Dentist Appointments: 5 Easy Tips to Overcome the Hygiene Slump

Gaining an influx of dentist appointments to fill in the gaps on your hygiene schedule can be tough. But the truth is that many dental practices experience the hygiene slump at one point or another. 

Though, the slump you experience does not have to work against you!

The most important thing to remember is that you should continue to remain productive and use the extra time to your advantage. As a matter of fact, there are five easy-to-implement tips that can help you improve your bottom line as you wait for your hygiene schedule to get back to normal.

How to increase dentist appointments during slowdowns

Provide training resources to your team

Your dental practice is only as good as your team. And if your team lacks the appropriate training to close on calls or convert new patients into life-long patients, it can become problematic for your business. 

Believe it or not, providing training to your team isn’t complicated, and you don’t have to sit there and coach your staff on what needs to be done. There are proven resources available to dentists to help your teams excel. 

For instance, Front Office Rocks specializes in online training for every role within your practice (and it does not cost an arm and a leg). Led by Laura Nelson, they have been around for well over ten years and are the #1 online resource for front dental office training. 

Fix broken equipment

A typical day at a dental office is jam packed with tasks. From helping patients, to dealing with billing or equipment issues — the work never fails. 

However, you can take advantage of any gaps in your schedule by using the time to schedule repairs for broken equipment. With 2-day free shipping and a 100% guarantee, Quickturn Repair is the go-to for fast dental handpiece and small dental equipment repairs. 

Have bigger needs like a dental chair that needs fixing or the installation of office equipment? Not to worry, Dental Fix RX is on it! The 4th largest mobile fleet of dental repair technicians in the nation, Dental Fix RX offers the white-glove service of a small-town technician with the experience of a major service brand. 

Update old equipment

Old and outdated equipment can affect your practice in ways that impact your bottom line. Think about it, when you go to your doctor’s office, aren’t you scanning the room, looking at equipment, staring at watermarks on the ceiling, etc.? 

Appearances matter and they have a direct correlation on whether your patients will return or not. During times when your hygiene schedule has slowed down, consider updating old equipment. Plus, when done the right way, you can even qualify for tax exemptions. 

Spruce up the office

When you’re on the go 24/7, lots of smaller yet important tasks get swept under the rug. For example, recycling outdated or ripped magazines, replacing faulty light bulbs, or fixing ceiling tiles with water stains. 

Also consider how your waiting room looks from the perspective of a patient. Does your waiting room have any plants? Adding a small plant on the table or a tall potted plant in an unused corner can make all the difference.

Run a special on an in-demand service

Instead of focusing on price cuts, consider running a promotion for slow days or specific time intervals that tend to be slower. You could also run a paired promotion for a high-value service in which patients receive a discount on hygiene. 

Second, send an email blast to your patient list to retarget current patients. Third, post the offer on your social media sites. This can help attract new patients at the same time. And, when posting to social media, be sure to create a sense of urgency through your copy. For example: “Once a year, we offer a 2-for-1 special on teeth whitening. Call 555-555-5555 now to book your appointment! *Disclaimer: Offer valid during the month of September only.” 

Always consider your bottom line

Whatever you plan on doing to gain more dentist appointments during moments of slowdown or slumps in your hygiene schedule, make sure it’s productive and will contribute to enhancing your bottom line. 

As a business owner, your focus should always be on improving your practice and ensuring your profit margin will yield results. 

Visit www.dentalwhale.com to learn more about improving your practice’s bottom line and speak to the experts directly.