Every once in a while it is great to revisit how we are talking to patients about CAMBRA and CariFree during their appointment. Our skilled training team works with hundreds of offices and has developed a surefire system for having the conversation with patients. Keeping it simple, to the point and not overcomplicating the issue is key. Here are their suggestions:
When the patient arrives and is checking in:
Front office team member says: “We’ve implemented a program that allows us to understand if you are at higher risk for decay. Dr. Jones is asking all patients fill out this form to get the process started.” (Hands the patient the CRA form to fill out in the waiting room.)
In Hygiene:
Hygienist says: “I’m going to do a quick swab of your teeth to see if you have any of the bad bacteria that cause cavities. If it’s low you’re safe.”
“The reading we get is going to tell us which of the rinses you are going to need. If it’s high we need to treat the bacteria with a antimicrobial rinse (medicine). If it’s low we’ll use the longer term proactive rinse (vitamin)”.
If the patient needs to have a reassessment based on their results, the scheduling coordinator (or whomever is responsible for scheduling their next visit):
“Looks like we need to get you back in 3 months for a quick check up, does April 29th or 30th work? Morning or afternoon?”
It is imperative to make sure to schedule the patient’s reassessment appointment before the patient leaves the building, otherwise it will be much more difficult to get the reassessment appointment on the books.
One of the main roadblocks our training team says most dental offices encounter is overcomplicating the conversation with patients. Try these few simple steps and let us know how it goes!