How to Stay Calm in the Face of Schedule Changes

Let’s face it, we, as dental hygienists, have very busy schedules that constantly change by the hour. By the end of our morning huddle, two patients may have been added to the schedule, another may have cancelled, and yet an additional patient may be put into the overflow column, and you haven’t even seen your first patient yet! What do you do?

Constant changes to your schedule are a normal occurrence in most dental offices. Here are some tips to help you thrive in a busy dental practice so that you can remain and productive as you flow through your busy day at the office.

Tip #1: Be prepared.

You should be prepared 2 days in advance for every patient on your schedule. Go through each patient’s chart and note the dates of his or her last exam, radiographs, and oral cancer screening, and check to see if the patient has any pending treatment with the dentist. For younger patients, review information that may necessitate additional time. For example, patients turning 6 or 12 may require sealants. Keep this information in your pocket to review during the day. Periodically check the schedule to see if there have been any changes. This may be possible while waiting for the dentist to complete the exam. Adequate preparedness will help to ease your mind as you work through a busy day.

Tip #2: Partner with your front staff.

Developing a partnership with the people responsible for your schedule is key. Share your normal protocols for how long it takes to complete certain treatments. This helps to prevent mishaps due to scheduling errors. The front staff can create blocks on the schedule that correlate to the type of treatment being provided, for instance 60 minutes for scaling and root planing. This not only keeps the day flowing nicely, but it also helps to reduce the need to work through lunch with the hope of reducing the risk of burnout. 

Tip #3: Communicate with your team.

Open communication with your team creates cohesion, encourages productivity, and fosters the ability to work toward a common goal. Effective communication helps to build trust with your coworkers, which, in hand, creates a positive working environment. It can also eliminate errors. For instance, if you need 15 additional minutes to complete treatment, you should let the rest of the team know. Conflict is often caused by miscommunication. Be clear to avoid misunderstandings.

Tip #4: Partner with your dentist.

Dental hygienists work hand-in-hand with dentists in caring for our patients. In order to build a partnership with your dentist, schedule regular meetings to review cases and create treatment plans. Establishing a partnership with your dentist will create a level of trust that will benefit not only yourself, but your patients as well.

Tip #5: Build rapport with your patients.

Getting to know your patients on a personal level is one of the best ways to build rapport, gain trust, and encourage confidence. Remembering small pieces of personal information, such as a child’s birthday party coming up or a recent vacation, is a great way to build strong patient relationships. Listening is also important in developing relationships. 

You may want to make patient reminder calls as well. During these calls, you can ask whether the appointment time still works and also get an upper hand on any new oral health issues the patient may be experiencing. Developing the right soft skills as a dental hygienist can be just as important for patients’ overall health as clinical treatment.