Beware of ‘Phantom’ Case Acceptance

Do you ever find yourself suddenly thinking about a patient you diagnosed several weeks ago — the one who agreed to your plan for a quadrant or smile makeover? Whatever happened to her?

Well, she may have said yes to you, but somewhere between the operatory and the front desk, that “yes” became a “maybe,” so she didn’t book an appointment. Eventually, she lost interest in the idea and now she’s avoiding her recare visit because she’s still not sure.

This scenario occurs far too frequently in dental practices everywhere. Doctors are fooled by “phantom” case acceptance while patients (and ideal treatment opportunities) are silently slipping away, often lost forever. It’s one thing to pursue new patients, but as long as these case opportunities are falling through the cracks, you’re taking one step forward and two steps back.

This is where the right strategies are important. Decisions and commitments about clinical care should be made chairside. This is where value has to be created and brought home.

In situations where you need support for these large cases, bring the financial coordinator and the appointment coordinator into the operatory. Communicate with them, in front of the patient, what the patient needs and have them finalize with the patient and appoint it right there. Or after your explanation, the patient can go with them to the consultation room. The main thing is to ensure that the baton is passed correctly so it’s not left up to the patient to complete the process.

Patient retention will always be the secret of success in a dental practice. When you can stop the cases you have in your grasp from getting away, that’s when you really start to make strides. It’s the most fundamental cornerstone of leadership, and it isn’t hard to accomplish. It’s just a matter of implementing a few key systems to ensure every patient receives comprehensive value, every patient leaves complete for payment, and — most importantly — every patient leaves with a firm appointment to return.