DrBicuspid.com Practice Management Insider: 6 ways to create a better patient experience

Dear Practice Management Insider,

When a new patient walks into your office, is it the first time you've spoken with the person? If your practice is like that of Dr. Joshua Perlman's, the answer to that question is no, you've already reached out to the patient personally. Dr. Perlman offers this and other ideas to help create a better experience for your patients.

Also featured in the Practice Management Community, consultant Sally McKenzie writes that while you strive to provide excellent care for your patients, you probably learned that you can't please everyone. But, in today's world driven by social media, how do you handle patient complaints? She urges you not to ignore these complaints, but rather treat them as a way to learn and to show your patients you take them seriously.

Since our last Practice Management Insider in late June, these next four columns have been among the most read on DrBicuspid.com, as measured by page views.

Can your practice survive on referrals? If it can, fantastic. If it likely cannot, you may need to be doing marketing. The Madow Brothers offer some practical, thoughtful ideas on how to get started and how to take your marketing efforts to the next level.

Telephone communication has been completely transformed in the past 20 years with the advent of the cellphone and voice mail. However, the phone still allows dental practices to connect with prospective patients in important ways, writes Dr. Roger P. Levin.

Social media blackmail was probably not on the syllabus in dental school, but it's a reality in today's connected world. In her latest Sheri's Solutions, Dr. Sheri Doniger relates what she heard at a recent dental conference on this topic and delves into the realities that every practice faces.

Kevin Cain, PhD, of Georgia Regents University writes that dental service organizations have been in the news lately, and many readers have questions about how they operate. In this column, he offers insight into the structure, ownership, and practices of these organizations.