For many patients, getting to see the hygienist whom they have become accustomed to is something to look forward to when attending regular hygiene appointments. Much like having a favorite service provider at a car dealership, salon, or another type of healthcare office, this invaluable relationship can be an integral part of ensuring that satisfied customers keep coming back.
Hygienists can be assured that it is a compliment for patients to know that they value their relationships and wish to see them again. This is a wonderful opportunity for hygienists to offer to reserve their next appointments while patients are still in the chair. I personally once had a hygienist who not only regularly made me feel comfortable enough to schedule my next appointment with her during each visit, but also sent me a personal thank you note for being such a good patient and taking great care of my teeth. It is understandable that time may not permit this thoughtful gesture for everyone, but other effective ways of creating value for current and future visits include the use of demonstrative technology, such as the intraoral camera.
The hygiene department benefits tremendously from using the intraoral camera consistently. Not only does it help to create value for the present appointment, it also illustrates the need for regular hygiene checkups. Role playing patient discussions while practicing with the camera on fellow team members in the office is a great way to ensure hygienists are comfortable using it to build value with their patients. The entire office will be able to share and learn some of the most effective ways that hygiene patients can be continually rescheduled and retained from perspectives of the various practice roles partaking in this activity.
Where and how are patients scheduled for their next visit at your practice? How do your hygienists build value for regular hygiene visits? With high levels of comfort in interpersonal interactions with patients, regular utilization of helpful technology, and team support, hygienists are highly capable of bringing appreciative and trusting patients back again and again.
OnTrack offers resources that will help implement this strategy and track your results. Please visit www.myontrack.com for more information or speak to your Patterson representative about how to sign up to use OnTrack in your practice.
