Dental patients will reschedule short notice no matter where they live, despite policies, for several reasons.  Dental office reschedule scripts will take some of the work out of these reschedules.  You’ll always know just how to handle those calls!

Dental patients are people with busy lives, and unexpected happenings in their day!  Flat tires, sick kids, unexpected mandatory meetings, sick co-workers, a pet needs to go to the vet, unexpected expenses, etc.

Does this mean that in the dental office, we should make it easy, or allow patients to run the schedule?  Absolutely not!!

It does mean that as the master scheduler in our dental practice, we absolutely must maintain control.  That control doesn’t have to come through an iron fist.  In fact, a quick thinker, with a rescheduling script to spring from, can save the schedule and the day!

Dental Office Reschedule Scripts – & Steps

• Ask patient to please hold.   Regroup.  Catch your breath.  Review patient account and history.
• Return to call.   Thank patient for calling. (They didn’t have to).  Come into agreement with patient.  Their emergency is a priority to them.  And our patient is a priority to us.
• Follow my 3-strike rule here.  How often has patient rescheduled short notice in past 18 months?
• If it’s appropriate – offer to reschedule – but not the very next appointment.
• Place patient on call list to move appointment forward.
• If patient frequently reschedules (more than 3 times in past 18 months), suggest a call list rather than reschedule.