Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): A dental practice management emergency preparedness plan

COVID-19 emergency preparedness plan, page 3

6. Managing no-shows and cancellations

Even in a crisis in which we are focused on health and safety, it is still important to think about practice performance and practice production. We are already seeing an increase in no-shows and cancellations of patients who are concerned about going to the dentist in the presence of the virus outbreak. We currently estimate that many practices will experience a 10% to 15% decline in production this year. The key is to manage through it and be well positioned for the future.

Levin Group strongly recommends that you immediately put in place a program for all patients who do not currently have appointments, those who have canceled, and those who simply have not shown up for an appointment. Contact them regularly with positive communication so that, they will return to your practice after the COVID-19 crisis. You should clearly outline all the safety precautions you are taking and that you look forward to them making their next appointment. You should be communicating with this group an average of every 30 days. Your communication should not focus exclusively on COVID-19 but rather on general oral health-related communication so that they keep you top of mind as their dental provider. The goal is to lose as few patients as possible even if they put off their appointments during the outbreak.