Learning Dental Restorative Scheduling
Learning dental restorative scheduling is going to take a little time. If you are a brand new dental administrator, take a deep breath and just know you’ll get there! And if you are a dentist, practice manager, or trainer, it’s all going to be okay! I’ve got you!
The Business of Balance
The dental restorative schedule is your production. Although the dental office provides a health care service, it is still a business. Like any successful business, the dental practice needs great business systems. And it also needs fabulous people who are well trained to manage those systems.
There is a serious balancing act involved in dentistry. It’s a balance between caring for the health of our patients and caring for the health of a business. How do we do this and do it well?
An Easy Way to Build a Layout
The most successful businesses excel in customer service! Dentistry is no different. Our goal is provide our patients with the best patient experience ever.
And there is a Patient Experience and Customer Service section already prepared for you in the Dental Office Operational Manual here.
Learning Dental Restorative Scheduling: Emergency Patient Calls
Phone training is the next essential step in the restorative scheduling process. What is your policy and system for emergency evaluation and scheduling? Train your administrative team to identify same day emergencies well.
Dental Emergency Assessment Form
Know where in the schedule emergency patients are placed each day. Identify blocks of time for emergency care. And create a system for those answering the phones to communicate additional scheduling requests or needs.
Block Scheduling
Block scheduling will help your team schedule restorative procedures well. A scheduling template can help you to create the best daily schedule for your dentist and dental practice. Understanding the different appointment types and times allows the team to plug the right appointment in at the right time.
Learning Dental Restorative Scheduling Appointment Types
Major Restorative Appointments
Schedule enough major restorative appointments to meet your daily goal with these appointments only. Although you will be adding other secondary and non-productive appointments to your restorative schedule, this is the meat of your schedule. Everything else added will be gravy and you won’t have any trouble reaching goals if you follow this practice.
Doctor & Assistant Time
Understanding doctor vs. dental assistant time is crucial when scheduling. When you are scheduling any appointments in the restorative schedule, you want to be sure you really understand how much time the dentist needs with your patient, and how much time the dental assistant needs with the patient.
Learning Dental Restorative Scheduling Systematically
Learning dental restorative scheduling is better with a system. A training and support system is a critical piece of happiness and well-being for your team and patients.
There are e-books, videos, courses, and even a pre-built operational manual you can customize available to you here!
