Great dentists strive to provide excellent treatment for their patients. Unfortunately, many people associate the dentist with painful and anxiety-inducing examinations and procedures. Attract more people to your practice and keep them coming back with these four tips for increasing your dental patient satisfaction.
1. Offer Online Appointment Booking and Rescheduling
For convenience and efficiency, many people prefer to make or reschedule appointments online rather than over the phone. Giving your patients this option allows them to choose their preferred scheduling method. And the more people opt to utilize online services, the more it frees up time for your front desk staff.
While diligent patients visit their dentist once every six months, many visit less often. You probably already provide appointment reminders, but if you currently only send reminders over the phone, consider sending them through emails or text messages instead.
2. Provide Comfortable Furniture
Another tip for increasing your dental patient satisfaction is to provide comfortable furniture. Since patients can spend a lot of time in the waiting room, it’s best to have a range of comfortable seating options in that space. Between the seating and amenities like free Wi-Fi, you’ll have a better chance of putting your patients at ease.
Of course, most people think of the dental chair as the prominent piece of furniture in a dentist’s office, and many patients feel anxious when they get into the chair. Select a high-quality dental chair that supports patients, allows you to work efficiently, and has easy-to-operate controls.
3. Value Loyalty
When you show your patients you appreciate them, you can improve their perception of your practice. A warm welcome on the first visit will go far. And when patients return, greeting them and remembering details you learned from the previous visit will show that you value them.
Another option to show you value loyalty is to create an in-house membership plan for patients. Patients who don’t have dental insurance can pay a monthly or yearly fee to receive benefits such as preventive care and discounts from your practice.
4. Use Surveys
The best way to learn how patients experience and perceive your practice is to receive direct feedback. Encourage your patients to fill out surveys after appointments. To increase the response rate, keep surveys short and send them out within 48 hours of a visit. Let your patients know you will take their input seriously and use it to improve your services.
Then, of course, use the information to make changes. Your adjustments can improve your presence online, enhance your connection with your patients, and help you achieve your financial goals.
