Boost your DentistryIQ: How to exceed expectations of today's new patients

Aug. 17, 2020
The new-patient experience has changed during the pandemic. How can technology actually help with that lost in-person connection? And what else can technology help with? Mike Buckner of Weave has some ideas.

Dentists are now embracing technology they may not have felt comfortable with in the past. Mike Buckner of Weave has watched the evolution of technology among both doctors and patients due to COVID-19, and he’s found it fascinating. He says hardly anyone is resistant to technology anymore because in many cases, it’s taking the place of the in-person connections people are not able to make right now.

The new-patient experience has always been an opportunity to build rapport. Dr. Pam Maragliano-Muniz points out how much that experience has changed. Trying to create rapport while wearing a mask and social distancing is hard to do. Technology can actually help improve that experience right now.

Buckner shares several examples related to this and more. He acknowledges that the pandemic has wreaked havoc on many teams' staff numbers and may lead to the phone not being answered. Instead of losing a patient, he says an automated yet personal text message may do the trick—and build rapport.

That’s not all. Find out what other easy-to-integrate technology from Weave can help your practice during these challenging times.

For more informative and up-to-the-minute video chats with key industry experts, visit DentistryIQ Videos.

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial co-director of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected]

About the Author

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial co-director of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected].

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