{"id":4724,"date":"2021-04-21T16:23:46","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T20:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.opencare.com\/blog\/?p=4724"},"modified":"2023-12-05T17:04:34","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T22:04:34","slug":"4-tips-to-help-improve-your-patient-retention-rate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.opencare.com\/blog\/4-tips-to-help-improve-your-patient-retention-rate\/","title":{"rendered":"4 tips to help improve your patient retention rate"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Based on <\/span>reports<\/span><\/a> from the American Dental Association, the average new patient retention is 41%<\/strong>. Overall, dentists keep just 4 out of 10 new patients after their first appointment. Just a 10% improvement in these statistics would add thousands of dollars in revenue every year.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how do you improve dental patient retention? What kind of strategies and efforts should you implement to get patients to return to your dental office? Let\u2019s look at four things you can do to help create an ongoing engagement with each patient.<\/span><\/p>\n

1) Treatment planner<\/b><\/h3>\n

Making reminders and appointment scheduling is not enough for successful dental patient retention. You need to hold your team accountable and measure their success. This will help boost your performance and retention.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the <\/span>Dawson Academy<\/span><\/a>, a dental office needs treatment planning protocols. These protocols should feature a practical and easy-to-use checklist. The process can be useful for any patient, regardless of how complex their dental issue might be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With an option like this, dentists can get proper quality control throughout the entire process. The planning begins with the dentist completing a two-dimensional functional-esthetic analysis. This checklist helps them address macro and global esthetics. As well as occlusal stability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They would then need to add their treatment plan to 3D models. When they stick to this planning process, dentists can provide better patient care and function smoothly. That\u2019s how they build loyal dental patients in the long haul.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not sure if you can make the cut? Opencare<\/a> can provide full insurance verification breakdowns. We can also help you make confident and effective treatment plans for your dental office. The platform can help you grow and manage your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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Grow your dental practice<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Opencare is the only risk-free patient acquisition solution for dentists.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn more<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

2) Effective patient education<\/b><\/h3>\n

Almost 3.5 billion people around the globe have oral diseases. <\/span>Experts<\/span><\/a> believe 2.3 billion suffer from dental caries. While 10% of the population has severe periodontal disease. The reason for that is relatively simple. Many people are simply unaware of how bad their teeth diseases can get.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to get patients to return, you need to give them a reason to. It\u2019s up to the dentist to educate patients and inspire them to book a <\/span>dentist appointment.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n

For example, tell your patient if they ignore the cavity, it will continue to expand. If a tooth decays, it will make you vulnerable to brittle teeth. It might cost $200 to get the teeth fixed now. But, if you don’t treat the issue and more oral diseases emerge, then you\u2019ll be spending $2,000 down the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

Simply put, a dentist needs to build trust and rapport with patients \u2013 and master their soft skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

3) Provide flexible payment options<\/b><\/h3>\n

The cost of regular dental services is usually the main reason people don\u2019t want to <\/span>find a dentist<\/span><\/a>. Regular dental care is just too expensive. According to a <\/span>University of Michigan<\/span><\/a> National Poll, 69% of people surveyed said they couldn\u2019t afford regular dental care. It just wasn\u2019t in their budget.<\/span><\/p>\n

By offering clients flexible payment options, you can overcome these financial pitfalls. For instance, you can give constant patients special discounts, financing, or even a fun points system. With every visit, patients can collect points, which can serve as a discount.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another practical idea is to help them understand their insurance coverage. So, the next time a patient needs to book an appointment, they\u2019ll be more inclined to use your affordable services.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

By joining our Opencare platform, you can optimize your <\/span>revenue cycle management<\/span><\/a>. With our services, you can learn useful practices for verifying the patient\u2019s insurance. Our team of experts will guide you every step of the way. We make treatment plans easy with full insurance verification services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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Worry-free insurance verification<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Opencare takes the guesswork and effort out of insurance verification.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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4) Help patients make the most of the care they pay for<\/b><\/h3>\n

Many insurance plans have high out-of-pocket costs and deductibles. Unfortunately, figuring out the insurance policy can be overwhelming. You can win over patients by helping them get the hang of their expenses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, dental patients have high expectations. They want their dental practice to take care of their treatment, scheduling, and insurance. If you don\u2019t give them the service they need, some other office will.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To keep loyal dental patients, start by preparing simple brochures. These brochures should explain everything about copayments, insurance, and coverage<\/a>. Mix that information with practical examples they can find in real life. This will help orient patients.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Don\u2019t forget to talk about your copayments in detail. Some dental offices require complete up-front payments. Others prefer up-front copayments. Whereas some services don\u2019t even ask for copayment until they have acquired the insurance reimbursement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Basically, you should become an advocate for your clients. That\u2019s how you build effective dental patient retention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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