Inactivated Dental Hygiene Patients Outreach
Inactivated dental hygiene patients are patients to reach out to once a year. Please allow me to define “inactive” .
An inactive dental patient is a patient who has had no hygiene appointment in the office in an 18 month period. However, does not include patients who transfer to another practice or move away.
From the Archives
So, how do we know this? I like to “archive” patients with no mailing address. I also archive patients who transfer to another practice. And include patients who move or are deceased.
Any patient I would not want to contact is a patient to archive. As this is a group of patients that receive no additional contact from the office.
Consider February for Hygiene Reactivation
Why not February as the month each year to reach out? We are in a new year. And for many patients, perhaps new dental benefits have reset or reinstated. Perhaps a New Year’s resolution to get back to the dentist is on their mind. We are past the holiday and year end craziness. And just over the new year hurdle.
February is also National Children’s Dental Health Month. So, for pediatric patients, this is a great help! And also a great reminder. But we can adopt this in our general practices today as well. And self-designate February as our month to begin our very own Inactivated Patient Outreach Month.
Inactivated Dental Hygiene Patients Reignited!
Email is one consideration. For patients with an email address on file, draft a fun email invitation.
Let them know just how much you miss them. Share a little about what’s happened in the office since they you last saw them? Are there any new team members? Does the dentist have a new dog, hobby, or maybe some other fun news to share? And what’s the incentive to bring the patient back?
Marketing Ideas:
Postcards are also so much fun! Design a company card with a team photo, colors and logo. Make it a fun photo that just says “come on back”!
And encourage the inactive patient to call for an appointment. Share your promotional incentive. But be sure to give it a deadline too!
Some patients may even share this card invitation with friends, family, and neighbors. You never now who might respond!
Inactivated Dental Hygiene Patients Post-COVID
Inactivated dental hygiene patients during COVID times? A follower on Instagram recently asked this question. “What are your recommendations during COVID times?” And my reply is – stick to the plan. More than likely, there is a decrease in hygiene activity in many locations. That just means there are more patients in need of care soon. So, stick to the plan!
Make Adjustments
We may need to adjust our schedules in the near future. However, we want to follow the weekly and monthly hygiene reactivation system as always. Call our hygiene patients that are due. And reach out to those who are overdue. Inactivate patients at the 18 month mark with no appointment.
But don’t forget those patients!
Annual outreach is the best way to reach out and invite patients to return.
Dental Practice Operations Manual
