Dr Kinnar Shah
Practice Success Strategy 8
Recare Strategies
Dental recare is the strategy or process a dental practice uses to schedule follow-up appointments for continued care.
So what is a good recare Strategy?
As soon as someone enters the practice as a new patient for possibly an emergency, the doctor should discuss the importance of a follow-up hygiene appointment. This is a step that is often overlooked.
Also pre-appointing in hygiene makes life much easier on the entire team. It should be noted that consistent reminders help patients remember their appointments that were scheduled six-months ago.
So what is a good recare Strategy?
As soon as someone enters the practice as a new patient for possibly an emergency, the doctor should discuss the importance of a follow-up hygiene appointment. This is a step that is often overlooked.
Also pre-appointing in hygiene makes life much easier on the entire team. It should be noted that consistent reminders help patients remember their appointments that were scheduled six-months ago.
So why is recare so critical to your success
#1. It’s a good way to make sure your schedule is full and productive thanks to returning patients.
#2. Patients tend to delay diagnosed treatment. An appointment with the hygienist gives them valuable time with the doctor to discuss why the treatment is necessary and shouldn’t be delayed any further.
#3. You keep being on the patients’ radar thanks to regular check-ups which retains them from going somewhere else.
#1. It’s a good way to make sure your schedule is full and productive thanks to returning patients.
#2. Patients tend to delay diagnosed treatment. An appointment with the hygienist gives them valuable time with the doctor to discuss why the treatment is necessary and shouldn’t be delayed any further.
#3. You keep being on the patients’ radar thanks to regular check-ups which retains them from going somewhere else.
It’s important to be flexible and allow for multiple ways to communicate. Research has indicated that using different channels of communication can boost the effectiveness of dental recall a staggering 85%.
Use their preferred methods of communication – not the one your business uses. Think of them first.
After the whole treatment is finished, the patient needs to be integrated into the existing recare strategy. This is a big challenge since for the patient the treatment is now finished and many patients don’t find the value in following up every 6 months.
A great way to do that is to explain the benefits of pre-appointing. Let them know that your hygienist schedule fills up quickly and if they postpone you might struggle to book them in at a later point.
As a BONUS I would like to give to Dos and Don’t to consider for an effective Recare Strategy:
DOs:
1. Schedule their next appointment before they leave your practice
2. Give them a reminder text or call before their next appointment
DON’Ts:
1. Don’t bombard them with over the top reminders
2. Don’t give up if you don’t hear from them or they cancel an appointment
I truly encourage you to read my book, for the link click HERE
Use their preferred methods of communication – not the one your business uses. Think of them first.
After the whole treatment is finished, the patient needs to be integrated into the existing recare strategy. This is a big challenge since for the patient the treatment is now finished and many patients don’t find the value in following up every 6 months.
A great way to do that is to explain the benefits of pre-appointing. Let them know that your hygienist schedule fills up quickly and if they postpone you might struggle to book them in at a later point.
As a BONUS I would like to give to Dos and Don’t to consider for an effective Recare Strategy:
DOs:
1. Schedule their next appointment before they leave your practice
2. Give them a reminder text or call before their next appointment
DON’Ts:
1. Don’t bombard them with over the top reminders
2. Don’t give up if you don’t hear from them or they cancel an appointment
I truly encourage you to read my book, for the link click HERE
