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May 13, 2008

By Lois Banta
Banta Consulting Group

It has been said that your new patient is the core of how well your practice grows. The new patient experience starts with a phone call to your office. The team member scheduling a new patient must be an exceptional communicator and effective negotiator, especially when quoting fees and discussing financial arrangements.

It is helpful to have a written guide for those interviewing new patients on the phone. When a patient calls for an appointment, first ask whom you should thank for the referral. This is one of the most important questions because a quality practice is built through quality referrals.

One of the last questions should be about the patient's dental benefit plan. This way, patients will be less likely to think you are only interested in them for their insurance. However, many patients make the "insurance question" their first question. You can respond with, "We pride ourselves in assisting our patients on every level, including maximizing their dental benefits." It's a perfect introduction to the dreaded "financial" discussion.

Many patients misunderstand the limitations on their dental plan and rely on us "dental providers" to interpret and explain. For example, they think a prophylaxis covered two times a year means they get two free cleanings per year. Wrong! It is important to educate patients about the limitations on their plan.

Ask patients to bring their dental benefit booklet with them to their appointment. When they see their plan in writing and you interpret it, they understand and accept the limitations. Remember to help patients understand that their dental benefit plan was developed by their employer and insurance company, and we, the dental office, have zero credibility when it comes to discussions about dental benefits.

Because the contract is between the patient and employer, they are under no obligation to assist us. The patient rarely understands this. Patients think we are "best friends" with the insurance company and that we have a direct line to them.

I recommend filling out a telephone information slip when scheduling a new patient. The example below and other forms are available for sale from Banta Consulting, Inc.:

Notice that the last question on this form is about insurance. You don't want patients to think you're only interested in their money. Ask relationship-building questions first--the referral source, name and address, and who their previous dentist was. This shows patients that you care about them and want their experience in your office to be exceptional.

Appointing the new patient is very strategic. You definitely need a written system for this or the patient could end up with a less than ideal experience. There are many theories for scheduling the new patient--in the hygiene chair only, in the doctor's chair only, or in both the hygiene and doctor chairs.

Whichever method fits your philosophy is best. In my experience, wherever the new patient is scheduled, it's best not to clean their teeth on the same visit. Realistically, if you have never met this patient, it's difficult to determine just how many minutes are needed for a prophylaxis. Therefore, the patient should be scheduled for approximately one to 1.5 hours in the doctor or hygiene chair.

If the new patient is scheduled in the doctor chair, if possible I recommend scheduling the patient in the second chair, making best use of matrix or tiered scheduling. Assistant number two takes the diagnostic films while assistant number one finishes another patient with the doctor, i.e., a crown, bridge, filling, etc. Overlap the new patient appointment by as much time needed to take the diagnostic films.

The example below demonstrates both a doctor-only appointment schedule and a hygiene-only appointment schedule. Keep in mind that the most efficient use of production time and where it is scheduled can affect your bottom line.

In example one, the doctor and first assistant start a crown procedure in column one, and assistant two sees the new patient in column two. In example two, the hygienist sees the patient. Ten minutes are set aside in both columns for the new patient interview. It is crucial to interview the new patient before starting treatment to identify concerns, wants and needs. I suggest the interview take place in your consultation room. No patient bib, no clinical environment to start. This is where the "smile evaluation" should take place.

Here are sample smile evaluation questions:

• Why did you leave your previous dentist?
• Why did you choose this office?
• What was your childhood experience/family dental experience like?
• Did your parents keep their teeth for life?
• What about your smile/teeth would you change if you could?

These questions help you identify your patient's "hot buttons," or what motivates them to choose or not choose dentistry. How do they feel about the overall dental experience? The main motivators are time, money, fear, or pain.

Identifying these areas helps you help your patient want what they need, especially when the time comes to discuss money and financial arrangements. Remember, many patients come to your practice with old habits; for instance, their previous dentist just let them make payments on their dental treatment.

In order to accommodate your patients' needs and concerns, you should address them immediately. When asked if you accept monthly payments for treatment, you might respond with: "Absolutely. We have developed special partnerships with some wonderful financial programs to help our patients meet their budget needs. We'd be happy to sit down and discuss your options for payment."

This is a perfect opportunity to reinforce your payment guidelines. Your patients need to know your expectations regarding their responsibilities. There are numerous outside finance companies today, which means you do not have to serve as a "bank."

After you finish the patient's exam, it's time for the consultation. I believe there are three types of consultation opportunities: the in-office full consultation, the phone consultation, and the chair side consultation. The in-office consultation is for patients who need major or comprehensive dental treatment. Sit down with your patients and their partners (if preferred) to outline the best treatment options.

For patients with no operative treatment needs, a phone consultation should suffice. A chair side consult might be for patients who need minimal dental treatment. You could go over your findings chair side at the new patient appointment. All in-office consultations should involve the doctor, patient, and best office communicator who is comfortable making financial arrangements. Informed patients make the best decisions.

Don't apologize for your fees or your proposed treatment plan, and don't pre-judge a patient's ability to pay. If it occurs to you that a patient might not accept the best options or can't afford a dental treatment, it will also occur to them. Remember, the best way to implement any new idea is to make a plan, write a protocol, and follow the system. There will always be exceptions to your rules. Just don't make the exception become the rule!

Bio
Lois Banta is CEO, president and founder of Banta Consulting Group, a company that specializes in all aspects of dental practice management. Banta has more than 32 years of dental experience. For consultation or speaking engagements, call 816-847-2055 or write her at 3010 NE Pink Hill Rd, Grain Valley, MO 64029. She can be reached via e-mail at Lois Banta, or check out her Web site at Banta Consulting Group.

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