If you’re a dentist in Massachusetts, or you’re responsible for a dental practice, you’ll want to know about the latest research into what makes patients leave a dental practice – even if they are satisfied with the medical care they are receiving.
What’s the make or break it factor, and why does it have such an impact on patient retention?
Facility cleanliness. As we enter the post-pandemic era, patient expectations regarding facility cleanliness are higher than they’ve ever been before. And let’s be realistic: patient expectation regarding facility cleanliness in the health care setting has always been quite high.
What has been eye-opening for some dental practices is the fact that a patient’s decision to leave and never come back does not have to relate to the cleanliness of the treatment area. Any reputable dentist is going to ensure they’re providing care in a properly sanitized environment. But patient perceptions are influenced by the entirety of their experience, including time spent in the waiting room, viewing the area where office staff work, and using the restroom. If any of these areas is less than clean and tidy, nearly five out of five report that they’d change practices.
Having your staff run the vacuum when things are slow does not address this problem. First, when are things ever slow enough that your team doesn’t need to be focused on their job? Second, it does not make a good impression to have your patients see your staff wiping down furniture and cleaning the bathroom. The appropriate remedy is to work with a dental office cleaning company.
Professional dental office cleaning services in Massachusetts provide a top to bottom thorough cleaning of your facility, including treatment and public areas, using medical grade products. This is very important as we continue the fight against COVID and other contagious diseases. Your facility will look and smell better. Your patients may never comment on how clean your dental practice is, but they absolutely notice it.