, it is time to schedule a meeting with the owner/doctor to discuss the schedule and how it is impacting the patient experience. Remember, prompt communication about schedule delays is crucial to maintaining patient satisfaction.
Patient Experience Killer #3: Unclear or Inaccurate Financial Information
Most people value finances. Telling someone they won’t owe any money and later sending them a bill will upset many patients. Whenever possible, have financial discussions or make financial arrangements before treatment. Most dental offices provide a written treatment plan. As dental industry insiders, most of us know the treatment plan is only an estimate. The insurance carrier determines coverage and benefits. Though this is common knowledge in dental administration, our patients’ expectations may differ.
Be clear in your communication. Never tell a patient they won’t owe any money (unless you are doing free dentistry). Tell them how much their services cost and what you estimate insurance to cover. Let them know if insurance doesn’t pay as estimated, you will send a statement. Being clear in your financial communications and expectations will help eliminate the “statement shock” when the patient gets a bill they were not expecting. Clear financial communication is critical to avoiding patient dissatisfaction and ensuring a positive patient experience.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it comes down to keeping your practice clean, organized, and clutter-free. Be respectful of your patients and their time. Whenever possible, avoid schedule delays. If an unforeseen delay occurs, promptly notify any affected patient. Have clear financial conversations before providing treatment. Make sure patients understand how their dental insurance will factor into their treatment, and directly address any out-of-pocket costs. Avoid these overlooked patient experience killers to help ensure greater patient satisfaction.
Kari Hicks, MAADOM, is a Managing Director of Access Dental Services, LP in Missouri. Kari has been in dentistry for over 15 years and started with no experience getting on-the-job training as a chairside dental assistant, which led her to become a dental office manager 12 years ago. Kari has been a member of AADOM since 2019 and received her Fellowship (FAADOM)in 2022, her Mastership (MAADOM) in 2023, and will receive her Diplomate (DAADOM) in September of 2024.
