Increase Practice Production & Reduce Stress at the Same Time
Course Number: 702
Production Per New Patient
New patients have an average production value to the practice that is 200% – 300% higher in the first 12 months, which is why it is encouraged to schedule new patients within 7 to 10 days if at all possible.2
Attracting new patients is often based on two key factors. The first is internal marketing that encourages patients to refer other patients to the practice. There are many excellent internal marketing strategies, such as letting patients know that the practice appreciates referrals, doctors personally calling patients to thank them for referrals, having a 30-day communication email that updates patients on the practice or dentistry, and offering free exam gift certificates to the families of new patients. These techniques are all inexpensive and highly effective.
The second factor for attracting new patients is having five-star customer service. Customer service is a system just like scheduling or hygiene productivity. Achieving five-star service is not easy and differentiates practices from others, but most of all it creates outstanding patient experiences that lead to referrals. People love to talk about great customer service experiences at stores and restaurants and dental offices are no different. Dental practices can use customer service techniques such as:
Give every patient a big enthusiastic greeting. This is how patients know you’re glad to see them. Scripting can include comments like “We are so happy to see you today.” or “We love having you as a patient.”
Offer convenient appointment times. Patients appreciate it when you prioritize their convenience, and this will also reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations.
Call patients at night. This is a customer service opportunity that creates a real “wow” factor for patients. Simply call patients on the evening of their appointment or the next day to see how they are doing. Half of these calls will go to voicemail where you can leave a positive scripted message that will make patients feel good about your practice.
Run on time. Being punctual as part of five-star customer service. Practices that run late send a message to patients that they do not respect their time. From a production standpoint, running late indicates poor scheduling methods, which means less efficiency and lower practice production.