Even proactive dental teams encounter obstacles with managing effective recall systems. One of the biggest challenges is when the practice is busy and the team puts less effort into recall and more time into other duties. While it’s a natural tendency to let up when things are going well, this also sets up the practice for bigger issues in the future when the schedule starts to slow.
How then do you manage a proactive recall system when the dental practice is busy? First, you have to delegate past-due calls to prevent one person from getting overwhelmed. At least one other member of the front office team can dedicate ten or twenty minutes during the day to help make calls. And if assistants and hygienists have open time from last-minute cancellations, they can also help.
Next, you have to schedule time to make a specific number of calls each day. For example, if you have eighty past-due recall calls to make this month, it can seem overwhelming until you break it down. If you work sixteen days during the month, you need to make just five calls per day to get through your recall list, and even in a busy practice you can prioritize time to make five calls.
Finally, you will benefit from paying close attention to the results you get from calling certain times of the day. Do you schedule more past due patients at specific points in the morning or afternoon? Are certain days better to call than others? If time is limited, it’s even more important to make calls when you will get the best results.
Even in a busy dental practice, maintaining a proactive recall system is important to minimize the inevitable slowdowns that occur at certain points during the year. And it’s much easier to have a healthy recall system if you work it consistently each month.
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