Dentists all over the world work hard to make sure every patient feels comfortable. You don’t want your dental office to feel unwelcoming, so it’s up to you to make small changes to create a better waiting room environment for your patients.
The dental waiting room sets the tone of your practice as well as the mood of the patient as they embark on an (often stressful) appointment. There are many ways to make the front space more inviting and accommodate your patients while they wait for their appointments. It’s all about creating a warm environment and offering the right amenities. If you want to provide a better patient experience, these eight dental office waiting room ideas are a great start.
1. Use technology to your advantage
Using technology to your advantage can help you create a better waiting room experience for patients. You can use electronic intake forms (either on tablets or sent to the patient’s phone) to show you have a modern practice. You can also add a few TVs to your dental waiting room so patients have something to watch while waiting for their services. If you have a tech-savvy person on staff you can even create treatment ads that can run on the TVs.
Technology is a simple way to make your waiting room more welcoming. Clipboards and shared pens are old dentistry; electronic forms are not only a sign of modernity, but they also create efficiency in records. TVs and other forms of entertainment can give patients something to do while they wait, and you can even use TVs to educate patients about various dental hygiene topics or your sleep apnea treatments.
2. Create a welcoming space
In the past, dental office waiting rooms have been awash in that ’90s light green tone. Sterile is good, bland is not, and truly adds to the uneasy feeling some people get when they visit the doctor or dentist.
Creating an inviting environment is one of the best things you can do to ensure your patients feel comfortable while waiting for an appointment. Dental office decor is a great way to add some color and personality to your waiting room, and you can customize your style to match the personality of your practice.
Ultimately, you want your patients to feel like they can relax in your waiting room and be comfortable during their appointment, so the decor, plants, and furniture you choose are essential. Also, make sure you have plenty of comfortable seating for everyone and use warm lighting to create a more relaxing waiting room environment for patients.
3. Be mindful of wait times
According to the Dandy Dental Study: Patient Experience, wait times are a common cause of patient dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, it’s also difficult for you to tell your patients exactly when you’re going to be available for their appointment. Whether a patient needs a little more time to settle in or your previous appointment started late, wait times are tough to avoid.
Still, dentists need to be mindful of wait times and do everything possible to minimize them. Your patients don’t want to wait hours for an appointment, especially if they need to return to work or take their child back to school.
There are several ways to reduce patient wait times and keep your patients happy. Sending out reminders can help you ensure your patients arrive on time, or you can offer an incentive for patients who show up early for their appointments. It’s also essential to make sure you’re not taking on more patients than you can handle—that’s one of the easiest ways to increase patient wait times.
Patients don’t want to sit around in your waiting room for hours, so be mindful of wait times so they don’t have to.
4. Offer free Wi-Fi
Most people have smartphones, so they can catch up on emails, check social media, and browse the internet anywhere. While most mobile providers offer unlimited data plans, many people don’t have unlimited data. People with unlimited data may still have restrictions and prefer to connect to a wireless network. Or you could be in a cellular dead zone.
When you offer free Wi-Fi in your dental office waiting room, you can make sure your patients have constant internet access without using their cellular data. Your patients are already spending money to visit your practice, so offering free Wi-Fi is an excellent way to reward them for caring for their teeth.
Offering free Wi-Fi is a simple way to keep patients occupied (read: be less frustrated by wait times) and it’s easy to set up. If you already use a wireless network in your dental office, you can set up a guest network that your patients can use while they’re in the waiting room. You may want to hire an IT professional to set up the network for you. Providing free Wi-Fi is also a good way to keep patients connected so they can check their email and confirm appointment details.
Overall, free Wi-Fi isn’t just a “nice to have” anymore, it is expected by patients.
5. Offer complimentary water, coffee, and tea
Patients may want something to drink while sitting in their dentist’s waiting room. If you want to create a more welcoming space for your patients, offer complimentary coffee and tea they can enjoy before or after their appointment. Some patients may not want to drink coffee or tea right before an appointment, but they can still enjoy a warm beverage on their way out. Setting up a water dispenser in your waiting room is also a good idea, allowing patients to hydrate or rinse their mouths after drinking coffee or tea.
Coffee and tea might sound strange in a dental office waiting room, but it’s a great way to keep your patients warm and comfortable while they’re waiting for an appointment. When you set up your coffee and tea station, make sure you’re also offering cups and straws, cream and sugar, and anything else people may want with their coffee or tea.
6. Have a welcoming and friendly office manager
A good dental office manager can make a world of difference when it comes to creating a warm environment for patients. Dental office managers make sure the front office is running smoothly, which is exactly what you need to keep your patients happy. The right office manager can maintain positive relationships with patients, optimize workflows, train staff to improve the patient experience, and oversee day-to-day processes.
Hiring a friendly and welcoming office manager who can improve the patient experience can transform your dental office. Qualifications are important, but you want someone with a personality that makes your patients feel welcome.
7. Add patient marketing materials
Dentists’ waiting rooms are the perfect place to educate patients about dental hygiene and various types of dental products. If you don’t have patient marketing materials in your waiting room, consider adding them so your patients have something interesting to read. You can educate your patients, talk about popular dental products like Clear Aligners, and advertise the treatment options available at your practice.
Partners like Dandy offer professional marketing materials (if you are a customer, ask your Account Manager about our Clear Aligners brochure) but also, creating your own patient marketing materials is easy and there are several printing services you can use.
Patient marketing materials offer several benefits. Providing something for patients to read keeps them entertained—even if it’s not an entertainment magazine. Patients also get a chance to learn more about your practice and the services you offer, which may encourage them to ask about those services.
8. Create a stress-free environment
It’s easy to feel stressed out when you’re waiting for an appointment at the dentist or doctor—especially for patients with more serious dental problems. You don’t want patients to feel overwhelmed and anxious in your waiting room, so create a stress-free environment. Avoid overly negative marketing materials and posters and keep decor warm and inviting. You should also ensure, if you play music in your waiting room, that it is soft so patients can relax while they wait. Music really sets a tone.
Stress is a natural part of going to the dentist for a lot of people, but that doesn’t mean they have to feel stressed in the dentist’s waiting room. Your staff can also help patients feel more welcome by greeting them when they arrive and letting them know when you’re ready for their appointment.
For patients who get incredibly anxious or stressed when visiting the dentist, you can use dental anxiety management techniques to help them calm down and relax before their appointment.
Creating a better patient experience in your dental waiting room
The patient experience is an essential part of managing your dental office, and there are several things you can do to create a warm and inviting environment for patients. Redecorating your waiting room and finding a good dental office manager can help your waiting room feel more welcoming. You can also offer free Wi-Fi for entertainment and have intake forms be filled out on your patients’ own phones to create a positive experience for all.
With a little work, you can make your dental waiting room a better place for your patients. Pair that with Dandy’s services to streamline operations, maximize efficiency, and boost patient satisfaction at your practice. The next step to wowing your patients is just a quick call away.
