New Patient Interview - 7 Ways to Set Up Your Team For Success

1. Greet the new patient by name as soon as they walk through the door – anticipate their arrival, and don’t miss the opportunity to make the best first impression possible!  Come out from around the desk and welcome the patient as you would a special guest in your home.  If you offer bottled water or other refreshments in your office, this is a great time to do so.
2. Set the stage by communicating to the patient that they are in charge.  Ask permission to visit with them for a few minutes, ‘Mrs. Jones, just to be sure we meet your expectations to day, is it alright if I ask you a few questions before I introduce you to our fantastic hygienist?’  Escort them to your welcome/consultation room, away from distraction and traffic.
3. Be certain that you have created a relaxing, private, comfortable atmosphere.  Turn the phone ringer off in the consult room, and remove anything clinical.  This is a great place to have family photos and living room-like décor.  Sit next to the patient, not on the other side of a big desk, which can create a huge barrier. 
4. Connect with the person before talking teeth.  Plan on 7-8 minutes (no more than 10) for the interview.  The first half ought to be focused on the relationship – get to know the patient on a personal level before talking teeth.  It’s great to bridge something that was discussed in the phone call.  ‘You mentioned that Bob referred you – how do you know Bob?’ or ‘You told me over the phone that you are new to Dallas – what brought you here?’  ‘You mentioned on the phone how busy you are with your kids – tell me about your family’.   Don’t force this – just be curious, as you would with a new personal acquaintance.  Remember,  it’s not about you – this conversation is 100% about the patient, so this isn’t a time to talk about your kids or your vacation.  We tend to look for common ground, but that’s more about making us comfortable, than it is building a relationship. 
5. Find out what the patient wants, beyond 'just a cleaning'. The second half of the interview is best spend understanding the patients’ motivation for taking time to be in your office, and how they see you helping them.  Ask open-ended questions – start broad, and listen with the intent to understand instead of thinking of what question you will ask next.
6. Close!  Close on a planning appointment, desired end-results, or even just prevention.
   • ‘It sounds like you are interested in maintaining the health of your teeth.  If we see something today that could get in the way of that goal, would you like our help to keep on track?’  
   • ‘Based on your unique situation and the fact that you’re super busy with your 9 kids, what if we could make the best use of your time today, then set up a time for just you and Dr., uninterrupted?  This will allow the two of you to work out a plan that will accomplish what you want, and minimize time away from your kids – what do you think?’
7. Give a complete handoff to the next team member IN FRONT OF THE PATIENT. Be sure to start with personal information, then share the patients’ objectives/motivation. 

Check out our New Patient Interview Training Resource for more!