As an oral care service provider, you’ve likely experienced a wide range of dental issues and emotions, from dental anxiety to the more nonchalant section of the public. No matter your patient, finding ways to improve the patient experience is essential.
Delivering the best care possible to all patients, regardless of their care requirements or level of dental anxiety, can help your dental practice grow, provide exceptional results, and boost patient satisfaction.
So, where do you start to improve the patient experience in dentistry?
Improve Communication
Effective communication is not just a skill. It’s a bridge that connects you with your patients. Your ability to convey information clearly and empathetically can significantly impact the patient’s experience. It’s not just about delivering care; it’s about ensuring the patient feels heard and understood. If you can’t communicate effectively with patients and co-workers, then you won’t be able to deliver the care you should or ensure that the patient has everything they need for the best dental experience possible.
Used High-Quality Tools and Products
Investing in high-quality tools, equipment, and materials for dental treatment is not just a choice; it’s a commitment to excellence. You want your patients to be satisfied with the treatment they receive, be it preventive or restorative, and if you don’t have up-to-date equipment, you may be unable to deliver certain types of treatment.
Investing in comfy chairs, quality lighting, and learning supplies is a must. You need advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment as well as imagery technology. Don’t overlook the importance of using materials such as composite, porcelain, or gold for fillings. You need to consider products like the world’s first universal dental composite to offer your patients the best treatment choice. The better the quality of the products you use, the better the results and the higher patient satisfaction will be.
Follow Up
Being proactive in following up with patients post-treatment and ensuring they return for checkups to assess results and durability is a testament to your commitment to patient care. By committing to treatment follow-ups, you show your patients that you’re not only there to provide the treatment but also invested in their long-term care and well-being.
Embrace Digital
Digital technology is revolutionizing many aspects of the world, and healthcare, specifically dentistry, is not excluded. From using digital services to improve scheduling, booking, and patient care to using digital tools and technology to upgrade the patient experience, digital technology is revolutionizing healthcare. For example, the digital dental impression process is much faster and easier for patients when they require treatment involving crowns, bridges, or implants. The digital process removes the need for a mold to be fitted, prolonging the treatment process and being massively uncomfortable for many people.
Ask for Feedback
You never know what you’re doing is wrong if you don’t ask for feedback. Feedback is important in supporting you to make better decisions, improve on what you do, and strive for a more patient-oriented focus. Ask patients to fill in feedback forms, take all feedback on board, and use it to push through changes to make things better. Then, feed this back to those who left feedback so they know you are making changes to improve.
