Dental Patient Hygiene Scripts Every Day
Dental patient hygiene scripts support our dental team members. And many of our dental conversations from day to day are pretty much the same.
Although we may speak with different patients each day, we talk about the same types of things. This is especially true in administrative roles.
At the dental front office, we make appointments. We also discuss payment and collect money. And we reschedule appointments and fill open times each day.
Script Daily Conversations
Therefore, we want to script these basic daily conversations. And train everyone on our dental teams how to use our patient scripts well.
Add a little of our own personality for flair. And then focus on our eye contact, tone, and body language.
With the use of strong scripts, we see better daily hygiene schedules. And we can trust that the entire team can handle the daily hygiene challenges and conversations with confidence.
Reschedule Policy Script
Many dental practices struggle through their reschedule policy. First and foremost, remove the phrase “it’s our policy”. Right away we set ourselves up for conflict and create division.
Instead, let’s get our patients on our side. And even get a commitment from them.
We can do this simply by using strong communication skills. And ask if they can please provide us with 2 business days’ notice should they need to reschedule (or whatever your policy is).
My Magic – The Power of a Pause
A secret trick? Allow a little pause as you request your patient’s compliance in a reschedule event.
Give your patient time to respond and to assure you that they will call you with the requested notice to reschedule. Then even if they do need to reschedule short notice, this is a conversation they remember.
And it all unfolds so much differently
Schedule Changes
We will always see short notice reschedules in our dental offices. Life is unpredictable and always changing. It’s just the name of the game. And when we remain flexible, and have a plan, we are all happier. Because we know what to do.
Let’s avoid words like “cancellation” or “holes” when we talk about our open appointment times. We do well to talk about “schedule changes”. Especially when speaking with patients.
Self-Improvement & Team Influence
Habits are hard to break. So, let’s start by talking differently within our team conversations. And we’ll find that soon our patient conversations begin to change too.
The more positive our words and attitudes, the more positive the outcome. It too, is just the name of the game. Our actions and our words lead to our outcome.
What about those frequent flyers? Our patients who always have a last-minute emergency. Every practice has a handful! And they truly do have schedule conflicts and issues. So, let’s give them extra special attention.
My preference is to help. And to avoid releasing a patient from care. If a patient requires assistance with scheduling, let’s be there for them! With my 18-month window and 3-strike rule.
3-Strikes & You’re on Call!
That’s exactly how it goes with me. Reschedule with insufficient notice 3 times in 18 months, and I make a change. This patient now is a priority “on call” patient. With extra special attention! “Let me help you with this scheduling challenge.”
