Ann answers your questions - What is the best method of keeping a list of patients who could fill those "last minute" openings?

Ann, Thanks for the opportunity to ask you anything about my practice.

I often have a full hygiene schedule for 1 or 2 months. So patients sometimes are surprised that we don't have openings sooner. The truth is that after we make our reminder calls for the hygiene appointments 1 week in advance, we often have openings in the schedule.

My main question is. What is the best method of keeping some type of list of patients who could fill those "last minute" openings? What's the list called, what type of patients should go on it? My front office has always disliked my idea of such a list, because of poor results when we have tried this method.

And, what is a polite way to suggest to patients who change or cancel their 6 month recall appointments too often, that we'd prefer not to schedule them 6 months in advance and will send a postcard or call instead? 

I'm a 2 op practice that is very busy, I'm just trying to see how we might be able to squeeze a little more efficiency into our business without changing length of appointments or physical size of my practice.

Mark in Arvada, Colorado



Hi Mark in Arvado, CO

Thanks for your questions about scheduling. I agree with you that a list of patients willing to be called to come on short notice can be an effective scheduling tool. Many clients call this a “short call list.” Your business desk staff members should ask patients either on the phone or in person at the desk if they would like to be called on short notice if an opening in the schedule should occur. Such a list may be maintained on computer or manually, and it can best be used for hygiene appointments and 2 and 3 unit restorative appointments. Longer restorative appointments may be more difficult to schedule on short notice due to pending lab deliveries or patients’ busy schedules.
Another “trick” that works for many clients is to leave a few “holes” in the hygiene schedule 6 months out. Perhaps one appointment per day left unscheduled until shortly before the day will build flexibility into your hygiene schedule.

Your business staff may want to offer a “frequent changer/breaker” of hygiene appointments an explanation such as, “Mrs. Clark, we’re working to make things convenient for our very busy patients whose schedules make it difficult for them to keep appointments six months out. Let me send you a post card and an email reminder several weeks before you’re due for your next hygiene appointment. If I don’t hear from you to schedule within several days, I’ll give you a call.” These patients can then be scheduled in the “holes” left in the schedule 6 months ago.

You also asked about efficiency---efficient systems in the operatory are mandatory for full productivity. Though you expressed a desire to retain your two-chair operatory, my years of experience have convinced me that two chairs for treatment plus one or two hygiene chairs are minimal for full productivity.

A few examples of details that must be worked to increase efficiency:

A separate x-ray room is a boon, allowing x-rays to be taken while another patient is being seen.

Prescribe x-rays for the patient’s next appointment at this appointment. That way at each appointment a team member can get x-rays and have them ready for you to read as you enter an operatory.

A team member should transport patients rather than your doing so.

Allow a staff member to transcribe treatment notes from your dictation rather than your recording notes whether on a chart or by computer.

Hire sufficient dental assistants so one is with you at all times while another tears down, cleans, and sets up a unit for the next patient.

A few extra basic instruments at each unit prevent delay in case one is dropped during treatment.

On and on---pick at every detail of your clinical routine. Consider---one more dental assistant, extra instruments, digital x-rays, a fail-proof lab delivery system, a quick morning huddle to review the day’s patients, etc., add significantly to efficiency and therefore, to your production and income.