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Improving the Dental Patient Experience
When was the last time you heard the statement, "What's in it for me?" Was it when two kids were talking about the chores that their mothers doled out earlier in the day? Or, was it when your two teens were overheard discussing whether or not to keep a boyfriend or tell him to "take a hike?"
All too often, those words may not jump from our own lips, but we sure think about the meaning behind what we receive for what we do. I guess those feelings are perfectly normal human reactions, but what if people really knew that our needs might be more important to us than their needs? What if our patients thought that our office income was more important to us than how much we really cared about them? The sad truth is they do! Almost all the time, patients can see right through any of the facades that dental office staff can paste on their faces. There is no way to hide what staff genuinely feels about the care that patients need.
Because we all are so transparent, we have to deal with the inner workings of our staff attitude and ethics. It becomes more important to treat the staff much more like a cared-for family member and less like a staff person.
Happiness and productivity can abound in an office where patients know that they are really number one. And, temporary productivity spikes followed by periods of interpersonal discord will usually happen when money is more important than real care for the patient.
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