Who could have predicted the level of mobile phone use in modern Britain? They have come a long way since the bulky handsets of the 1980s, which resembled house bricks and were exclusive to the very wealthy. Mobile phones today are ubiquitous and dental practices across the UK are catching on to their usage in patient communications and, in particular, to improve appointment attendance.
Contrary to popular belief, mobile phones are not solely the domain of young adults and teenagers. According to Ofcom while 99 per cent of 25-34 year olds own a mobile phone, 55 per cent of the 65-74 year age bracket also have handsets, and these figures are increasing. These devices are constant companions for many members of the British public and as such are an ideal means to remind patients of upcoming appointments or recalls.
When patients fail to appear for their designated dental appointments, it is frustrating all round. Dentists are left with a hole in their appointment book that they have no chance of filling, while other patients who would have happily taken that time slot miss out completely.
According to research by the British Dental Association (BDA), missed appointments are a very real problem. The number of DNAs (did not attend) in this country is in the region of 3.5m per year, equating to almost two weeks worth of lost work for dentists. Occasional missed appointments are perhaps inevitable, however the sheer scale of the problem has raised concerns at the BDA.
While there is talk of reinstating penalty fees for no-shows (which would encourage a negative perception of the practice amongst patients) some practices are using a more constructive approach: text messaging. The results have been fantastic. A recent study in India has found that the use of text messaging to remind patients of appointments ensured that four out of every five patients arrived at their designated appointment on time.
Text messaging services are one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways for dental practices to maintain contact with patients and ensure they have access to treatment. Texts can be automatically generated from patient data on the practice computer so the whole process is self-managing. This leaves staff free to concentrate on patients in the chair or waiting room.
References available on request.