One mistake we often see practices make is having a lack of consistent communication. Dental practices operate with multiple levels of communication, and failing to provide clear information, listen actively, or clarify details can quickly lead to misunderstanding and mistrust amongst the team and the patients.
Types of dental practice communication
- Doctor to team. Doctors are extremely busy; however, they still must communicate regularly with their teams. When your staff doesn’t know what’s happening, rumors can begin—and they often go to the worst possible conclusion. We recently met a practice where staff members believed the practice was being sold. In reality, the dentist was simply planning a two-week vacation. However, staff had noticed small bits of information in the schedule about the doctor’s time off and jumped to the wrong conclusion. While not logical, it was understandably unsettling. A simple comment such as, “I’m planning a two-week vacation,” when blocking off time on the schedule would have avoided the problem entirely.
- Team to patients. Front desk staff must communicate with patients about scheduling, insurance information, and financial arrangements. Sometimes that information is not immediately available, and the patient is told the team will get back to them. If that follow-up is forgotten or delayed, the patient feels let down, views the customer service as poor, and may consider going to another practice.
We recently worked with a practice where a patient was told their insurance would be checked for a case exceeding $20,000. The front desk team said they would gather the information and follow up. After eight days with no communication, the patient sought a second opinion—and ultimately had the treatment done at another practice. Even if you don’t have the information yet, sending a quick text to let the patient know you’re working on it makes a difference.
We also highly recommend that dental assistants communicate with patients during treatment. We teach dental assistants to reassure patients every five minutes that their treatment is progressing well.
- Office manager to the team. Our research from launching the Levin Group Office Manager Mastery Program has shown that no one needs to communicate more than the office manager. Office managers serve as the key link between the dentist and the team and must be clear about what needs to be communicated daily, weekly, monthly, and annually. They also play a critical role in guiding the team until members are fully trained and efficient.
We recently encountered a practice where the office manager spent 90% of the day in a private office with the door closed. This caused the team to be hesitant about asking questions and they were left to figure things out on their own. The result was confusion about responsibilities, negative feelings, and reduced efficiency.
Our advice? Just communicate.
Simple, timely communication—from team member to doctor, office manager, or patient—can make all the difference. When you have the information, share it. When you don’t, let people know you’re working on it and keep them updated. Consistent communication builds trust, confidence, and efficiency throughout the practice.
