No-shows: Annoyance or schedule killer?
I've heard some dentists say, "No-shows aren't that big of a problem. If anything, it gets us some breathing room." The trouble is -- this could be the most expensive breathing room in the world.
Rein in your no-shows. Don't get too lenient just because a patient has been with you for a while. Putting a stop to no-shows is not that hard, but you do have to set a policy and stick by it. Every patient should be informed by the front desk that there is a fee for missed appointments. When patients miss appointments, be ready to apply those fees. In most cases, the transgressors will change their tune when it starts costing them money.
Don't treat this issue lightly. A patient not showing up here and there may not seem like a problem, but no-shows add up. If you count your no-shows over a 20-year period, you will often find as much as $200,000 in production has been lost -- forever. That represents a year's take-home pay for many dentists!
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