How to fill the doctor's schedule

So you’re looking at next week and find that the schedule has waaaay too many openings... 

There are all kinds of systems and processes that will prevent an empty schedule - but first, let’s be sure you're in the right frame of mind.

1. Don't panic. It's easy to react out of fear. Take a deep breath and realize that what you see today does not have to define your entire month. I’ve seen a mediocre cycle redeemed in one day... several times.
2. Make a plan. In your morning huddle, discuss what you have within your control TODAY that will result in a favorable outcome.
3. Think big picture. At the end of the day it's not just about adding emergency production to the schedule - what can you accomplish today that will minimize mediocre schedules in the future? Help your patients to think beyond the emergency as well…
4. Don’t miss the opportunity right in front of you. We are so distracted in the practice by putting out fires and being reactive, that we often miss the opportunity right in front of us. We actually create more work for ourselves by not being present!

Now that you have the right mindset, let's talk about how keep the doctor's schedule profitable.

STOP TALKING and find out what patients really want…

First of all, we’ve got to realize that if they have taken time to call you, schedule an appointment and actually show up, chances are they ‘want’ something. It’s our job to find out what it is that they really do want!

All patients want teeth that look nice, are pain-free, and last forever. The misconception is that they want dentistry. Not so – but they do want the benefits that your dentistry offers.

If you feel as if you are getting resistance, most often it’s because the patient might feel as if you are trying to ‘sell’ them by asking questions that don’t really apply to them (from their perspective).  For example, if you have a patient that is just there for a cleaning and they have not indicated a desire to do anything else, you probably want to start with a broad question. 

  Here are some examples of good ‘starter’ questions that can get the wheels turning without offending your patient or making them feel ‘sold’.

‘What’s most important to you when it comes to your teeth?’ 

‘Why is it important for you to get your teeth cleaned today?’ 

‘Other than a cleaning, how can we best help you today?  

‘How proactive do you want to be when it comes to your teeth?’

Click Here for More Open Ended Questions

Sometimes we hit a wall with the Following are some responses we often hear when we fail to listen well and follow our own agenda - the good news is that you just might be able to recover!

‘Nothing is hurting right now’

‘That’s great! It’s no fun to have dental pain/problems. How interested are you in preventing those types of issues? If we could work with you to come up with a preventive plan that will help to avoid pain down the road, is that something you’d like to do?’

‘My fillings are fine – I’ve had them for 20 years and they’re still holding up’                      

 ‘Wow – it sounds like you’ve really gotten your money’s worth! How long are you thinking those fillings may last?’

‘I’m fine right now. I just want my teeth cleaned’

‘We can certainly do that for you. How do you see us helping you down the road?’

Sometimes you need to get your patients out of the present – if they can look down the road, away from the current time and money constraints they feel, it’s easier for them to open up and talk about what’s most important to them.

Check out this resource for more - Future Focus Questions

TODAY is your best opportunity to fill the schedule. So how can we make the most of these opportunities?

1. Focus on the patient in front of you. This means you don’t interrupt your current interaction to answer the phone, check another patient out, or tend to ANYTHING that isn’t pertinent to that patient. Click here if you’re about missing phone calls.
2. Integrate ‘Perfect Day’ scheduling and stick to it – without it, you run out of time to do interviews, proper financial arrangements, and other systems that make a difference in whether or not you have the opportunity to help patients. Not to mention, when you have a controlled schedule, you can give your patients the attention they deserve. You simply cannot be ‘present’ when you create a schedule full of distractions. Revisit objectives with ALL of your recare patients- not just the ones that have pending treatment. It’s so easy to miss opportunity because we are only looking through our glasses, and not the patients. Seek to understand – you may be surprised! How to get the conversation started Ask for referrals – Just get over yourself and get out of your comfort zone. You have a wonderful circle of influence among your current patient base, but too many of us are afraid to self-promote. What a horrible handicap this can be! How to ask for referrals without feeling awkward
3. Reward your patients for being loyal – We spend more resources, time and energy trying to gain new patients than we do rewarding those who’ve been loyal to us. What’s wrong with this picture? Check out our comprehensive marketing resource for ideas
   
   ‘In every forest, on every farm, in every orchard on earth, it’s what’s under the ground that creates what’s above the ground. That’s why placing your attention on the fruits that you have already grown is futile. You cannot change the fruits that are already hanging on the tree. You can, however, change tomorrow’s fruits. But to do so, you will have to dig below the ground and strengthen the roots’
   
   ~ T. Hary Eker - Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
   

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Which comes first… the sale, or the Exam? 

There is no doubt a greater chance of filling the doctor’s schedule when dentistry is diagnosed. We also know that you have the opportunity to diagnose more long-term, comprehensive dentistry for your patients when you give them ownership. And we also know that the best way to give patients ownership is through photos and the planning appointment process.

The exam takes place at the planning appointment. It's the very last thing we do, after we know what end-result the patient is seeking, what motivates them, what obstacles they foresee, etc. The first visit is simply an information-gathering session. No solutions, no exam. Traditionally it’s fallen under the responsibility of the hygienist to invite the patients back for the planning appointment – but as many of you have discovered, you can begin planting seeds for the planning appointment as soon as the phone call.

So... How do we invite patients back for planning appointment?

Front Desk - 'Mrs. Jones, I know we can help you accomplish your goals. I also know that you're very busy/concerned about the finances/having some anxiety (insert their hot button here) –I know we haven’t had the opportunity to take a look in your mouth yet, but based on what you’ve shared thus far about the things that are important to you, I know we can help you! We’ll certainly clean your teeth today – I know that’s what you wanted to accomplish. Would you mind if we also took some photos and xrays? These are wonderful diagnostic tools available to us that will help in coming up with a plan to help you get to where you want to go. We’ll certainly make the most of your time today and stick to the time allotted so that you can get back to work. I know you’re busy – would it be helpful if we could sit down in a couple of days to come up with plan that will save you visits/time/money in the future? I know how busy you are, so we will make a point to start on time, without any interruptions. You’ll leave with a solid plan that will save you time/money/injections (insert objection here) long term and I know that's important to you. We’ll even waive any additional fees – how does that sound?

Assistant in a Limited Exam – Mrs. Jones, I’m so sorry you’re dealing with a broken tooth unexpectedly.  I’m sure it wasn’t very convenient to have to leave work to come to the dentist! We are certainly going to take care of this tooth for you.  What about the rest of your teeth?  Would you like for us to take a look to be sure you don’t end up in this situation again? What if could help you avoid emergencies altogether?  Great! We can definitely help you when it comes to being proactive.  Based on what you’ve shared,  I know we can help. How would you feel about sitting down with Doc in a couple of days for a short time to come up with a plan?  We'll be able to save you time/money/injections (insert objection here) long term and I know that's important to you.  How about Tuesday at 1 pm?  I'll bet I can even talk him into not charging you – it will be a continuation of today's visit.  We'd love for you to take home these photos we took today and spend some time marking on them – things you like, don't like, questions, etc.  Dr. Brady will be relying on your input quite a bit as you two work together to come up with the plan to be sure you don’t have to deal with unexpected trips to the dentist.   Once he's gathered more information about what's important to you, we'll complete your exam and talk about how you see us helping you.  How does that sound?'

Assistant in a Consult – Assuming goals are established through interview, then built upon as the assistant takes over, we would then say, ‘Mrs. Jones, you’ve come to the right place!  I know we can help you accomplish what you want for your teeth. Rather than shooting from the hip today, would it be alright if we set up a time for you and dr. to come up with a plan?  Rather than just shooting from the hip today, we want to be sure and make the best use of your time.  By taking a couple of days for both you and Dr. to do some ‘homework’, I’m confident we’ll be able to save you both time and resources down the road.  How about Tuesday at 1 pm?  We'd love for you to take home these photos we took today and spend some time marking on them – things you like, don't like, questions, etc.  Dr. Brady will be relying on your input quite a bit as you two work together to come up with the plan to help you accomplish exactly what you want.   Once he's gathered more information about what's important to you, we'll complete your exam and talk about how you see us helping you.  How does that sound?'

Hygienist - 'Mrs. Jones, I know we can help you accomplish your goals. I also know that you're very busy/concerned about the finances/having some anxiety (insert their hot button here) - based on those things you've shared, I know we can help you if you are able to get back with Doc in a couple of days for a short time to come up with a plan. We'll be able to save you time/money/injections (insert objection here) long term and I know that's important to you. Would you be willing to sit down with him on Tuesday at 1 pm? I'll bet I can even talk him into not charging you – it will be a continuation of today's visit. We'd love for you to take home these photos we took today and spend some time marking on them – things you like, don't like, questions, etc. Dr. Brady will be relying on your input quite a bit as you two work together to come up with the plan. Once he's gathered more information about what's important to you, we'll complete your exam and talk about how you see us helping you. How does that sound?'