Practice Promotion Great Ideas
While the majority of your patients are likely referred to you by a general dentist, you should value their opinion of your work and your practice. What patients share with their dentist—good or bad—affects your partnership with the general dentist, and perhaps others in your professional network. Seek out this feedback yourself by surveying patients to get input about your services.
The best way to ensure you receive patient feedback is to ask them to complete a short survey before they leave your office. You can include a survey and stamped envelope with other paperwork to mail back at a later time. Or you can post a survey on your website and ask patients to provide their feedback when it’s convenient. You can also hire a professional research company to conduct the surveys for you and provide you with detailed feedback reports. Whichever method you chose, the survey should be brief but meaningful, and for the most candid feedback, make the survey anonymous.
Ask what they liked about their experience and what could be improved. Ask if they found the staff to be engaging, helpful and friendly. Ask if they had fears about the procedure and if those concerns were addressed and treatment options were presented and explained. Seek information about the timeliness of the appointment and procedure and whether financial matters were handled well. Ask if the patient would recommend you and for general comments about their overall experience.
Positive comments can be used to promote your practice on your website and in brochures, ads and other marketing material. You should also share the feedback with the referring dentist to reinforce your relationship. Negative feedback should be shared with staff to address possible shortcomings in the office. Look for trends in patient comments to identify potential problem areas and determine what changes may be necessary.
Encouraging more communication from your patients will demonstrate your caring manner and that you are interested in providing the best possible level of service. This will lead to more satisfied patients and general dentists and build a stronger reputation for your practice.