Happy 2021, everyone! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season, despite it being different from what we’re used to. We’re glad to be back in the office and refreshed with new goals for the year. We can’t wait to improve our Paradigm Clinical dental management software to better serve you. 

Have you made a list of goals for your practice this year? If not, here’s a list of goals we thought would be the most satisfying to achieve for 2021. Some of these goals can also be easily managed with the help of our Paradigm software!

Step up your communication

Clear communication between you, your staff and your patients is what will help build trust and understanding between each individual. This is especially important during such unprecedented times.

Between you and your staff, take advantage of using patient notes in Paradigm if you haven’t already. This is a great way to record details about patients so that everyone is on the same page. Keeping detailed notes will also allow your team to be better prepared for when the patient comes in. Recording small details like their likes/dislikes can also help your team be more personable to even the most difficult patients.

For your patients, you can set them up for regular communication through our Newsletter or My Contact Pro/SMS modules. With the never-ending changes for Government COVID-19 restrictions, a lot of uncertainty is raised. Minimize the guesswork your patients have to do by promptly sending out a newsletter that addresses new government announcements. This is a great way to quickly notify your patients of any new procedures or changes to your operating hours.

Keep your appointment book full

It goes without saying that the dental office is usually most profitable when their appointment books are full. Paradigm Clinical lets you easily browse through your appointment book to find any vacant timeslots. You can also search for openings to find the earliest available times your patient can book.

Even if you already do the above, it is still inevitable for no-shows and late cancellations. If this occurs often, you can be left with a lot of empty spots and losing profit. If patients make appointments months in advance, it’s not uncommon that they forget their appointments. Sending pre-confirmation and confirmations through Paradigm is a convenient way to remind patients without having to spend time on the phone. You can schedule automatic reminders and confirmations for all appointments so that you don’t have to keep track of who you need to contact.

If cancellations do happen, our software can help you pull up your ASAP list to immediately contact patients who are looking to come in earlier if there is availability. This gives you a greater chance of filling in the slot.

Stay on top of your recare list

With the lockdown and restrictions in 2020, dental offices were forced to cancel appointments. In other words, you may already have a backlog of overdue recare patients. Not only is clearing the list important to ensure your patients are in good oral health, but it would have a great impact on your productivity. 

Since recares can lead to more treatment plans, a backlog would mean you’re missing out on many potential opportunities. Using Paradigm, you can see your pending recare patients. Once you have your list, set a goal to reach 5-10 patients a day. It may be a long process, but the rewards are worth the efforts.

Follow through with treatment plans

We know it has been difficult to follow through with treatment plans without interruptions. However, these high-end services like crowns, bridges, implants, etc. are what bring your productivity to the next level.

Our Paradigm software allows you to record treatment plan details which you can view at a later date. The Pending Treatment Plans report will give you a list of patients who have a treatment plan on their file so that you can follow up with them. If your patients are apprehensive about coming to the dental office during a pandemic, you can let them know of the new facilities at the office that will enhance the safety of the patient and staff.

However, if patients are very uncomfortable with coming to the office, you can work out a new tentative plan to be revised at a later date. Take this opportunity to answer any other questions the patient may have and how they can maintain their oral health during this time of waiting.

Increase social media presence

Growing your practice should always be one of the priorities for your practice. More and more people are relying on digital platforms for information since the pandemic started and are spending more time on social media. This is a great opportunity to reach new patients, meaning increasing your social media presence would be a very practical goal for this year.

Your social media pages are where you can set the tone of your practice i.e. how you want others to perceive you and your staff. For example, if you want to showcase a fun environment, you can use colourful photos and clever captions. If you want to be known for elegance and top-tier service, post images that reflect this tone. Building your brand image will help your audience relate better to you, and in turn, build trust.

Whatever your goals may be, we hope that you will have a successful and fulfilling year ahead! If you need any advice on how Paradigm Clinical can help you achieve your goals, don’t hesitate to contact us.