Seating a Patient in the Treatment Room

This is one of the most important steps in the entire new patient experience. The patient is finally in the chair and is evaluating every aspect of the office.

So far, the patient should have experienced exceptional service on the telephone while making the initial appointment. They were then sent a welcome packet with pages of glowing testimonials from your biggest fans. When they arrived to the front desk area they were greeted like an old friend and given a new patient gift. The back office team member warmly greeted them and escorted them back to the treatment room.

Up until this point, each interaction was carefully guided, scripted and choreographed.

This phase of the patient experience requires a bit more skill and personality. The team member must be able to have a conversation with the patient. The goal is to extract as much personal information from the patient as possible without making it feel like an inquisition. It is at this phase of the patient experience that rapport is built and the foundation for a lifetime relationship begins.

Once the patient is seated in the chair, the back office team member should start to get to know the patient. They should NOT immediately begin talking about dentistry and what’s going to happen in during the appointment. We use a form called the ”Yellow Sheet” which helps guide the team member towards the types of facts that we like to know about each patient. Each bit of information that we are able to gather from the patient allows the team to provide better service and care to the patient.

Creating an engaging conversation is an art and a skill that must be developed. Here are some quick pointers:

1. Get them to talk about themselves. Studies have shown that if you direct a conversation towards someone and get them talking about themselves, they will walk away from the conversation feeling better about you.
2. Ask open ended questions. Ask the type of questions that require more than a yes or no answer.
3. Genuinely listen. One of the greatest aspects of dentistry as a profession is getting to know so many people with diverse backgrounds and stories. Listen to what the patient’s have to say and develop a genuine care and interest in them. After all, we treat the whole person, not just the mouth!

Here are some sample questions that our team members routinely ask new patients. As a rule of thumb, our assistants are required to record at least three questions on the “Yellow Sheets” for every new patient. As the patient returns for further treatment, more blanks on the “Yellow Sheet” can be filled in or the conversation can go back to what was spoken about and recorded at the previous appointment.

Back Office Team Member: So, tell me a little bit about yourself, how long have you lived here in this area?

Are you going on any trips this (summer, spring, fall, winter)? Are you an animal person? Do you have any pets?

Do you have children? Do they live in the area?

What do you do for a living? How long have you been in that profession? What do you like to do in your spare time?

Are you a (baseball, football, basketball, etc.) fan? Who’s your favorite team?

As rapport is being established, the back office team member should be preparing the treatment room for the full mouth series of x-rays. At this point, explain the procedure and let them know what to expect.

New Patient Scenario

Back Office Team Member:   Ms. Jones, today I’m going to take a series of x-rays of your entire mouth. There will be a total of eighteen x-rays taken. These x-rays will allow (Dr.’s name) to perform a complete examination of all of your teeth and surrounding structures. If you are worried about radiation exposure, our digital x-ray unit decreases your radiation exposure by over 80% compared to traditional x-rays. (If you use digital x-rays in your office, make sure that you share the benefits of the patient. This will let them know that your practice is on the cutting edge and that you care enough about their health to minimize their exposure.)

When a patient is returning to the office for treatment, the back office team member should reference the “Yellow Sheet” and continue the conversation from the previous appointment. The back office team member should also take this opportunity to verify the treatment being done that day.

Returning Patient Scenario

Back Office Team Member: So Ms. Jones how was your cruise to Alaska?

 Ms. Jones: We had a great time, thank you for asking! I can’t believe that you remembered that I was going on that trip.

Back Office Team Member: I’m glad you had a good time! Just to make sure we’re on the same page, it says that we’re doing a crown on a lower right tooth today. Does that sound right?

Ms. Jones: Yes, that’s sounds right.

Back Office Team Member:  Great! (Dr.’s name) will be in shortly and we’ll get started.

Note: When presenting treatment options to the patient, utilize models, illustrations and any practice software necessary to help the patient understand and visualize the rationale and process of the treatment plan. Larger treatment plans should be presented in stages so that the patient does not get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the project. Reassure the patient of the benefits of moving forward and the consequences of doing nothing.