Making the Most of Last-Minute Cancellations

Cancellations can be some of the most common issues you face while running your dental practice. They represent not only lost revenue but also the loss of other opportunities you could have scheduled. 

However, even though dental appointment cancellations are challenging, you can take a few simple steps, listed below, to make the most of these situations.

Use cancellations to review scheduling efficiency.

Cancellations are effectively a fact of life for every dental practice; however, if they’re having a disproportionate impact on your practice, it would be wise to consider taking a closer look at your scheduling, as there could be internal issues that are making the problem worse.

Try to analyze patterns in your cancellations. If they’re more often happening to appointments made for specific times or days, it could be that the flexibility in your scheduling isn’t sufficient for your patients. Offering greater adaptability lets patients choose times that truly work for them.

You should also look at the scheduling strategies you have in place to fill gaps. Confirmation systems are a prime example. Automated variants will help remind patients about appointments and (hopefully) get most cancellations out of the way early enough to let you fill those spaces.

Fill gaps with high-value services.

While all the treatments you provide are important, some bring more value to your practice. And when cancellations occur, especially longer or back-to-back time slots, it’s best to try to fill those gaps with services that offer high margins for your practice.

Establishing a short-notice waiting list is a great way to accomplish that. Patients who are ready to move forward with high-value treatments or elective services can sign up to be contacted whenever an opening becomes available.

Pursuing orthodontic education to provide additional treatment options through your practice can unlock even more opportunities. Orthodontic consultations can fit into just about any timeslot, making it easy to fill the spots left behind by cancellations. And with the right orthodontic training courses, you can develop the necessary knowledge and skills to offer these services.

Train your team to respond strategically.

How your team reacts to cancellations is a key determining factor in how they impact your practice. First, make sure that your team takes the time to consider cancellations carefully. While some patients may need to attend to unexpected circumstances, this is, of course, not always the case. So, ideally, have your team gently ask the patients why they must forgo their appointments. This will help you troubleshoot any existing scheduling conflicts or reveal other information you can use to prevent the cancellations from reoccurring.

Your team should always be courteous when dealing with cancellations, as they could also represent a patient at risk of changing dental homes. Focus on providing excellent service and patient engagement whenever possible, especially for rescheduled appointments, to improve retention.

It’s also important to understand that, save for rare circumstances, cancellations can’t be attributed to your team. Letting them know that these situations happen and that they shouldn’t view them as a reflection of their own skills and service will help maintain job satisfaction.

Reassess communication and reminder systems.

Some cancellations could be related to how you communicate with your patients. If you don’t have reminder systems or effective communication methods in place regarding scheduling, your patients may simply forget about appointments and make other plans for that time without realizing it.

There are many tools you can use to improve patient communication. Text, email, and phone reminders are all prime examples. Ideally, you should have a patient management system in place that takes note of their preferred communication method. Not only will it give patients a better overall experience, but it will also increase the likelihood that they will see reminders in time.

Sharpen internal processes.

In some cases, there simply isn’t enough time to find a replacement for a cancelled appointment. However, that doesn’t mean that the time has to be wasted; you can take advantage of the downtime to carry out an internal review and discussion concerning your practice.

You can hold team huddles where you discuss your practice, workflows, marketing, and more. Downtime provides an excellent opportunity to hear new ideas and move forward with exciting proposals.

There are also certain types of training you can undertake during downtime. Many continuing education courses include personal study components. You and your team can work toward improving your skills by enrolling in such courses and leveraging available downtime to study.

Turning Dental Practice Challenges Into Opportunities

There’s no way to keep cancellations from happening altogether, but you can prepare your dental practice to respond effectively to them. Taking the right approach will help you continue to achieve growth, added value, and long-term success in the face of cancellations.

Equipping your team to offer a broader range of treatment options is one way you can ensure you leverage more opportunities. Browse upcoming courses from the American Orthodontic Society to find the right continuing education for your dental practice team.