iDentistry The Journal identistry_jan_april2019 | Page 10

The Journal
others. To create a better patient experience,
we have to stand out in our patients’ minds for
excellent customer service and do everything
you can to exceed their expectations. The only
aim of this article is to create a few gentle and
helpful reminders; that dentists as ‘planners’
should know & should do, but don't always have
the time or patience to do so. In Practice
Management, the basics are the key and it is a
process which begins with a series of changes
in you (first of all), in your behaviour & in your
practice along with application of some smart
tips for confidence and success. Let's have a
close look at a few (Top 25) tips that have the
capability to make our systems run smoothly
and which can be used as road maps to head
our practice to higher destination.
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break
them like an artist.
~ Pablo Picasso
25 Smart Tips to excel in the field of
Dentistry
1. Positively increase your patient’s
satisfaction : There have been various studies
where patients have reported that their
satisfaction began with their perception of
attentiveness, dignity, respect, effective
information transfer (communication) and
shared decision making in the respective clinic
by the treating dentist. The outcome in most of
the cases (if dealt with systematically) is a
higher degree of patient satisfaction and loyalty
resulting in repeat visits of the patient and
further referral of their family and extended
family members causing our clinic to have a
penetration into the pockets other than our own
area and hence the chain starts building and
spreading like a wildfire into a serpentine
queue, which ultimately spells more financial
freedom for our clinic in the longer run. The
above chain starts with attentiveness to the
patient’s chief complaint by lending a ‘patient’
ear via a one to one connection with them. The
patient has to be given a top priority during the
above exercise making them feel special and
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unique as constant interruptions that occur in
dentist-patient encounters like the phone calls,
a new walk-in patient, disturbance by the
assistant/s etc and can be an obstacle to the
perception of attentiveness that result in
patients feeling disconnected with the dentist.
Rephrasing the patient’s complaints in simple
plain words and putting them in order of severity
does elevate your stature in patient’s eyes that
his dentist has understood the grievance and he
shall definitely relieve the patient of his
problems. This also stresses upon the fact that
effective communication transfer has taken
place between dentist and him. Another aspect
which is assured through this conversation is
that patient will jabber out the exact details
without concealing anything once he sees the
dentist arriving at a correct diagnosis
significantly without much ado.
It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5
minutes to ruin it.
If you think about that, you will do things
differently.
~ Warren Buffet
2. Always insist on a feedback: Taking an
actual on ground feedback also helps a lot in
making subtle but sure changes in clinic to
impress upon our patients.
Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions
~ Ken Blanchard
As we all know, breakfast is the most important
meal of the day! Without a good breakfast, we
don't have the energy to get through the day.
Likewise, without feedback, any organization
can starve. It operates in a vacuum and cannot
improve, adapt or evolve. Also many patients
will not tell you about their dissatisfaction unless
they are given a confidential format. Your
website feedback links can be a lot effective if
they offer a secure and unbiased mode to
submit the form without telling the patient to
reveal their identity. So, it is always best to eat
this breakfast with the coffee and do all great
things to be a customer experience champion.
Vol. 15
No. 1
Jan-April 2019