[ACEsthetics] New Post/Thread Notification: The Business of Dentistry

Hello,

drmikemaroon has just posted in the The Business of Dentistry forum of ACE Dental World under the title of Do you welcome emergencies?.

This thread is located at http://www.acedentalforum.com/forum/threads/2345-Do-you-welcome-emergencies

Here is the message that has just been posted:
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Do you welcome emergencies in your practice or do you prefer not to deal with them?

Today is Sunday 3/3/2013 and I just got off the phone with the wife of a husband who's having pain on a lower molar. He saw another dental office yesterday and they prescribed him an antibiotic and told him he was going to need a root canal but that they couldn't get him in for 3-4 weeks.

After speaking with the wife for several minutes, developing a little rapport, and determining that her husband could be managed with pain meds and the antibiotic, I was able to log into my office computer and have the pt scheduled to be seen first thing tomorrow morning for evaluation and treatment. By answering the phone and being courteous, I may end up doing a root canal/post & core/crown, or more on this pt. That is approximately $3000 in my office...not chump change and definitely worth answering the phone on the weekend and being courteous.

By the way, I didn't shy away from the fee. I asked, "Do you have any dental insurance that we should be aware of?" When she replied, "No." I went right into my spiel "No problem. In fact you're going to love our office because we have an in-office savings plan for people like you who don't have dental insurance. It's a way for you to save 15% off our regular fees. The ladies in my office will speak with you and your husband about it at tomorrow's visit. I want you to be aware that the fee for tomorrow's visit can range anywhere from $200 to $3000 depending on what needs to be done. We have convenient payment arrangements and have ways to make it affordable if need be. Do you have any other questions for me?"

Most people who have dental emergencies are looking for a little compassion on the phone. Most times, the reason they have a dental emergency is because they're afraid of the dentist. If you are polite, courteous and accommodating, your dental practice will stand out among all the others that they've contacted and you have a chance to help out this pt and potentially their family and friends.

Do you have any stories about emergency pts who have turned into great pts that you can share with all of us?
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