When it comes to managing the front office of a dental practice, there are a variety of options available. One option is to rely on your in-house staff, while another is to utilize virtual front office agents. In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of each option, and discuss the best strategy moving forward.

The first option is to rely on your in-house staff. The pros of this option include the fact that they have personal experience with the doctors and other team members in your office. They also know your procedures, office location, and other details that a remote agent would have a harder time with. However, the cons of this option include the fact that staff members often have multiple duties, which can lead to distractions and a poor patient experience.

The second option is to utilize virtual front office agents. The pros of this option include the fact that they are the ultimate backup, and can fill your schedule with patients. They also have a single focus, which leads to huge production gains and less wasted time in the office. However, the cons of this option include the fact that they may not have as good of an understanding of your practice, and may not have the same patient connection that helps to develop deeper relationships.

So, what is the best strategy moving forward? The best option is to blend the two solutions together. By using your in-house staff to handle the many tasks that are thrown at them day in and day out, and using virtual agents to answer calls after hours and to keep your schedule full, you can achieve the perfect blend of both worlds. This strategy will allow your in-house staff to provide a personal and high-quality patient experience, while also ensuring that your practice never misses a call or opportunity to schedule a new patient.

It's important to note that when it comes to virtual front office agents, it's essential to choose a reputable and reliable provider. Not all virtual front office providers are created equal, so it's important to do your research and find a provider that has a proven track record of success. Additionally, it's important to make sure that the virtual agents are well-trained and understand your practice's specific needs and goals.

In conclusion, a virtual front office can be a valuable asset for any dental practice, but it's important to weigh the pros and cons and determine the best strategy moving forward. By blending in-house staff and virtual front office agents, dental practices can achieve optimal coverage and a high-quality patient experience. If you have any questions or need help with setting up a virtual front office, feel free to reach out to experts in the field for guidance.

Transcription

So a virtual front office. Let's weigh out the pros and cons of virtual dental agents. What should your strategy be moving forward? Look, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that a virtual front office will solve all of your front office problems, so I wanted to highlight for you the pros and cons of each option, and then tell you my thoughts about blending the two options together to give you optimal coverage and quality of patient experience. So your staff members, if they're trained properly, they can be the best frontline for your dental office. They have personal experience about the doctors and the other team members in your office. They also know your procedures, your office location, and other details that a remote agent would have a much harder time with. The challenge with your own staff is that they typically have upwards of seven different duties to do, such as checking insurance, making confirmation calls, pulling charts, handling new patient paperwork, answering calls, dealing with collections, and much more. 

They are totally distracted and this causes them to miss phone calls or provides a poor patient experience. The advantage of having a virtual front office agent is that they are the ultimate backup. They have one job to do, and that is to fill your schedule with patients. Now, that kind of focus leads to huge production gains and a lot less wasted time in office. These guys can not only receive calls for you, but they can also make calls to patients who are due for cleanings or new patients that filled out forms online. However, the disadvantage to the remote front office employee is that they probably don't have as good of an understanding of you and your practice. They won't know the area as well. They don't have the real patient connection that helps them develop deeper relationships. The best of these two solutions is a blend. I think the front office is important to handle the many tasks that are thrown at them day in and day out. You use your virtual agents to answer calls after hours and to keep your schedule full. This, in my opinion, is the perfect blend of both worlds. If you have any questions for me about how to set this up or if you need help, feel free to reach out to me directly and I'll give you the best data that I have today. I look forward to hearing from you. See you soon.