A hundred years ago, being able to call a dentist on the phone was a wondrous efficiency, but modern technology offers even more ways to increase productivity. Self-scheduling an appointment with a dentist is more convenient than ever for patients, and it allows your dental practice to save time and reduce no-shows. Here are just four reasons why online booking can give your practice control over your scheduling — while skipping the hassle of making appointments. 

1. Spend Less Time on the Phone 

The average time on the phone to schedule an appointment is 8.1 minutes.* All the phone calls replaced by online booking add up to a significant amount of time that your staff can use to focus on patients currently in the office and other tasks. Now, instead of waiting for patients to coordinate their work schedules, their kids’ schedules and so on with your availability, patients can take as much time as they need to find the right slot. 

2. Control Your Schedule Completely 

If the reason you have not started offering online booking is the worry that your practice will lose control of appointment scheduling, you should know that online booking solutions can provide complete control over what times you want to open or block. With a convenient widget you can place on your website or social media site, a current or prospective patient can send a booking for an appointment whenever they want. 

3. Decrease Cancellations and No-Shows 

How often has your team told patients they can reschedule if they realize later they have a conflict? That rescheduling often takes time away from your front office staff or leads to reduced revenue. Allowing patients to schedule their own appointments increases their personal investment in the booking process, meaning they’re less likely to cancel the appointments they’ve made — or worse, just not show up.  

4. Offer Convenience to Patients 

Time is our most precious resource, so giving some back to your team and your patients is the best convenience you could provide. While your office can’t stay open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, your online booking can. Patients can self-schedule easily in the slots you control, and your approval of their requested appointment prompts a confirmation email and appointment reminders to be sent automatically. 

Almost 80 percent of patients are interested in being able to book their own appointments online.** Expanding your scheduling options to include Online Booking from Demandforce can show your patients and your team you care while helping you keep your schedule full, or call us at 833.244.3417 to speak to an expert today! 

* Accenture Consumer Survey, 2013 

**American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) member poll, 2019