Step Up Your Customer Service

Looking for ways to step up your customer service? It is the small things that will set your practice apart. Here is a list of ideas to keep patients coming back, and referring friends. 

1. If you're not already, do an oral cancer screening and inform your patient you are doing one. It is the standard of care, but not all clinicians make the time. If you do the patients WILL see the value and keep coming back to you.

2. Neck pillow: get a really nice neck shaped pillow that still allows you to keep your ergonomics perfect. 

3. Virtual reality glasses.  This new concept lets patients wear VR Goggles so they can watch a movie up close. Working around them can be a challenge just like working around a nitrous oxide nose piece. Check some out HERE 

4. Let them choose the music station:  You could have a Beats Pill speaker and a music subscription so the patient can listen to whatever they prefer in your operatory. You can also get headphones so that only the patient hears the music. 

5. Switch up the smell: Always be cautious of using scents as they can be irritating to some. With that said there are all sorts of dental products that make the office smell...well like the dentist. You can try essential oils on the patient cover, diffusers, candles or sprays, just be sure it is MILD. Check some out HERE 

6. Use a blanket: I know you NEED to work in a cool environment which makes it so that patients freeze. Giving the patient a blanket can make all the difference. You could get slightly weighted ones as well. You can let the patient keep the blanket or wash them daily. 

7. Flowers: Roses, succulents, tulips; get some fresh flowers for the front desk and them give them to a patient that day. 

8. Handwritten note of thanks. You can pre-write them and put them in the goodie bag or send them out in the mail.  

9. Warm towels to wipe the face after treatment. 

10. Water bottle with your office info. 

11. Use Sunglasses: Give Sunglasses for safety glasses as they block out those bright dental lights. 

Check out our Amazon store front to see many of these items in action HERE. 

PART 2-How To Increase Production-With The Medical History Interview

UPDATED 4-6-24

In part one of this series, I discussed how in increase production with radiographs. Now I want to address how to do this with the medical history interview.

I often get asked the question, “How can I increase the hygiene department's production?” There are two main reasons why this is being asked. The first is the hygienist is being told that they don’t produce enough or second, because you work on commission you would like to earn what you are worth.  In both of these scenarios, you HAVE to find a balance between producing and improving oral health.

I daily ask myself the question while reviewing my charts, “hHw can I help my patients today?” If you can provide high quality care, the finances will come.

You may see some form of the following questions on your health history. As I go through them, I will discuss the ways you will increase production while improving oral health.

Do you take any medications?

    This increases the patient's risk for caries and causes xerostomia. A full caries prevention protocol needs to be implemented. Consider a fluoride treatment, fluoride toothpastes, xerostomia products and electric toothbrushes.

Do you smoke, use alcohol, have diabetes, or do your gums bleed when you brush?

Prepare for a potential perio case, and lots of oral hygiene education, as these are risk factors for periodontitis. You may be preparing for laser use, HybenX, Arestin, Perio protect, Etc.

Do you participate in high contact sports?

I had a friend get kicked in the face during a soccer game breaking his teeth right off at the gingival margin. I am now an advocate for athletic mouth guards to my patients involved in contact sports. These are as easy to make as a whitening tray. They just take a quick impression and pour up to make one in office. You can even create customized colors and designs. Check with your supply company to get some in your office.

Do you have any concerns with the look of your smile?

Does your office offer 1 hour bleaching like Zoom, Sinsational Smile or whitening trays? Patients love white teeth, so keep alginate and impression trays close by and offer to take the impressions that day to get the process started.

Do you grind your teeth?

This is a sign that a patient may have sleep apnea. Does your office offer sleep apnea devices or referrals to sleep physicians?

Are your teeth sensitive?

Use the dental code D9910 and place Gluma, Crest Pro Relief polishing paste or a fluoride varnish or silver diamine fluoride. Have a brainstorming meeting as an office to set a protocol and cost for desensitizing.

Stop Measuring Success with Production

With an industry that measures success in the terms of "production" what I'm going to tell you might be a bit of a paradigm shift.

How many of you have had carrots dangled in front of your face or chased "the shiny pennies" that the dentist promises if a certain production goals is reach... only to have a bunch of "no shows" and other factors occur that are out of your control.

The truth is we can't control production at all. We like to think we can. We can't. Yes, we can influence it. But we can't force anyone to do anything. Ultimately, even with our best efforts, there will be patients that don't want to filling they absolutely need or the electronic toothbrush that would make ALL the difference to their oral health.

Instead, let's measure success with out efforts. Efforts can be controlled. Outcomes unfortunately cannot.

I'm not saying a "just try your best" attitude is enough. Although, I wholeheartedly hope every person does in fact try his/her best. I'm talking about very calculated efforts following certain tried and true principles.

There are studies that when patients are appreciated, they are more likely to return. You can't physically make a patient come back (unless you kidnapped them, which we don't recommend!) But you can follow the principle of writing thank you notes and expect to get the desired outcome. For example:

OUTCOME BASED GOAL: "Have 10 patients schedule re-care."

EFFORT BASED GOAL: "Today I'm going to write each new patient a hand written thank you note." or "I'm going to ask and encourage each patient to schedule their next 6 month appointment. If they don't, I'll write a postcard to be sent out 1 month before they are due to be sent as a reminder."

A non-hygiene example:

Outcome Based Goals: "Lose 30 pounds."

EFFORT/SYSTEM BASED GOALS: "Exercise Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this week."

Here are a few more dental examples.

"Today I'm going to point out treatment to each patient that needs it before the doctor walks in."

"Today each patient will leave with either a new product or an idea how to improve his/her oral hygiene."

"Today I'm going to offer fluoride to three patients (Notice: It's not give three patients fluoride.)"

I shouldn't put such a bad taste on productions. I honestly beleive it can be an instruments to review and see if your efforts are giving you the outcomes you except. The beauty in the above examples are that if you aren't ever getting the desired outcomes, it's completely acceptable to keep adjusting your efforts and approach.

Put laser focus on implementing systems and fee successful. Every. Single. Day.