Introduction 

 

The Miller Family Dentist office is aspiring to improve their business and looking for effective ways to connect with their target audience. With this goal in mind, our team has spent the semester researching different approaches to increase the clients' overall interest and reliability in the Miller Family Dental Office. We have provided a full report including a methodology section that contains details of our local study, an analysis of our research, recommendations, a review of literature, an appendices section, and a brief closing.

 

Methodology: Local Survey and Digital Exploratory

The purpose of our IUPUI team's research was to find solutions that not only could reduce missed dental appointments, but also attract reliable, new patients. To find effective and favorable resources our team researched a variety of sources with regard to the “no show” trend and strategic methods to attract reliable patients who will show up to appointments. 

 

Client Meeting: Details

After meeting with our client, Dr. Miller, our team began with 200 hours of research. We had two meetings with our client throughout the duration of our project. We first wanted to establish what our client hoped we’d accomplish and did our best to achieve this goal. During the first meeting, we focused on the strategies that were already implemented at the dental office as well as problems that branched from the challenge. 

 

During our second meeting, we focused more on asking our client about insurance. We wanted to confirm the type of insurance that was being accepted at the moment and if they had considered accepting more. The discussion also focused on the different age groups and brainstorming the possible reasons why the patients of a specific age group miss their appointments. 

 

Local Study: Research and Topic

In seeking to develop valuable information for your business, our team used two types of research: field and desk. Our field research consisted of a Google Forms Survey. Emails were sent to Miller Family Dental Care patients for information regarding our scope. The team also used desk research by identifying references for this report, through multiple databases. Distinct strategies aided in maneuvering through different scholarly databases thus ProQuest and EBSCO host. Both are considered companies that host a database that contains a wide selection of digital resources including article and ebook databases. These companies provide search platforms that allow users to retrieve high-quality resources in full text through keyword searching. Terms we used during our research included:

 

• “Insurance” –Google + ProQuest

• “No shows” + “dental appointments” —Google + ProQuest

• “Dental” + “Scheduling tactics”—Google + ProQuest 

• “Studies” AND “no-show behavior” —Google + ProQuest

• Articles on why patients don’t show up to their dentist appointments —Google

• “Marketing Strategies for dental offices” —Google 

• “Miller Family Dental Care” — Google

 

 

We also accessed IUPUI’s online scholarly library and found sources covering marketing strategies to get patients to show up to appointments as well as attract new patients to your office.

 

Our field research was conducted with the purpose of filling in the gaps in our digital research. We conducted a local study, using Google Forms to create a survey. The survey consisted of eight questions to gauge what leads people to miss their appointments and how likely they are to reschedule. The survey took into account a person’s age, whether or not they had ever missed an appointment, and what would encourage them to keep their future appointments. The survey was passed around by email to Miller Family Dental Care patients and was taken online by 36 people. For further information about the survey, including survey results/data, view Appendix A.

The survey can be found here: https://forms.gle/LysrHwZZvV6ofmim7 

 

Our digital research was conducted in two phases: learning/discovery and focused analysis. We sought to find out the best way to understand the reasoning behind the many missed appointments, whether insurance was a factor, and strategic methods to keep patients coming. Lastly, we wanted to know how we could attract new, reliable patients through the use of marketing strategies. We also sought to discover which insurance providers would be best to incorporate into a dental office and the benefits of expanding the list of insurances currently accepted. 

 

Analysis

We sought to find ways to attract new, reliable patients who will show up to their appointments by researching topics like understanding why patients miss appointments, strategic insurance partnerships, enhanced website experience, and client retention and reliability. After compiling weeks of research gathered by multiple researchers, we found information about the challenges brought about from no-shows, identifying key insurers, user-friendly web designs, and targeted marketing. 

 

Understanding why patients miss appointments leads to solutions 

Our team sought to understand the leading reasons why patients miss their scheduled dentist appointments. At first glance, this question seems easy to answer, however, the struggle then becomes finding solutions. But before we can come up with solutions, we need to understand the causes of missed appointments. 

 

Throughout the duration of our research, we found many reasons why people miss dental appointments, ranging from lack of insurance to simply forgetting. One of the leading reasons for missed appointments, however, was that dental appointments are a low priority. One expert states “calling the dental health clinics to schedule a time for dental treatment or only dental check-ups for their child had low priority. Similarly, low priority was given to remembering to make a phone call to cancel dental appointments if something happened that made it impossible to go to the dental health clinic that day." (Hallberg, 2018).  

 

Many patients voice that they do not have time to go to their appointments which leads them to not show up. This is also supported by our survey results, where 3 out of 5 patients answered that they either forgot about their appointment or didn’t feel like going. We found that this also leads to a lack of awareness of the importance of dental care, another leading cause of missed appointments. 

 

Expenses are also among the leading causes of missed appointments. An industry expert supports this claim, stating two key predictors of no-shows: low socio-economic status and no insurance (Dantas, 2018). Without coverage, a patient is forced to pay out-of-pocket which may lead them to disregard their dental health. While these are just a few key factors that contribute to appointment failure, they give us a basic understanding of the reasons why people don’t show up, which then allows us to start researching possible solutions. 

 

With this information, our team suggests that you, our client, become aware of the many different reasons for missed appointments. Having that understanding can lead to finding possible solutions, which is necessary in order to decrease the number of no-shows. Our team also suggests being willing to meet some of the patient's needs which may require change in some form. We are not asking for you to change everything, but by making at least one change you can create a comfortable space while also building rapport. 

 

Use strategic insurance partnerships to attract a bigger number of new patients searching for a new dentist

During our insurance research phase, we sought to understand how the expansion of insurance could attract more patients to a dental care office. We discovered that by only accepting specific insurances, a dental office is limiting the places that people can go to to receive dental care. Given that expenses and lack of insurance coverage are two key predictors of no-shows, we found that this leads to patients not showing up for appointments and possibly going to another dental office that accepts the insurance that they have (Dantas, 2018). However, even if the insurance that a patient has is accepted, some procedures are not covered by insurance and need to be paid out-of-pocket. 

 

Through our research, we found that insurance could be a potential reason for no-shows as well as the potential challenge that it poses. One expert source found that there is a large gap in Medicare dental coverage across the country (Dominguez, 2021). Given that the majority of Miller Family Dental Care patients fall within that age range, this could be one potential area affecting no-shows. Pivoting towards expanding the types of insurance that your practice accepts may decrease the number of no-shows. One of the patient characteristics that was more frequently associated with no-show behavior was not having private insurance. 

 

With this information, we suggest that the practice work towards accepting a wider variety of insurance providers. With the acceptance of additional insurance, not only will this decrease the number of no-shows, but it can also increase the number of new patients. Being aware that insurance plays a role in no-shows and then taking that step to meet a patient where they are, can build credibility towards the Miller Dental Care Office. 

 

Managing a more enhanced website with the help of local web designers can prove to be useful and can provide compelling information

A business’ website is designed to attract the viewer, while also informing them about the business’ mission. The layout and content are essential in capturing the attention of the viewer. Although our client does have an informative website, the layout can be improved to further attract new patients. Our team focused on researching strategies to improve website content that would ensure attraction. 

 

One expert source, the ADA emphasizes that to attract new patients, one should “Create a professional-looking website that contains detailed content about your practice, including dental team bios, a list of services, patient financing information, and a map to your office.” (ADA, 2023). This allows the patient to become familiar with your practice before even coming in for an appointment. 

By investing in professional photography, a business looks at high-quality images showcasing the team and their services. Photography can be a person’s first impression of the business and influence that person’s views on the business. Creating a user-friendly design also captures a person’s attention and can be designed in different ways. If one wants to learn how to make their website easy to navigate, they can collaborate with local web designers who can ensure that easy navigation. With the use of interactive elements such as implementing appointment scheduling tools, a client can ensure that their patients can make bookings easily. This decreases difficulties which can lead the patient to keep coming back as they’ve had a good experience with the business.  

 

The official American Dental Association (ADA) website states “On your website and in your other advertising and marketing materials, make sure the writing is clear and compelling and the photography is of high quality.” (ADA, 2023). Thus, we suggest investing in high-quality photography that tells the viewer all about the Miller Dental Care office. The investment doesn’t need to be expensive, however, it does need to have quality. 

 

As a user-friendly design is already implemented on the website, we suggest getting feedback from a local web designer who can verify the ease of navigating the website. With the use of interactive elements, we suggest looking into changing the system used to schedule appointments to ensure that patients don’t miss their appointments. Potentially investing in all these ways to improve the website content, would show the credibility of the dental office in making things smooth for their patients. 

 

Monitor client retention and reliability to ensure continued success

During our research on how to solve the no-show problem, we read through multiple articles that listed countless solutions. However, the top solutions such as automated appointment reminders, cancellation fees, and multiple appointment confirmations, were already being implemented by our client (Downs, 2022). After brainstorming solutions, we recognized that we needed to take another approach to the no-show trend. We then turned our focus to new solutions, mainly attracting new clients.

 

As we began researching other methods that prevent no-shows, the attracting of new clients was a top suggestion. Many expert sources emphasized the need to attract genuine, committed patients who will show up to their appointments. Having committed patients builds good rapport and leads to the expansion of the clientele base. Implementing automated reminders was another strategy provided by many articles as a way to reduce no-shows. There are services like Revenue Well, which your practice utilizes, that dentists rely on to send out appointment reminders to their patients.

 

Feedback mechanism was also found to be a strategy to counter the number of no-shows. By getting feedback from the patients themselves, the business can improve the patient's experience by addressing their concerns. That feedback also creates rapport, which strengthens the relationship between the business and its clients.

 

Figure 1

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Not only that, but given the results from our local survey, we found that nearly 3 out of 5 patients who took our survey were over the age of 61. This is reflected in Figure 1. We also found that 4 of 5 survey takers had never missed a dental appointment. Since our survey results found that most survey takers do in fact keep their appointments, these responses can be used to move us toward supporting the recommendation of expanding and growing the patient base. Since the client base is largely 61+, we should attract new, younger patients through target marketing and dental health education. This can be done through the improvement of the website and expansion to use different social media platforms to attract new clients. 

 

Given our findings from our digital research and local study, we suggest that your practice gears towards attracting new clients. This strategy may be one of the most effective ways to reduce the number of no-shows and also grow the number of patients within the Miller Dental Care office. Utilizing expert advice and dental practice marketing strategies, we have created a list of next steps that will help attract a younger generation of committed clients.

 

Next Steps for Attracting Younger Patients:

• Create a welcoming environment (ADA, 2023)

  • Young patients appreciate great environments (Easy Dental Quotes, 2023)

    • Design a comfortable and inviting waiting area that does not feel sterile or dated

• Be open and authentic with younger patients

  • Younger patients, especially Millenials place value on genuine, authentic relationships (Easy Dental Quotes, 2023)

    • Make it easy for patients to communicate with you (Dentistry IQ, 2023)

    • Reach out to patients in between visits (Via Email or SMS)

• Use technology thoughtfully (Fire Gang, 2023)

  • “Facebook post per day will keep your followers engaged without overwhelming them with constant information. It has the added benefit of showing potential patients that you care about your overall online presence.” (Fire Gang, 2023)

    • Post regularly on company social media profiles

    • Be visual (utilize graphics)

• Engage with the community

  • The Millenial generation is community-focused (Fire Gang, 2023)

    • Find meaningful community events where your practice can interact with potential patients

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List of recommendations

1. Client Retention and Reliability:
    

   • Targeted Marketing: Utilize digital platforms for targeted marketing to attract genuine, committed clients.

   • Appointment Reminders: Implement automated reminders to minimize no-shows, ensuring appointments are honored.

   • Feedback Loop: Establish a feedback mechanism, addressing concerns promptly, enhancing client trust and satisfaction.

2. Strategic Insurance Partnerships:
    

   • Identify Key Insurers: Forge partnerships with insurance providers strategically chosen for client benefit.

   • Tailored Packages: Offer insurance plans aligning with clients' needs, enhancing their experience.

   • Continuous Evaluation: Regularly assess market trends to update insurance options, ensuring relevance.

3. Enhanced Website Experience:
    

   • Professional Photography: Invest in high-quality, professional photos showcasing your services and team.

   • User-Friendly Design: Collaborate with local web designers for intuitive navigation and seamless user experience.

   • Interactive Elements: Implement appointment scheduling tools, ensuring clients can book easily.

 

After extensive research and analysis, we find these recommendations and sub-recommendations the best solutions to address the no-show problem while also keeping in mind cost and feasibility. Further, we assert that improving just one of these aspects of the practice will help in attracting new, committed patients who show up. 

 

Review of Literature 

The following section serves as a condensed summation of all literature reviewed in the research stage of this report. This research was then used to support our recommendations. The reviewed topics include reasons for no-shows, dental health education, and regular oral hygiene practices. 

 

Causes of no-show behavior

To fix the problems involving no-shows to dental appointments, one must understand why people are missing them. In a study conducted in Sweden, expert Ulrika Hallberg, an associate professor at the Nordic School of Public Health with over 40 publications finds that "Participants experienced overloading in their everyday life... calling the dental health clinics to schedule a time for dental treatment or only dental check-ups for their child had low priority. Similarly, low priority was given to remembering to make a phone call to cancel dental appointments if something happened that made it impossible to go to the dental health clinic that day." (Hallberg, 2018). Other authors with expertise in the medical field, like Dr. Leila F. Dantas, find that “Patient characteristics that were more frequently associated with no-show behavior: adults of younger age; lower socioeconomic status; place of residence is distant from the clinic; no private insurance”; “patients with prior no-show history are more likely to miss their next appointment”; “factors such as transportation, socioeconomic status, and education level were deemed reasonably good predictors of no-show. Both studies show potential reasons for no-shows, either the stress of daily life or specific patient characteristics. Using these predictors of no-shows, dental offices can find strategies to combat the no-show problem. 

 

Other leading predictors of no-shows include oral health literacy and dental anxiety. Associate Professor at Kuwait University Dr. Jagan Kumar Baskaradoss points out that “poor oral health literacy was found to be independently associated with missed dental appointments.” Dr. Kumar Baskaradoss estimates that nearly 80 million US Adults have limited health literacy. They simply do not understand the importance of regular dental care. This has been shown to be a leading factor in no-show behavior. Swedish professor Ulrika Hallberg supports this idea, stating “Participants were not concerned or worried about the fact that they neglected their own oral health. Some participants said they had sought help at an emergency dental health clinic when they suffered from bad toothache and there the dentist had, according to their wish, pulled the teeth that hurt them.” This lack of education on the importance of dental health has shown to be a predictor of no-shows. In this case, the lack of education among parents also translated to their children, continuing the cycle. Additionally, the anxiety caused by emergency dental work as a result of the miseducation makes patients reluctant to go to the dentist. Thus, patient education is an important factor to consider when trying to reduce no-shows 

 

Why and how to educate the older generation in their dental health

This narrative review covers the main dental occurring conditions in the elderly population, their impact on the quality of life, the barriers towards access to dental care and methods to improve their dental health. The authors who contributed to the writing of “Oral Health among Elderly, Impact on Life Quality, Access of Elderly Patients to Oral Health Services and Methods to Improve Oral Health: A Narrative Review” agree that “ensuring dental health involves the whole society of elders, caregivers, dental care providers, the public sector, health policymakers, and the private sector” (Janto). There are many factors to getting the patients to understand that their dental health is important, but the task of informing them does not only fall on dentists. Authors of the book Oral Health and Prevention in Older Adults agree with the narrative review as they provide promotional strategies that will ensure the education of the older population on their dental health. In one of the chapters they write that “greater efforts should be made to identify opportunities for health promotion activities and the development of community models that encourage older people to improve and maintain their oral health” (Díaz). Responsibility to inform the older generation is up to those who surround them and having people they continuously interact with can give them the push they need to prioritize their dental health. Clearly, these authors agree that the education of dental hygiene for the older generation falls on those around them by using the strategies given.

 

An additional struggle that affects no-shows is transportation. Transportation is a cause of “no-shows” when talking about the older generations. Today’s RDH wrote an article in 2018 on how to solve the transportation problem and gave a statistic that stated that “according to federal government research, 3 million people a year do not receive care due to transportation issues” (Smith). The issues mentioned range from the cost of transportation to unreliable drivers. Similarly, the book A Journal of Transport Geography studied the accessibility to public transportation. In the introduction, when talking about the importance of meeting the needs of the patient, the authors wrote that “because of public transport's potential to meet older adults' mobility needs, it is important that we ensure it is accessible to older riders of all abilities and accessible to older riders by providing access to their desired destinations” (Ravensbergen). Both the authors of the article and book agree that transportation is an issue and that the need for transportation needs to be met for older patients to maintain good dental health. 

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Oral hygiene practices and oral health knowledge among students in Split

In this study on oral health knowledge and hygiene habits among university students, the introduction establishes the importance of oral health beyond aesthetics, emphasizing its impact on overall health and quality of life [1]. The research explores the correlation between oral health knowledge, hygiene practices, and socioeconomic factors among healthcare and non-healthcare students at the University of Split. The citation of various studies and surveys (e.g., from Saudi Arabia, China, Bucharest) adds credibility to the findings, grounding the research in existing literature [14,17,18]. The study's explanation delves into the intricate relationship between oral health and systemic health problems, highlighting the role of education in preventing oral diseases [2,4,7,14]. Moreover, the research method itself is explained meticulously, follows ethical principles, and includes a comprehensive questionnaire covering various aspects of oral health knowledge and habits. The study’s participants, representing diverse academic backgrounds, offer a broad perspective on oral health practices [3,5,6,7]. The study demonstrates how introducing, citing, and explaining research findings and methodologies adhere to the ice-ice method, ensuring a systematic and comprehensive approach to analyzing oral health behaviors and knowledge among university students.

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Oral Hygiene: Best Practices & Instructions for good routine.

In promoting excellent oral hygiene, adhering to a structured oral care routine is paramount. The introduction highlights the significance of maintaining healthy teeth and gums, emphasizing the role of regular oral hygiene practices in preserving a beautiful smile and overall well-being. It stresses the importance of brushing teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush, employing proper technique to eliminate plaque and bacteria along the gum line. Citation of the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance underscores the importance of scientifically validated oral products, ensuring credibility and efficacy. The explanation emphasizes the necessity of daily flossing to reach interdental spaces, utilizing dental floss or interproximal brushes for comprehensive cleaning. Brushing the tongue to eliminate bacterial buildup is advocated, along with incorporating alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash to minimize harmful oral bacteria and plaque. Additionally, the text emphasizes the criticality of regular dental check-ups, suggesting tailored dental schedules based on individual needs. It also highlights the benefits of good oral hygiene, such as healthier teeth and gums, improved breath, reduced dental interventions, and diminished risks of systemic health issues. The advice is reinforced by the principle of personalized dental care, encouraging readers to consult their dentist for an individualized oral health regimen, and adhering to the ice ice method for effective communication.

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References

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Alabdulkarim, Y., Almukaynizi, M., Alameer, A., Makanati, B., Althumairy, R., & Almaslukh, A. (2022). Predicting no-shows for dental appointments. PeerJ. Computer Science, 8, e1147. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.1147

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ABSTRACT: A study conducted reveals a predictive methodology for missed dental appointments. As no-shows are becoming increasingly more costly, costing the United States healthcare system nearly $150 Billion yearly, this methodology attempts to fix that problem. While there are other strategies to fix this problem, like overbooking and no-show fees, many are ineffective or too costly to the business. Using past no-show history as the primary indication, this study develops a model for predicting no-show behavior. This is done through machine learning techniques. The information gained from this study helps businesses predict no-shows and develop more effective scheduling techniques. 

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TEAM NOTES: This article comments on the infectivity of many known solutions to reducing no-shows. This is relevant to the scope of our project because many of these practices have already been implemented. Accurately tracking no-show history could be a potential strategy to implement more effective scheduling practices.

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AlMoneef, AlShethry, Alokla, AlManie, AlMaziad, & Fernandez. (2022). Why people delay seeking dental treatment - a survey. Journal of Clinical Pediatrics Research. https://maplespub.co.in/assets/images/files/doc_1657355979.pdf 

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ABSTRACT: People, for a variety of reasons, neglect their oral health and avoid going to the dentist. This study uses a survey to assess the physical, psychological, and socio-economic barriers to oral health care. Although there are limitations within the study, the research indicated the top two factors for why people avoid visiting the dentist. The top two reasons are the ‘lack of time’ the patients have and the expenses involved.

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TEAM NOTES: Although, yes we already know these factors, I believe that the data collected can be beneficial to our report. We can include some of the data found from the surveys to further analyze the severity of the situation. They can provide insight that can lead to us coming up with an effective solution to the no-show trend.

 

California, D. D. of. (n.d.). Older Americans Regret Not Caring for Their Teeth More in Youth, but 80% Still Aren’t Doing So. Www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved November 2, 2022, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/older-americans-regret-not-caring-for-their-teeth-more-in-youth-but-80-still-arent-doing-so-301626367.html

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ABSTRACT: A study done by Delta Dental of California focused on Americans 50 and older researching the reasons why they neglected their oral health. After the survey had been completed, three barriers were revealed to affect the prioritization of oral health. Lack of understanding, access to care, and negative emotions were the barriers that older Americans have. The article then dove deeper into these three barriers by educating the reader, therefore ensuring that they get a better understanding.  

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TEAM NOTES: Before last week’s class, we had only focused on all dental patients and not on a specific age group. However, as we started talking about what affects no-shows, the age group of our client came up. We realized that most of our client’s patients were older and that age intertwined with the no-show trend. We can incorporate this research into our report by focusing on the age group that our client has as well as the three barriers that were revealed after the surveys. 

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Dominguez, T. M., Dame, M., Schmidt, R. N., Greenhill, R. G., & Dayama, N. (2021). The U.S. Medicaid dental insurance coverage gap: access issues persist for millions of its citizens. Indianapolis. Retrieved September 26, 2023,.

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ABSTRACT: Insurance plays an important role in the dental industry. It dictates whether a person visits the dentist and is also correlated with no-shows. Every dental place accepts certain types of insurance, therefore limiting the places that people can go to in order to receive dental care. However, even with insurance there are some procedures that are not covered and the patient must pay out-of-pocket. The type of insurance that a patient has may tie in with the no-show trend. 

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TEAM NOTES: DeJohn mentioned the fact that insurance may be a factor as to why people are a no-show to their appointments. After reading this article, we can use the facts provided to list insurance as a reason for no-shows and look at a potential challenge that it poses. Expanding the types of insurance that our client accepts, may decrease the number of no-shows.

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Downs, T. (2022, August 26). 11 ways to dramatically reduce dental patient cancellations and no-shows. Local SEO Marketing Tips for Healthcare Professionals. https://blog.titanwebagency.com/reduce-patient-no-show-appointments

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ABSTRACT: A marketing agency describes eleven practices for reducing no-shows to dental appointments and improving patient relations. Strategies include: using multiple automated appointment reminder systems, offering prepayment solutions, reducing wait times, offering transportation options, and offering incentives for showing up to appointments. One possibility is using a dental membership plan, where patients pay monthly for their treatment. Additionally, including a small gift card in the post-appointment dental care bags, or entering patients in a giveaway for a larger gift card is one strategy to reduce no-shows. Tracking no-show history and educating clients on the importance of routine dental care are also factors to consider.

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TEAM NOTES: This article provides some new strategies I had not yet seen when researching this topic. Since some strategies have already been implemented to try and fix this problem, trying new and out-of-the-box methods could be a solution (eg. membership plans or gift card raffles). 

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Hallberg, U., Camling, E., Zickert, I., Robertson, A., & Berggren, U. (2008). Dental appointment no-shows: why do some parents fail to take their children to the dentist?. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 18(1), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-263X.2007.00867.x

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ABSTRACT: A study conducted in Sweden discusses a severe problem with children missing their dental appointments. This seems shocking in a country where dental healthcare is free until the age of 19. This study uses in-depth interviews with parents of frequent no-shows to determine the reason for this behavior. Overall, the conclusion that emerged was a set of four categories, the overarching issue of patients being 'overloaded with daily life'. Parents showed difficulty managing all aspects of their lives while working a job, with calling the dental office back being low on the list. There is also a theme of parents not attending their own appointments, thus carrying the tradition to their children. Not only that, but many have a distrust of the healthcare system and discussed a lack of empathy from healthcare professionals in relation to missed appointments. This study shows that time management is a leading factor in no-show behavior. 

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TEAM NOTES: This article addresses the “Why” of our problem (why do people not show up?). Understanding why people aren’t coming (“overloaded with daily life”) can help us think of new strategies to get them to show up. 

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“How to Choose a Location for Your First Dental Office.” Bank of America, Bank of America, 13 Mar. 2023, www.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/resources/post/starting-a-dental-practice-choosing-location-for-business/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

 

ABSTRACT: Bank of America wrote a business plan article that focused on the location of dental offices and how location affects the success of the business. Location plays a role in the no-show trend which leads many dentists to hire professional real estate agents to help with the search. The article wrote on how the location of the office can affect the patient population that comes to the office as well as the demographic. The article is set up in a step-by-step that guides the dentist as they search for an area to settle in. 

 

TEAM NOTES: Location was another factor that we came up with that may be having an impact on the no-show patients for our client. We can use this article to see if the location of our client’s office is related to the no-show patients and how we can attract younger patients to book their dental appointments with The Miller Family Dental Care. 

 

Leila F. Dantas, Julia L. Fleck, Fernando L. Cyrino Oliveira, Silvio Hamacher, No-shows in appointment scheduling – a systematic literature review, Health Policy, Volume 122, Issue 4, 2018, Pages 412-421, ISSN 0168-8510, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2018.02.002.

 

ABSTRACT: A review of the literature on canceled and missed appointments using 105 different studies finds that factors including previous no-show history, patient age, patient socioeconomic status, lack of private insurance, and patient distance from the clinic all affect no-show behavior. Another primary finding is the effect of lead time (the time period between scheduling the appointment and the actual appointment) on no-shows. This review finds that increased lead time is one of the most important predictors of no-shows. Additionally, the amount of previously missed appointments (patient no-show history) is a leading indicator of future no-shows. These findings can be used to improve scheduling and management practices. 

 

TEAM NOTES: “Patient characteristics that were more frequently associated with no-show behavior: adults of younger age; lower socioeconomic status; place of residence is distant from the clinic; no private insurance”; “patients with prior no-show history are more likely to miss their next appointment”; “factors such as transportation, socioeconomic status, and education level were deemed reasonably good predictors of no-show. In contrast, age, gender, and race were found to have questionable predictive power.” DeJohn's comments about insurance in the class discussion are reflected in this article, being an indicator of no-shows. 

 

Conrad, D. A., Lee, R. S.-Y., Milgrom, P., & Huebner, C. E. (2010). Estimating determinants of dentist productivity: New evidence. Journal of public health dentistry. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3808865/

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ABSTRACT: This study investigates dental service productivity using 2006-2007 data from 1,604 Oregon dentists. The research finds that dentist output is primarily determined by chairside time, with minimal changes in productivity contributions from auxiliaries and operatories over three decades. Factors such as ownership status, experience, and Medicaid patients influence practice output. Despite the growth in dental expenditures, access gaps persist. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing these challenges and suggests exploring policy tools to enhance dental care, emphasizing the need for increased focus on productivity to bridge access disparities. 

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JoAn Majors, R. (2023, July 16). Reducing no shows and cancellations for Dental patients. Patient Prism Blog. https://blog.patientprism.com/reducing-no-shows-and-cancellations

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ABSTRACT: This strategy tackles the challenge of patient appointment scheduling with a focus on creating value for each time slot and setting clear expectations. By emphasizing appointment scarcity, making rescheduling less convenient, and using expectation messaging, dental practices can reduce no-shows and cancellations. Consistency in conveying the importance of appointments contributes to a more efficient and successful practice. 

 

Nottingham, H. (2021, January 19). No-shows! 3 steps to get patients to show up for their appointments. All. All Star Dental Academy https://www.allstardentalacademy.com/dental-training/

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ABSTRACT: The Confirmation Triad™ offers a practical solution to the persistent problem of appointment cancellations and no-shows in dental practices. By creating urgency, setting clear expectations, and securing a commitment from patients during the GREAT Call® Process, the chances of patients showing up increase significantly. However, the overarching key to success remains to build a strong rapport with patients, fostering a positive relationship that encourages their loyalty and commitment to appointments

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Traeger, S. (2019, May). In-network or out-of-network: Pros and cons for your dental practice. DCS Dental Claim Support. https://www.dentalclaimsupport.com/blog/dental-practice-in-network-vs-out-of-network

 

ABSTRACT: In the dental industry, practices face a crucial decision regarding in-network and out-of-network affiliations with insurance companies. Opting for in-network status enhances a practice's visibility, drawing in more patients and offering free marketing support. However, this comes at the cost of predetermined service fees and potential compromises in patient care quality due to high demand. Conversely, choosing to be out-of-network grants dentists full control over their practice, enabling them to set their own rates and offer specialized services. This autonomy, though empowering, requires careful management of insurance interactions. The choice between these models hinges on balancing accessibility, control, and financial considerations for dental practices.

 

Bellucci, E., Dharmasena, L., Nguyen, L., & Calache, H. (2017). The effectiveness of SMS Reminders and the impact of patient characteristics on missed appointments in a public dental outpatient clinic. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 21https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v21i0.1405

 

Baskaradoss, J. K. (2016). The association between oral health literacy and missed dental appointments. Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), 147(11), 867–874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2016.05.011 

 

Fines for missed dental appointments proposed. (2008). British Dental Journal, 205(12), 642. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2008.1094 

 

‌Alarcon, B. O., O’Connor, L., Rowan, S., Henson, B. S., Doan Van, A. E., Simeteys, P., & Watanabe, M. K. (2022). Bringing structural competency to the forefront of dental education. Journal of Dental Education, 86(9), 1083–1089. https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13020

 

Attracting New Patients to Your Dental Practice. (n.d.). Www.ada.org. Retrieved October 13, 2023, from https://www.ada.org/en/resources/practice/practice-management/attracting-new-patients-to-your-dental-practice

 

Chen, S., Xing, X., Li, Z., & Zhang, W. (2022). Scoping review on the role of social media in oral health promotion (pp. 8256–8264). European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences.https://www.europeanreview.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/8256-8264.pdf

 

Dental Marketing Ideas: How To Attract New Patients To Your Practice. (n.d.). Patient News. https://patientnews.com/article/dental-marketing-ideas-how-attract-new-patients-your-practice/

 

Fire Gang. (2023). How To Attract Millennials And Turn Them Into New Patients. Retrieved December 12, 2023 from https://www.firegang.com/millennials-new-patients/ 

 

 Dentistry IQ. (2017). 3 strategies to attract millennials through dental patient relationship management. Retrieved December 12, 2023 from https://www.dentistryiq.com/practice-management/marketing/article/16365750/3-strategies-to-attract-millennials-through-dental-patient-relationship-management

 

East Dental Quotes. (2023). How dentists can reach more millenial patients. Retrieved December 12, 2023 from https://easydentalquotes.com/how-dentists-can-reach-more-millennial-patients/ 

 

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