Online Scheduling for Dentists: Why Your Practice Needs It

September 2021
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Patients love a good experience. Whether that’s high-tech treatments, spa-like amenities, or online forms, making patients feel comfortable at every point in the process is crucial for booking more of the right patients and keeping them satisfied.

An oft-overlooked aspect of the patient experience is scheduling appointments. While in the past it took a phone call or email to your office to book a visit, this can now be done by the patient on their own. The best way to do this is through online scheduling.

 

What is online scheduling for dentists?

Online booking allows your patients to schedule an appointment right from their phone or computer. Linked from your website, a visitor can see what dates and times are available for an appointment and book their appointment right then and there.

No emails for your team to respond to, no phone calls your patients have to make in the middle of their work day, and no accidental double bookings. Patients also have the ability to book an appointment at any time of the day, even in the evenings or on weekends. It makes scheduling an appointment at your practice as easy as ordering a new book on Amazon.

 

Why your practice needs to start using online scheduling for dentists

why online scheduling dentists delmain

More of the right new patients

A simple way to increase new patient opportunities is to make the new appointment process as easy as possible. Online scheduling for dentists is an excellent opportunity for you to do this. Instead of having to call or send an email (and wait for a response), website visitors can simply see when appointments are available and schedule an appointment that works for them. 

Don’t believe us? Just look at these stats:

  • 67% of people say that booking online is their #1 choice when scheduling an appointment.
  • 94% say they are more likely to book an appointment if online scheduling is an option.
  • 59% say they are frustrated when put on hold or an office is not open when they call to make an appointment.

Online scheduling removes a step for new patients looking for your service, automatically giving you a leg up compared to a dentist who does not offer it.

More efficient workflow

In addition to being great for patients, online scheduling platforms make your team’s life a whole lot easier. This frees up their time to do other aspects of their jobs and help your practice in other ways.

Additionally, it lessens the likelihood that there will be a schedule mishap or confusion. Online booking platforms are integrated directly into your practice schedule. You can feel confident that no one is double booked and that every available appointment is being presented to patients. It also automatically sends out appointment reminders and follow ups, making appointment management even easier.

It is becoming the norm

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Most people crave convenience and are likely to choose dentists and service providers who can make life the easiest for them. When patients are deciding between new dentists, online booking capability could be a deciding factor for a patient who has not gotten to know you, particularly if they are seeing it on other dentist websites around town.

Plus, keeping up with trends is important for keeping current patients satisfied. If your patients use online scheduling with other medical providers and you don’t offer it, they might look for a dentist who offers the convenient experience they’ve now come to know.

How to add online scheduling to your website

Adding an online booking platform to your website is easy! While you will need an online marketing agency such as Delmian or a developer to link the platform to your website, it can be set up quickly in capable hands.

The bigger question is what online scheduling option to move forward with.

:Delmain’s preferred option: Nexhealth

At :Delmain, we’ve tried multiple online booking platforms, and worked with partners who’ve used even more. One stands above the rest: Nexhealth.

Nexhealth is easy to use, can simply be added to your website by the :Delmain team, and integrates with most popular practice management systems and electronic health record systems.

Even better — :Delmain can offer a discounted Nexhealth membership that includes even more benefits.

How to integrate into your site

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Once online booking is added to your website, it’s time to get excited! Most importantly, it’s time to let patients know that it’s available. 

Use “Book Online” call to actions

Maybe the easiest and most straightforward way to let your patients know that you offer online booking is through “Book Online” or “Schedule Online” call to actions (CTAs) on your website.

At :Delmain, we make sure website visitors have ample opportunities to contact you to schedule an appointment. When you offer online scheduling, we’ll feature CTAs linking to your online scheduling platform throughout your site.

Navigation bar

In a similar vein, always include a button in your navigation bar (many call it the website’s “menu”). Navigation bars follow a visitor as they travel through your website, so placing a button here makes sure that your patients are always just a click away from scheduling their next appointment.

 

Let your current patients know

current patients online scheduling dentists delmain

Make sure your current patients are aware that online scheduling is now available. Announce this feature through an email newsletter, a text, or during patient appointments.

Don’t be shy! We find that most dentists, staff, and especially patients are extremely excited when they hear the news!

:Delmain can help you add online scheduling to your site

At :Delmain, we work with dentists across the United States to modernize not just their digital presence, but their practice, too. Our team is trained to help you make the best use of technology on your website, and we are always happy to help you modernize your office operations. 

We also offer custom and semi-custom dental websitesSEO services, and paid advertising to help you book more of the right patients.

We’d love to set aside 30-minutes to chat with you. Let’s talk!

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