BEST STRATEGIES TO OPTIMIZE PATIENT RETENTION IN YOUR DENTAL CLINIC

Patient retention is one of the most effective, yet tricky ways that contribute to the progress and substantiation of a dental clinic. Retaining existing patients comes with several advantages such as:
• It is more economical than obtaining new clientele
• Long-standing patients help to build a clinic’s reputation
• Increased referrals by word of mouth
• Boosts morale and spirit of clinic employees
• Building up trust and long-standing partnerships with the patientsr
Retaining patients is however not a cakewalk. It requires time and effort. Here are some tips to help you out:
• Develop a patient-centric dental clinic: Read more on this at https://curiedothealth.wordpress.com/2020/04/01/patient-centered-approach-to-clinical-practice/ • Building a one to one relationship with your patients: Patients like to have a sense of belonging when they visit a dental clinic. The best way to give them a memorable experience is by remembering the name of your patient, having a casual talk with them once a while, ensure they are comfortable and you communicate well with them.
Pic Courtesy: (U.S. Air Force/Osakabe Yasuo)
• Empower your patients to be able to make informed choices by analyzing and choosing the desired treatment from the choices you give them. Pushing a patient to do something that they do not want to do will lead to negative thoughts and failure to form a connection with the particular doctor.
• Always spend adequate time with your patients for consultation and treatment appointments and give them a feeling of ‘Value for Money’.Staying punctual also goes a long way in maintaining clientele.
• Ensure constant communication with patients. If a patient has finished a consultation appointment and is weighing their treatment options or has finished a treatment appointment, make sure to reach out to them and address any questions or queries. This will encourage them to come back for further treatment and review visits.
• Constantly stay connected with your patients by sending regular messages about upcoming appointments, review visits, missed appointments, etc.,
• Make yourself available to patients in case of any questions, queries, emergencies, etc. Speak to them over the phone personally if required. Failure to express your easy availability will lead to patients searching for other easily approachable dentists.
• Make different payment options available to your patients. In current situations, a patient might not prefer a dentist who charges in full. EMI options or third party payments have become increasingly popular and many patients lookout for these.
• Always be in step with the latest dentistry related technology, advancements, and innovations.
• Ensure the entire clinic team is aware of your core values and principals and they are taught how to put a patient first.
Following the above will improve your clinic’s patient retention capacity drastically. However, associating with a software partner such as Curie. Health will help out in several ways mentioned above.
From providing the clinic with the best technologically sound software, helping you keep in touch with patients through marketing, bulk SMSs, reminders and virtual consultations and helping you to provide patients with various payment options, Curie Health is the perfect solution you have been searching for!