Have you ever stopped to think of how many contacts this highly referred new patient will most likely have with your practice before she ever meets you? Your existing patient’s wonderful comments about your gentle, caring, chairside manner, and excellent technical skills can be quickly forgotten or overridden by what the new patient experiences prior to meeting you.

The way your phone is answered, how the call is handled, what information the patient receives before arriving for her appointment, how she is greeted and treated as she arrives for her appointment, how long she waits, and even the appearance of your facility, will either reinforce or negate the positive referral she heard about you.

Here are some tips to ensure that the new patient experience is a total WOW!

• First phone call: First WOW experience.
  • The first impression of your practice is formed within seconds on the phone, so be sure your patients hear a happy voice. Remember, this is a performance and we only get one chance to make a good first impression.
  • Be sure the phone is answered within three rings, “Thank you for calling Dr. Jone’s office. This is Melissa. How may I help you?” The team member’s speech should be slow, audible, and cheerful. Everyone in the practice should answer the phone in the exact same way, so create your script and practice if you need to (tape recording is intimidating, but powerful).
  • Use a telephone call slip to gather information about the patient’s need and share information about your practice. Click for a sample form: (PDF) (Excel).
  • Schedule the patient as soon as possible. If new patients need to wait more than one week for an appointment in your office, begin blocking appointment slots to hold time for them. When a patient makes the call, she’s ready, and will be impressed if she can be seen quickly.
  • Team members must brag about their doctor. This is the perfect opportunity to let the patient know how great you (the doctor) are, and that she has made a good decision in calling your office.
  • Finish the call by using the patient’s name, thank her for calling, and refer her to your website to learn more about the office.
  • If all has gone well your prospective new patient will hang up thinking, “WOW! I’ve never been treated like that before. I’m really glad I called their office.”
• Welcome letter: Second WOW experience.
  • On the same day the patient calls, send a Welcome Letter or Packet to the patient. Click for sample letters: 1. regular new patients (PDF) (Word) and cosmetic new patients (PDF) (Word).
  • Be sure your letter thanks her for calling, explains the first visit, and once again brags about your office and you in a subtle way.
  • When this letter arrives it will reinforce the good feelings she had after hanging up from her phone call with your office. Hopefully she will be saying, “WOW! They are very professional and organized. I’m looking forward to my visit.”
• Phone call from the doctor: Third WOW experience.
  • On the day prior to the patient’s visit, call the patient yourself. On this call you can introduce yourself, ask if the patient has any questions or concerns prior to her visit, and provide a call back number if the message is left on a voicemail.
  • This is a simple, quick phone call that can be made on your way home from the office or in between patients, but once again will have the patient saying, “WOW! I’ve never had the doctor him / herself call me before an appointment. He / she must be pretty special. I like him / her already.”
• First visit to the practice: Fourth WOW experience.
  • Have your team prepare for the patient’s visit by making sure the entryway and reception room are neat and clean. Visual images can override auditory impressions if they are not congruent.
  • Have your front desk team member stand up and greet the patient by name as she enters the door. Dale Carnegie says, “The sweetest sound in any language is the sound of our own name.” So continue the positive experience the moment she walks in the door by using her name immediately.
  • Rather than handing the new patient an ugly clipboard with forms attached, have a team member offer to help her complete the forms in a private, non-clinical area (if possible). Present the paperwork in a high quality leather binder, because the sense of touch also affects how the mind perceives quality. You want everything about your practice to represent the quality of care you will provide during dental procedures.
  • Once again, the team members can brag about what a wonderful dentist you are and answer any questions the patient may have prior to meeting you.
  • Don’t make the patient wait! In today’s time conscious world, making the patient wait now could negate all of the great things that have happened up until this point. We want her saying, “WOW! I’ve never been seen that promptly in any other dental practice. They’ve got it together!”
• Meeting the doctor: Fifth WOW experience.
  • If all the other systems have been in place and implemented effectively, by the time the patient meets you, your job is EASY. She already knows she has chosen the right practice, has been impressed with every interaction so far, and heard wonderful things about you.
  • Take a few minutes to get to know your new patient and share your philosophy of dentistry before dawning mask, gloves, and loops to examine her mouth and once again you’ll have her saying, “WOW! I’ve never had a dentist talk to me and ask my concerns before looking at my teeth.”
  • Listen, really listen, to her concerns and desires regarding her dental health and then after asking her permission, share what you believe is the best treatment for her. Sometimes this will be on the same visit and other times it’s best to gather your records and bring the patient back for a consultation visit to share your recommendation

Published by BECDEN Dental Laboratory 131 E. 13065 S. Draper, UT 84020 888-344-9991 toll-free 801-576-9991 phone

The editor of this newsletter is Emily Webb of Becden Dental Laboratory, Inc. Please send any questions or comments about this newsletter, or suggestions for articles to: emilyw@becdendental.com ©2006 BECDEN Dental Laboratory, Inc.