Scripts & tips that can help you communicate to

patients the benefits of preventive hygiene so they

value, schedule, and keep their appointments

Preventive Appointment Communication

Strategies + Scripts

www.inspiredhygiene.com

Preventive hygiene appointments are a critical component

of patients’ oral and overall health. Still, many patients

don’t fully understand the benefits and value of these

appointments, believing they are “just cleanings.”

So, they are more inclined to delay or cancel the

appointment, leaving them vulnerable to decay and

disease, and leaving you with open time on the schedule.

Communicating the benefits of the preventive hygiene

appointment so patients understand the value is not a one-

time conversation. Changing patients’ value perceptions

happens gradually over time through consistent

communication from the entire team.

Scripts Scheduling Preventive Hygiene Appointments

With New Patients

“ Mr. Jones, we are so pleased you have chosen our practice for your dental care and are ready for your first preventive appointment. Preventive appointments are an important part of your oral and overall health. The appointment takes about an hour and I’ve reserved time with Rachel, our hygienist. Rachel is going to do an oral cancer screening and make sure there isn’t any infection in your gums or the bone that surrounds your teeth. She will be evaluating your oral wellness and will alert the doctor should she find any areas of concern that need to be treated before they become larger issues. And she will also remove any bacteria that is on your teeth and under your gums. I’m glad you know how important this appointment is and how oral health issues can impact your overall health.”

Scheduling Preventive Hygiene Appointments With Returning Patients

Tip: It can be very powerful to have the hygienist personally schedule preventive appointments.

“ Mrs. Jones, you are all done with today’s preventive hygiene appointment. Based on your dental health it’s in your best interest to return in three months. I know you like an early morning appointment and they are very popular. So let’s go ahead and schedule that time for you now. Please be aware, when I reserve time for you on my schedule, I consider the appointment verified. Are Tuesdays best for you? (Once a day and time has been determined) Ok, your confirmed appointment is on Tuesday, May 9 at 8:00am. Remember, that day we’ll be checking that area on the upper left you’ve been having a hard time reaching. The power brush will be a big help and I bet you won’t have that much plaque build-up next time.”

Communicating Value During the Appointment

Tip: Include the patient in the dialogue.

“ Mrs. Jones, it’s good to see you again. Let’s talk about what we’re going to be doing today. First, we’re going to do an oral cancer screening. Have you ever had one before?”

“ No, I don’t think so.”

“ Well, the Oral Cancer Foundation recently found that every hour of every day one person dies from oral cancer. That’s why we take this screening and your oral health very seriously. I will also evaluate your oral wellness and should I find any areas of concern, I will bring Doctor in to take a look. It’s in your best interest to catch any issues early and take care of them before they cause further disease or decay.”

“ Sure.”

“ I’ll also take a look to make sure you have no infection in your gums or the bone surrounding the teeth. And, finally, I’ll be removing the bacteria and plaque on your gums and teeth. I noticed that on your health form that you are taking a medication that often results in dry mouth. Are you experiencing any symptoms of dry mouth?”

“Why, yes…”

“ Having dry mouth puts you at a much higher risk for cavities. May I give you some suggestions on things you can do to take care of that dry mouth and prevent cavities? You’ve invested so much into your oral health – let’s keep you healthy!”

“Sure!”

Preventive Appointment Verification Call

Tip: Call one week in advance of the scheduled appointment.

“ Mr. Jones, I’m calling on behalf of Rachel, our hygienist. She is looking forward to seeing you at 2:00 on Thursday the 15th. We appreciate that you have already verified this appointment. Rachel does have a waiting list, so can we count on you to be here next Thursday?”

Managing Cancellation Calls

Tip: Make sure patients clearly understand the consequences of delaying their preventive hygiene appointment.

“ Mrs. Jones, you want to cancel your verified appointment that you have with Rachel today? Would you please hold on a moment and let me see what our options are?”

“Ummm…sure.”

“ Hi, thanks for holding. I spoke with Rachel and she’s concerned about delaying this preventive appointment. She checked her records and you are prone to bacteria build-up in the gums surrounding your teeth. She really thinks you should have this taken care of today so you can prevent disease, any flare-ups and bleeding and decay.”

“ Is there any way you can keep this appointment? (pause)”

“No.”

“ The next time we have available for you to see Rachel is three weeks out on February 9th.”

Discussing the Need for Additional Dental Care During Appointment

Tip: When the preventive hygiene appointment results in needed treatment, use visual aids so patients can “see” what is going on in their mouth.

“ Mrs. Jones, because you’re on medications that cause dry mouth, we will certainly help prevent further decay with fluoride.

You’re at high risk for cavities. See this dark area on your tooth in this photo? Doctor has confirmed these are cavities around the crowns. It would be in your best interest to take care of this immediately. Would you like to get on Doctor’s schedule this week?”

“ Yes, sure.”

“ Great. I’m going to bring in our treatment coordinator. She will get you scheduled and will discuss with you the cost, your insurance contribution and payment solutions. Here is Heidi. Heidi, Mrs. Jones would like to take care of those two cavities as soon as possible.”

“ Great. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jones. These preventive hygiene appointments are so important – I’m glad Rachel and Doctor were able to catch these cavities so they can’t turn into bigger issues. I checked your insurance and, of course, your benefits contributed 100% to this preventive appointment. For the needed dentistry, your benefits will contribute $XXX, leaving you with an out-of-pocket investment of $XXX. We have several payment solutions including the CareCredit healthcare credit card – do you already have one that you may have used at your veterinarian or ophthalmologist?”

Rachel Wall, RDH, BS, and CEO of Inspired

Hygiene, serves the dental community as a

hygiene consultant and speaker. Rachel coaches

dental teams to build highly productive hygiene

departments by creating and implementing

systems for high quality periodontal care,

enrolling restorative care through hygiene and

managing the logistics of a high performance hygiene department.

About the Author:

www.inspiredhygiene.com

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