Choosing the Appointment Reminder Software
Many dental office front desk staff members and Dental Managers fear making affirmation calls. But the fact is, unconfirmed appointments lead to missed consultations, which may cripple a dental clinic. Thus, effective appointment affirmation is a procedure designed to create desired results: complete schedules, ample earnings, and fulfilled employees. Following are some tips to improve your practice’s appointment confirmation efforts.
Because everyone in our society is busy, the most responsible patients may forget a consultation. Therefore, instituting a policy to put a confirmation call for every appointment is prudent. And confirming 48 hours beforehand is significantly more effective than verifying 24 hours ahead. That’s because, occasionally during a confirmation telephone, the individual is going to want to reschedule. Calling less than 48 hours beforehand leaves insufficient time to fill cancelled slots. So, while some practices still prefer to affirm only 24 hours ahead, the advantages of 48-hour verification calls far outweigh the risks.
Why choose Reminder Options
Another critical point in the verification process is to speak with the individual directly if at all possible. Many times, when a message is left, the individual will claim he or she never received it. This could lead to no-show and unfilled appointments, which aren’t productive. As a Dental Manager or front office staff member, when phoning to confirm, always ask to talk to the individual who’s on dental appointment reminders. If they are unavailable, ask if there’s another number where they may be reached.
Also, do not look at a “dental appointment reminders message” as a confirmed appointment. When you do reach an answering machine or voicemail, or when you leave a message with another person, note this in your confirmation list. Then, continue trying to get the individual through the day to speak with him or her directly.
If you do reach the patient, use positive verbal skills to affirm. By way of instance, state that you are “Calling to state that we are looking forward to seeing you” instead of that you are calling to “affirm” or “remind.” The word “affirm” suggests that you aren’t sure they intend to maintain the appointment. The term “dental appointment reminders” indicates that they are not responsible and have to be reminded. Even though both of these may be the case, you never want to make that belief using a patient.
