We are living in a trying time in history. It’s been decades since the world was forced to face something as intense as a pandemic and truthfully, most of us were not fully prepared to fight this virus. Lockdowns and quarantines were implemented and social distancing was heavily imposed.

The idea of going to the dentist is already scary for most people, and this pandemic adds another layer of fear and apprehension for most of your potential clients. It doesn’t help that most dental practices had no choice but to close during the rapid spread of the pandemic and most dentists were only allowed to deal with emergency cases. Now that spread has diminished and stay-at-home orders are gradually being lifted, this is the best opportunity for you to reopen your dental clinic. The challenge is how to reassure and safeguard both your staff and patients that may still be apprehensive to come to your dental practice.

The Reality

In order for you to establish a successful reopening, we have to come to terms with the matter at hand. We are all facing a global virus that is affecting everyone worldwide. It does not care for gender, race or even age and people can also be asymptomatic carriers that may possibly have no idea that they’re already infected. We do not know how long this pandemic will last or how quickly we can find a viable vaccine or cure for it. This is the ‘new’ normal we’re living in right now and the only thing we can do is make the best out of the situation. This means you should start planning new approaches to your dental practices and you should be aware of the best tips to calm any fears when trying to reopen your dental practice.

The Best Advice

Predict & Prepare

Like all other establishments that are also operating under the ‘new’ normal standards, you should also follow strict guidelines for your practice. Both your staff and patients should know and understand the changes you’ve put in place and the proper way to follow these protocols. This means that masks should be heavily enforced, temperatures should be taken when entering and exiting, and proper sanitation must be constantly observed. The safety of your patients and staff should be your top priority.

Remote Appointments

We are all also living in a heavily digital world where mostly anything can be done at the click of a button. This can also be used as an advantage for your practice. You can set up patients to fill in digital documents for their info sheets and even set them up with a phone or video call when there is no need for a physical check-up. This helps reduce physical contact with your patients and staff and prevents your dental practice from overcrowding with patients. You still need to adhere to social distancing and doing this can be a big boost for your business.

Compassionate Service

You may be running a business, but you also have to understand that you’re dealing with human lives. All the fears and doubts that most patients have been amplified ten-fold by the situation that we are all in. They know that there are risks when choosing the right dentist and added to that there are also risks of exposure from the virus every time that they leave their home. Your staff also recognizes this risk but they still choose to work with you. Mental health right now is as important as dental health. Take the time to listen to all the concerns that both your patients and staff have. Reassure them of their doubts while also reinforcing a sense of positivity within them. A little humanity goes a long way.

Summary

Going to the dentist is already a very stressful decision for most people even before the pandemic started. This is why you should expect that all their fears and doubts may be possibly stronger than ever before. It may seem challenging at first glance, but with the right mindset and the knowledge of the best ways to counter all their fears, you reopening can and will be a success.