Jo Phillpot, Business Development Consultant at DPAS, looks at the most important questions that you should be asking new patients…
We all know that taking on new patients is one of the key ways to keep your practice thriving. Over the course of a lifetime they can generate thousands of pounds in income, not just from themselves but also as a source of referrals.
It follows, then, that it is important to maximise each opportunity that a new patient brings. Not only will this bring big business benefits, but it goes hand-in-hand with providing the best experience for your patients.
One way to make sure this is happening in your practice, is to ask each new patient these key questions:
What made you choose our practice? The answer to this question could reveal a lot about the patient’s desires. They might have chosen you because you’re close to their child’s school/a relative’s house, etc, which might give you chance to talk about any referral incentive you offer, or any children’s open days you hold. It might be that they heard you offered a particular service/treatment they’re interested in. Asking this question will kick-start the conversation and provide an easy opening to discuss treatment options earlier than it might otherwise have happened.
How happy are you with your smile? You can ask sub-questions/follow-ups to this, in terms of specifically focusing on things like the whiteness or straightness of the smile. But by asking this initial question you are opening up an avenue of discussion that, often, the patient does not instigate. Even if they feel they would like a whiter smile, it’s not necessarily something they bring up without being prompted. Which means you may be missing out on the income from delivering this treatment and your patient will still be unhappy with their smile.
What’s important to you about your dental health? This will help you to identify what your patient values when it comes to their dental health. It may be that they want to retain all their teeth. Or that they don’t want to have any more fillings. The answer they give will help you to tailor your service and treatment plan so that it aligns with what is most important to them. This kind of approach will, again, identify potential treatments that the patient is interested in without placing the onus on them to bring it up. And, it will ensure your patient receives service that feels personalised and that they have the best journey possible with you.
Ideally these questions will be asked face-to-face, but you could also ask them via a survey. The key is that they will start a conversation and open up opportunities that may otherwise have remained hidden.
