23 tips to keep your patients happy, loyal

We know how much our readers appreciate the Patient Tip of the Day. For your pleasure and convenience, here they are again-all in one place-in case you missed them.

23. Be aware of odors that might turn off your patients. Too much cologne, air freshener or even lingering cigarette smoke can send patients looking for another practice.

22. Protect your patients' information from natural disasters like superstorm Sandy. When superstorms like Sandy and other natural disasters hit, you can’t afford to lose all your patient data.

21.Spread the joy. Let your patients see how proud your team is to work in your practice.

20.Think beyond 9 to 5. Adding flexible hours can help you attract new patients.

19.Never call a patient a liar. Sometimes you just have to let it go.

18. The 3 things that keep all patients from going through with treatment plans. Accepting or rejecting treatment plans always comes down to time, money or fear. Address these issues with your patients.

17. Don't underestimate the power of the little things. Patients like to feel special. They want to know they’re taken care of and they want to be comfortable during their appointments.

16. Get your team members involved in marketing. For a marketing plan to work, your team has to be on board.

15. Don't overbook. Your patients not be willing to wait.

14. Don't talk politics. Your patients don’t care if you’re voting for Governor Mitt Romney or President Barack Obama come Nov. 6.

13. Know what treatment your patients are already getting. Don't let your promotions backfire.

12. Stay curious. As dentistry changes, you have to find ways to keep up.

11.Take video. One way to increase patient acceptance is to actually watch how you interact with your patients and how they react to you.

10.Take advantage of special occasions. It’s a great way for you to reach out to your patients to let them know what your practice is all about, and can be an opportunity to do something fun in your practice.

9.Make it easy for them to contact you. It’s so important to have a website that makes it easy for your patients to communicate with you, at any time of the day or night.

8. Set goals as a team. Keeping your staff motivated can only benefit your patients and your practice.

7.Easy ways to give your office a makeover. Looking for a way to bring some excitement back into your office? Maybe it's time to make a change.

6. Rally behind a cause. As a dentist, you make a difference in your patients’ lives every day. So why not take that a step further and give back to your community by finding a cause to support?

5.Take care of yourself. If you’re feeling sluggish or you're starting to experience the body aches and pains that are all too often part of a dentist’s day-to-day, then you probably aren’t providing the best care possible for your patients.

4.Don't talk over their heads. Patient education is an important part of your job, especially when you’re diagnosing and talking treatment options. But when you or your team members are providing that education, you have to remember your patients didn’t go to dental school.

3.Offer the best products possible. There are a lot of great products out there, so how can you make sure a new, or even an older, product you’re interested in is the best option?

2.Stay passionate. It’s easy to get into a rut, to just go about your day-to-day routine without that passion you felt when you first started practicing.

1.Ask the right questions. Before you can truly know what your patients want and what elective services you should talk with them about, you have to take the time to ask. That’s why the new patient interview is such an important part of that first visit.

Your patients are your practice. Without them, where would you be? You have to know the best ways to attract them to your practice, get them to accept treatment and make them happy, life-long patients.

That’s where we can help. Check back regularly for tips on how to keep your patients happy, healthy and loyal.
 
The DPR Patient Tip of the Day is sponsored by Instrumentarium Dental, manufacturer of high-end systems and solutions for dental and maxillofacial imaging. Visit Instrumentariumdental.com to learn about the company's full line of imaging solutions, including the ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH®OP300.