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Professional News Articles : FRONT DESK by Mary M. Byers, CAE : The perfect schedule

The perfect schedule

January 18, 2007

Is there such a thing as the “perfect” schedule for your office? It's a concept worth discussing at your next staff meeting.

With scheduling such an important part of an efficient practice, it's worth taking the time to determine what a “perfect” schedule would look like. Perhaps your office would prefer to schedule all crown and bridge work on the same day. Or maybe children's appointments are best scheduled first thing in the morning. Or maybe you'll choose to refer out all orthodontics and extractions. The choice is up to you.

Many practices feel as if they are at the mercy of the schedule. But you have more control over it than you think. That's why it's important to take time to visualize what the perfect schedule would like in the practice you work for. Your patients will take their cues from you.

Let's say you'd like to schedule all crown and bridge work on Wednesdays. With this scheduling decision made, it's easy to make it happen. When crown work is necessary, staff can say to patients, “Dr. Smith dedicates Wednesdays to crown and bridge procedures,” and schedule accordingly.

Here are a few questions to get you started as you help plan the perfect schedule for your office:

  • Which procedures, if any, should be scheduled first thing in the morning?
  • Which procedures, if any, should be scheduled in the afternoon?
  • Which procedures will we routinely refer?
  • Are there any procedures we'd like to consolidate to one or two specific days of the week?
  • What other issues do we need to address in order to plan the perfect schedule?

Be sure to include input from all staff members as you discuss the above questions. Often, clinical staff can't understand why the business staff overlaps patients the way it does and the business staff doesn't understand why the clinical staff can't keep up. Consequently, it's necessary to have the viewpoint and experience from both the clinical and business side in order to truly create a workable, stress-fee schedule.

Taking the time to develop the perfect schedule offers many benefits for a practice, including:

  • Maximizing staff productivity
  • Increasing the likelihood that the practice will run on time
  • Minimizing waiting time for patients
  • Insuring procedures will be done at a time of day when performance will be the best
  • Reducing schedule-related stress
  • Providing adequate time for patient education

If you choose to develop the perfect schedule, be aware that adjustments may be necessary as you learn more about what does, and doesn't, work for your practice. What sounds like a good idea in theory may not actually work (such as scheduling children first thing in the morning since many parents prefer to have an after-school appointment when possible). Make adjustments as you become aware that they are necessary, but don't lose sight of your overall vision regarding the perfect schedule. With a little flexibility, you can make your practice schedule perfect!

CDS presents Front Desk, a column addressing problems dentists and staff members experience in the office. Front Desk is prepared by Mary M. Byers, CAE, a professional speaker and freelance writer. Ms. Byers may be reached at mbyers@marybyers.com or www.marybyers.com. Send suggestions for topics to be covered to review@cds.org.

Copyright 2007, Chicago Dental Society