369: You Need to Respect Your Patients’ Time

The fabulous road warrior Tiffanie is back on the podcast, this time to talk with Kiera about respecting people’s time. Is your back office out of sync? Are patients running over their allotted times? If someone needs an emergency visit, are you pushing everyone else back?

It’s time to face the facts of how catering to one single emergency patient is affecting your entire day for the worse. If you want to build trust and good relationships with your patients, running over their time slots is NOT the way to go. Tiffanie and Kiera discuss how to provide the best experience possible in a timely and efficient manner and what to do when someone calls with a last-minute request.

DAT takeaways:

1. Game plan the day in your morning huddle

2. Aspire to give VIP treatment to all patients

3. Whistle a different tune

Episode resources:

Reach out to Kiera & Tiff

Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast

Visit The Dental A-Team website

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Podcast Transcript

Kiera Dent:

Hey everyone. Welcome to the Dental A Team podcast. I'm your host, Kiera Dent. I had this crazy idea that maybe I could combine a doctor and a team member's perspective because, let's face it. Dentistry can be a challenging profession with those two perspectives. I've been a dental assistant, treatment coordinator, scheduler, filler, office manager, regional manager, practice owner, and I have a team of traveling consultants where we have traveled to over 165 different offices coaching teams. Yep. We don't just understand you. We are you. Our mission is to positively impact the world of dental. I believe that this podcast is the greatest way I can help elevate teams grow VIP experiences, reduce stress, and create A teams. Welcome to the Dental A Team podcast.

Kiera Dent:

Hello Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera, and guess who's here? It's Kiera and Tiffanie. I feel like I should have a song, or a jingle, or a diddy when Tiffanie comes on, because my podcasting with Tiffanie is one of my favorite things to do. Tiff and I think we're born as twins, just one year apart. It's just always easy and fun, and I love having Tiff here. Tiff, how are you today, girl?

Tiffanie Trader:

I am doing so good, and I couldn't agree more. I think that we are twins. I don't even know what to call it. We're not Irish twins, but we're like legit twins. We're just a year apart.

Kiera Dent:

We really are. If you guys didn't know, Tiffanie and I do have the exact same birthday, May 8th. That was an exciting and surreal moment. When we first met, we went to an office. We were in Colorado going to our first office together. I remember we were getting ready in the morning before we went to the office, and I don't even know how it came up. We barely knew each other, like legitimately barely knew each other. If I look back on that, we were kind of crazy. You know, in probably 20 years, people will think we were crazy, and it could have been a murder scene. It worked out, and we're some of the best friends you'll ever meet. We were just chatting, and it somehow came out. I think you said it first. You were like, "Yeah, my birthday's May 8th." I was like, ""Hold on. My birthday's May 8th."

Kiera Dent:

This is a trip, and fun, and all the things. I just adore you, Tiff, and I'm excited. You guys, our birthday is coming up. We do love unicorns, sprinkles, all the fun things in life. Believe it or not, neither of us like sharing a birthday, but when we met, I was like, "I'll share my birthday with you. It's pretty fun to share my birthday with you." There we are. Today, you guys, we're going to pop on, and we are going to chat about a topic that Tiff has been seeing in the offices. Tiff was a road warrior the last couple of months. She nailed nine offices in one month, and did 35 coaching calls or Zoom calls in the same month, and was traveling. You better believe she is a maximum efficiency human. Those coaching calls went in on her layovers. Those coaching calls were in on her drives. This is a woman who can figure out time, anywhere. Tiff, we're going to talk about time, and respecting people's time. Take it away. I'm excited to hear your spin on this.

Tiffanie Trader:

Yeah, absolutely. Thank you for the intro. I do coin myself. Oh, I actually think Kiera coined me as the efficiency master a long time ago. I never realized it until I started working with you, Kiera, how much efficiency really determines my life. I don't know why, but that's just who I am. I like things to be simple. I like them to be easy, and I like to save the most amount of time as I possibly can. I really pride myself on being on time to everything, so time is huge for me. It's probably from working in the office for so many years, and really being dictated by patient appointments. One thing I wanted to talk about today is something that came up for me earlier on a coaching call. It's come up a few times recently, just really respecting patient's time, so that they respect your time, as well.

Tiffanie Trader:

What came up today specifically, was really just not having the flow down in the back office, and running appointments over what they were scheduled for. Also, more commonly seen is trying to do so well for this one patient who has an emergency treatment, or they're going on vacation in two days and they forgot they had those two crowns they needed to get done, or someone's in the practice. They just need a really quick filling. I know we've got other patients scheduled, but I think we can squeeze it in. Really squeezing all of these scenarios into an already full schedule is doing really, really, really well for one person for that one appointment, but really respecting and looking at what it does for all of the patients that are scheduled thereafter. We've got a patient coming in, and we talk about this all the time, especially in morning huddles. We say, "Look at what treatment is unfinished, so that we can maximize the patient's time while they're in office. The best experience is to get the treatment done while they're already here, and not making them come back."

Tiffanie Trader:

The caveat to that is that you have to make sure you have the actual time for it. In morning huddle, while you're looking at that, I want you to also look at the schedule, and determine together as a team where the best spots are for emergency appointments, and if there's any time where the best spots are to do same-day treatment. It's important, because number one, it's important to talk about it together. Our front office sometimes has a very different idea than what our back office does. I have done both roles, right [crosstalk 00:05:25]?

Kiera Dent:

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Tiffanie Trader:

Kiera and I both have. I've been front office where I'm like, "I was a dental assistant. I know they can handle this. I'm just going to slip this in there."

Kiera Dent:

Sorry, team. Sorry. We know that we botched your schedule. We know it, and we just knew you could figure it out, but that's not the right thing to do. We apologize right now, because we hated that when that happened.

Tiffanie Trader:

My girls hated me. Exactly. On the flip side, when I was a dental assistant, I'm like, "Stop putting these appointments in. We can't see these patients." I've been on both sides of the coin, and I know that it happens in most practices all over the place. Talking about those together will ensure that you guys are on the same page. That sheet in the front office [inaudible 00:06:05] the front office is scheduling in the slots that you allotted, and the back office is aware these spots may be taken for emergencies or same day treatment. This is where we could have added that same day treatment. It's super important because we really, really are stressing this year specifically, more than any other year, to be proactive instead of reactive. I think 2020 taught us a lot, but it also forced us all to be in a state of reaction.

Tiffanie Trader:

We were reacting to everything that was thrown at us. We are reacting to the virus. We were reacting to the outcomes of the virus, to our schedule, to being shut down, to being reopened, to being overflowing with patients upon reopening. There was so much reaction that it trained us to be in reactivity mode. If you can go into the day more proactive, look at your schedule in the morning and say, "These are the areas that we can see those patients," you're overall going to give every single patient a more aligned experience than what they would have had before. You want them to be receiving that experience no matter what position they are in your office.

Tiffanie Trader:

If we take that one patient that we're like, "Oh, they just need to get in for this one thing. It's really easy. It should be fine. Bring them in. Squeeze them into the schedule," what effect are they going to have on patients who are scheduled around them? Your hygiene could be affected, because your doctor may not be able to get to the exams fast enough. Your hygiene department could go longer. They could start flowing into their next appointment. Your doctor side appointments, the treatment that was already scheduled, they were already a priority on your schedule. Now, you're running the risk of taking them back late, and negatively impacting the experience that they're going to have in your practice.

Tiffanie Trader:

Twofold, while I want you to give those patients the best experience possible, and to cater to patients the best that we possibly can. We want everyone to feel like they're important to us. You have to remember that by respecting the boundaries of what your schedule already is, and respecting the boundaries of your appointments that are already scheduled, you're actually telling that patient that you cannot fit in that when it's their turn, they're going to be respected, as well. It's super important, and it builds the trust, and the relationship between you and all of those patients. If those patients are coming in... You're bringing those patients late because you slid someone else into the schedule. All you're doing is telling that patient that they weren't valuable and important enough to get them back on time. Respect your patient's appointments, respect their boundaries, and hold strong to your own boundaries and your schedule, so that you feel better about what you're doing too.

Kiera Dent:

Don't you guys love being the office that just stands out? I'm always looking for ways for us to dazzle and shine in the most effective, easy way possible. You guys, Weave is a company that does that. They allow the patient information to pop up when the phone rings. You can actually talk to the patient about their likes, their family, the things that they're working on, and you can have a really, really personable conversation. Plus, they do a ton more. You guys, text phones, P-H-O-N-E-S to 797979. You guys can get a free demo of Weave, and a $25 gift card. You guys, check them out. I think they're awesome, and they can help you guys stand out. That's 797979 phones, P-H-O-N-E-S.

Kiera Dent:

For sure. Somebody quoted it the other day. They said, "Breaking trust with myself." I thought about that a lot. Do I break trust with myself? Do I break trust with my patients? Am I willing to be tolerant of that style of living? Am I going to be an elevated experience when people work with me specifically, and they also work with our company, and for you guys in your practice. I loved, Tiff, what you talked about of morning huddle time. I was thinking, how often is it where you're driving in a parking lot and you're about to take a parking spot, and somebody pulls through the other way? You're like, "What the... What? I was going to take that spot." That's how I feel the schedule is.

Kiera Dent:

The dental assistants are like, "There's no one there. We're going to add same day treatment." Then, all of a sudden, front office fills that spot and you're like, "Oh man, now what do we do? We have got two patients in the same spot." I think that communication from all departments working together will avoid those clusters, and also will help you maximize. I've also seen the reverse where they don't talk about it, and they're worried that front office will fill that spot. What they do instead is, they don't try and convert same day in case the front office will fill it in there. We're missing on all those different opportunities.

Kiera Dent:

I just feel like patients right now, they don't want to come to the dental office as much. They also have opportunities. If we can do treatment same day, why not? They're already there. We've already checked their COVID test, we've already had them do their mouth rinse, all the pieces that are required now for a patient to come into the practice. Let's just take care of it same day if we can. I found with same day treatment and converting, it makes patients so happy as long as you don't make other patients wait. I have an office, and I know they're working on this a lot. They'll add in same day, but then they end up making patients wait three or four hours. That doesn't bode well either for the patients, because at the end of the day, that patient wasn't expecting to be there. They want their time to be respected. I usually say, if you guys are just trying it out with same day conversions, get on top of it at the morning huddle. Like you said, Tiffanie, look to see where we can do.

Kiera Dent:

Also, there was an office that I loved. On the schedule, they literally turned the color of the appointment. I think they turned it orange. On the hygiene schedule, they knew in morning huddle which patients had treatment pending. It was a color change. They could literally look, so doctors knew get in and do those exams sooner, because we have openings in these spots. That way, if we can, we can do an amazing opportunity for those patients, and take care of them in the best way possible, but yet the whole team was prepared like, "Hey, we've got this." If the schedule falls apart, we already know the patient's prepped with same day treatment, so we can add them in, and make the patient's time really worth it, plus our team's time worth it.

Kiera Dent:

Also, be quick on same day treatment. Dental assistants look for it. Talk to those patients. I know you can add a lot of same day treatment and amazing patient care as a dental assistant, just by looking at the patient's chart. I know I've been in several offices and Tiff, I know you've done the same thing, where we're like, "Hey, did you guys know Tiff's coming in for a #3 MO, but did you guys see that 4 has a DO right next to it and we're not doing that?" They're like, "Oh, we didn't know. We were just planning to do #3." There are so many assistants that if they just look at that chart and they talk to the patient, their patient's about to get numb. They're usually pretty motivated to not have to come back, and not have to get numb twice. A lot of times, they will do treatment if we just ask them, but we have to do it early in the appointment so our doctors know that we added a filling, and so our doctors can come back in and prepare.

Kiera Dent:

I think, Tiff, the whole point of all of this is respecting time, keeping trust, and not missing those little opportunities, because we weren't all communicating amongst the team to ensure that the patients get the best experience possible. I think this is one of the best ways you guys can make your practice stand out, or if not done correctly, you can make it stand out in the wrong way. Really watching to see, but if you guys are brand new to this, look to see. Could you add one same day treatment in per day? Could you add in maybe, two same day treatments? We're not talking crazy things. We're talking maybe a few sealants in hygiene, maybe a couple extra fillings. Those are the things I've seen while still maintaining that patient's time, and not breaking trust with the whole team.

Tiffanie Trader:

Absolutely. My favorite add ins are the easy ones. The occlusal fillings. Not an MOD and a DO, and an MO on the upper left, or the upper right. Class 3 filling on #2, or the [inaudible 00:14:01]. You can't even hardly see it. If you were sliding something in, and we're really squeezing it into openings, look for the ones that actually make sense. Your occlusals maybe, if you're in a state where your hygienist is licensed to get your patient numb, and your hygienist can get the patient numb before they go over to doctor's side. Really looking for those efficiency tools that will help you to ensure that you're doing best for all of your patients who are involved.

Kiera Dent:

I love it. I love it so much. I'd say, you guys, action items would be talk in the morning huddle, like Tiffanie chatted about, and game plan together so we're not accidentally taking people's parking spots, and we know we're going to probably be adding an emergency. If it's not filled, it's free reign for the back office to do the most impressive VIP care. Number two, make sure on those same day easy ad-ons that it really is VIP care for all the patients, not just the one that we're to add in, but then we throw off the whole rest of our day. Number three, let's change our filters. Oftentimes, I'll hear people say, "Oh, I can't do this. I can't do that." Well, guess what? Going to the gym is hard for me because I make it hard, not because going to the gym is actually hard.

Kiera Dent:

I say, "I've got to go get my shoes. I've got to get this. I've got to get that like it's super hard. Then, I've got to come home. Then, I'm sweaty. Then, I've got to do this." It becomes hard, versus people who love to go to the gym are like, "Yep. I just grab my shoes and off I go. It's so easy." I think, as a team, let's change our mindset that adding same day treatment's actually really easy, and you'll start to see how easy it is. I think those are some of my key takeaways. Tiff, any other takeaways about breaking trust or anything else around respecting patients' time that's on your mind today?

Tiffanie Trader:

I think you summed it up really well. I love it, and I think really just remembering the golden rule. If this were your appointment, what would be most important to you if you were already on this schedule, and remembering to respect the patients who are on the schedule first and foremost, like their boundaries on that schedule. If you can move things around, then by all means, call those patients and just say, "Hey, on the quick off chance, are you available to come in 20 minutes later?" Now, you can slide something in because maybe you had a weird gap. Being really smart and just being respectful of the schedule that you have, the patients who are coming in the door, and doing the most you can for those patients so at the end of the day, you both feel happy and satisfied.

Kiera Dent:

Amen to that, Tiff I love it. As you said, it reminded me... I wasn't even going to go into this. I was like, "Kiera, don't say it." Then I'm like, "I have to say it because it happened to me." If you guys are planning to adjust that schedule, make sure you call the patient. Sometimes, a quick 10 minute, 20 minute slide for us, we're like, "Oh, patients will be here early." Some patients actually stack their schedule, #KieraDent, Tiffanie Trader, and probably all of you listening. That 10 minute or 20 minute actually is a... The dental practice I was going to, my appointment was definitely an 8:20. I know that, because I stacked a podcast right above it. I knew I was probably going to be about five minutes late.

Kiera Dent:

I called the office and said, "Hey, I know my appointments at 8:20. I'm probably going to be there at 8:25. I've got a podcast. I just wanted to give you a heads up." They're like, "No, your appointments actually at 8:00." I was like, "I'm sorry, what? I know it's definitely at 8:20. I have a text message reminder that it's at 8:20." To Tiffanie's point, let's not assume that patients can just show up. Give them that courtesy call because that's also that VIP care, respecting it. You guys, I was mad as a hornet because I'm like, "What the heck? I took time off. I adjusted my schedule around you guys, like I prioritized you guys." I was so frustrated because I didn't feel my time was prioritized. I tried really hard to be so conscientious of this practice.

Kiera Dent:

I love what Tiff just said. Call that patient. Most of them are super flexible if you actually ask them and communicate that. You get the angry patients on the other side, when you just conveniently moved their appointment, but forget to tell them. When they show up, you're like, "We can't see you." That's where you have frustrated patients. I think it's absolutely brilliant, and I wasn't going to bring it up. Tiff, you even remember, I called you so frustrated. Do you know what I do for a living? This is so frustrating. I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to slip it in another patient. You moved my appointment so you could fit somebody else in, which is brilliant. Just call and let them know, so you don't have those missed expectations. A lot of the fear of doing this is we're afraid of that angry patient, but they're really not angry if expectations are met and communicated.

Tiffanie Trader:

Yep, 100%. It doesn't have to be hard. Remember, any conversation you go into doesn't have to be hard. We make it hard. Really, just calling the patient and saying, "Hey, just checking to see, is there any chance you're available to come in 10 minutes earlier, or 20 minutes later, or maybe you're [inaudible 00:18:27], and I need you to come in at 2:00 PM." The worst they can do is say no, and we keep their appointment where they are. Fantastic. No worries. We'll see you at 10:00 AM. If they say yes, then fantastic. We get to adjust the schedule. Do not cause yourself more problems. Remember to be proactive [crosstalk 00:18:45].

Kiera Dent:

Not reactive.

Tiffanie Trader:

Kiera's circumstance was a very reactive approach. They moved it, hoping she would get a text message that said the new time, and that she would notice it and come in at the new time, rather than just being proactive, and calling and asking her to move it up.

Kiera Dent:

For sure. Take that one minute of pain and prevent 30 minutes of pain later on. One minute, a 30 sec phone call. Easy peasy, send him a quick text message, versus having the 30 minutes, and then you're trying to deal with it later on. I love this. We're going to end on a positive note on that. I brought us down. We're going to bring him back up. You guys, there is so much amazing opportunity you can do. Respect those patients' time, respect your office's time, and then look for the awesome ways that you can actually add more time in there. I think about Paige. She was a hygiene consultant with us for a while. I remember one of my favorite podcasts. We did this several years ago, and I remember she said, "I always told myself I don't have time." She's like, "I just flipped it and thought, what if I do have time?"

Kiera Dent:

She's like, "Kiera, I added in a podcast with you. I was able to add sealants in on a patient, simply by switching to see what if I did have time. What could I do?" For her, that shift, she was able to add so much to her patients, and just have them have the most incredible experience. Remember, everything that we talk about is to give that VIP patient care. Everything done with that filter and that mindset, so your patients are having the best experience possible.

Kiera Dent:

Tiff, thank you for your insights on that. Thanks for all the pieces you bring, and thanks for being just an incredible consultant. You guys, Tiff is one of the best consultants. If you guys have not signed up, join us. We'd love to have you. [email protected]. Even if you have questions, see if you are even a good fit for Platinum Press to travel to your practice. We'd love to chat with you. [email protected], and you might just get lucky. Tiffanie might be your consultant. You never know which consultant will be matched to you. It's like the Sorting Hat in Hogwarts, of how we work at the Dental A team, if you will. Which house are you in? Are you in Kiera's house, Tiffanie's house, Hunter's house, Brittany house? You never know. It's an exciting time.

Tiffanie Trader:

I love it. Thank you so much for having me, and I hope everyone took so many valuable notes. If you're driving, when you get to someplace where you can take notes, relisten and write those suckers down.

Kiera Dent:

Amen. All right. You guys, as always, thank you for listening. Thank you for being a part of our Dental A Team family, and we'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team podcast. That wraps it up for another episode of the Dental A Team podcast. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time.