Opening a dental practice can be a business dream for those qualified who want to venture into their own business. However, opening and running a dental practice isn’t just about providing dental procedures. It’s about a complete patient experience and it’s often that experience which will decide whether a patient wants to continue returning to your practice. For a new practice, this is extremely important in staying afloat and driving towards success.
Here are 4 essential features which can give your dental practice the edge.
Must-Have #1: Clear Online Information
When searching for a new dental practice or trying to find out information regarding a practice they’ve just registered with, a patient’s first port of call is normally going to be the internet. Patients should be presented with clear and accurate information through an official practice website to make their experience easier. Patients may need to check opening hours, practice rules, location and more, and this is all made easier if all information can be accessed through your business website.
It can be very frustrating for a patient who needs to book an appointment, or who wants to enquire about becoming a new patient, if they cannot find the relevant contact details online, or even any indication of information. Don’t rely on your patients picking up the phone to call you every time, as most people with busy schedules will react more positively to information which can be accessed online.
Must-Have #2: Flexibility
It’s not always going to be possible to move everything around for one patient, but it’s always worth being as flexible as possible to make the experience easier for your patients. Patients who are struggling to work an appointment around their life or business schedule will react extremely positively to those practices which try their best to work around the patient’s schedule. Point-blank refusing to make any changes to set appointments may lead to a more negative experience from the point of view of your patients.
Must-Have #3: Effective Communication
Healthcare appointments can be very stressful for patients, even if it’s a simple checkup, as they take patients away from their normal routine. Neglected communication between a practice and their patients can hinder a positive experience, and cause even bigger problems for both sides, such as missed appointments, patients being late or complaints being made.
Make sure that effective communication is always implemented in your dental practice.
Must-Have #4: A Relaxing Waiting Area
For most appointments the time spent in the waiting area can easily outrun the actual time for the appointment. This means that a lot of first impressions can be made on the initial wait and waiting area alone.
Create the most relaxing and organized waiting area possible for your patients. Think about professional and informative d or (such as posters which provide dental information), ambience and background noise like music to help relax patients and make sure the appointment flow is organized to prevent queues or busy seating areas.
These 4 must-haves highlight the importance of a positive experience for patients and help with building lasting healthcare relationships.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Speak Your Mind