How you communicate with your patients will strongly determine the speed of your recovery. And while there will certainly be some patients who are afraid to come back, once patients understand the protective measures you are taking, most will be comfortable returning to the office. You must be ready to handle their care in the best ways for them and your practice.
Contact patients on a continual basis to reactivate them. Even patients who have indicated they are afraid to return or are financially challenged should be placed into a 90-day follow-up program. Many of these patients will return at 90 days, 180 days, and so on.
Don't forget to prioritize patients by production. Patients with larger, faster, or easier cases should be scheduled first. This means that large cases, new patients (who typically represent 200% to 300% higher financial value to the practice), and emergencies should all be scheduled as early as possible. In addition, treating patients in as few appointments as possible to complete all of their dentistry is another effective strategy that will help to reduce overhead (especially personal protective equipment) and increase revenue.
Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the CEO of Levin Group, a leading dental management consulting firm, and one of the most sought-after speakers in dentistry. Dr. Levin has authored 65 books and more than 4,000 articles on dental practice management and marketing. You can sign up for the Levin Group Tip of the Day.
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