You’ve clicked this article for one reason: you want to optimize how your dental practice is run.
Take a moment to think about your practice now.
Do you need help managing incoming calls, queries, and scheduling tasks? Do you get bogged down in admin, tedious emailing, supply ordering, and website updating, instead of being able to spend time developing your services and growing your patient base?
These are all common issues that dental practices around the world face, and it stops them from ever growing and reaching their full potential. However, it’s not impossible to set yourself free and start moving forward.
Virtual dental assistants (VDA) can help your dental practice in several ways, and it could be the affordable and productive investment you’ve been looking for.
This could be the way you change your dental practice forever.
In this complete guide, we’re covering everything you need to know regarding virtual dental assistants, covering what they are, how they can help you, and how you get started with one of your own!
Let’s get into it.
What is a Virtual Dental Assistant?
A virtual dental assistant is an emerging position in the field of dentistry that makes use of technology to provide administrative support.
These assistants leverage digital tools to ease everyday tasks such as scheduling and insurance verification so dentists can work more efficiently.
A virtual dental assistant can prove even more invaluable with the increased demand for remote services due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Virtual assistants have the unique capability of being able to practice from any location while still providing superior customer service — making them truly modern professionals.
What are the benefits of using a Virtual Dental Assistant?
Virtual Dental Assistants can help to automate processes and streamline workflows at a dental practice, which saves time and money.
Think about how you run your dental practice currently and how much time you could save if you employed an assistant to handle all the bits and pieces you don’t really have time for.
Of course, hiring a full-time assistant to work at your practice can be a huge expense, something you simply can’t budget for. However, a virtual assistant doesn’t need to come into the office and can work as many or as few hours as needed.
This enables you to really start taking the idea of hiring a virtual assistant for a dental practice seriously, unlocking the many benefits they can bring to your business.
Some of the tasks you might unburden yourself with include;
- Managing all appointment reminders
- Recall scheduling
- Providing basic patient education
- Managing bookings and appointment scheduling
- Dealing with supply orders for your practice and office
- Answering emails and phone calls
- Posting on your social media profiles
- Updating your website
- Handling billing paperwork
By outsourcing this kind of work to a virtual assistant, you’re allowing yourself to enjoy many benefits, such as;
- Only paying someone for the hours you need them to work
- No payroll taxes to pay
- No need to provide benefits like vacation or sick pay
- No training expenses are required
- Less staffing headaches
- No need to pay for PC equipment or office supplies
As a result of using a Virtual Dental Assistant, practices not only have reduced costs but can also provide patients with faster response time and overall creates a better experience that keeps them coming back for more.
New patients then want a piece of what you’re offering, meaning you’re sure to see a spike in new patients and sign-ups. Overall, it; ‘s a win-win for your business and, by far, one of the best ways to start growing your venture.
How do I know if I need a Virtual Dental Assistant?
If you’re a dentist or dental practice, virtual dental assistance can be a great way to reduce the burden of administrative and clinical tasks. However, it’s essential to know when you need a virtual assistant to benefit most from their services.
Some signs that your practice could use the help of a virtual assistant include slow response times to patient inquiries, clutter in areas such as billing and patient scheduling, and inadequate flow between your team.
Take a moment to think about your business and identify where any bottlenecks in your workflow are. What problems do you need to address?
Problems like:
- Low patient sign-up rates
- Low repeat patient rates
- Receiving customer complaints
- Unscheduled or overdue patients on your system
- Not enough budget to invest in yourself, your business, or your services
You probably have a few areas you’d like to improve already coming to mind. Think about how you’d be able to address these areas with an assistant helping to manage the smaller tasks, freeing you up to handle what’s more important.
If any of these scenarios sound familiar, consider outsourcing specific tasks to a virtual dental assistant who can help keep your practice running efficiently.
What can a Virtual Dental Assistant do?
Having a virtual dental assistant can be extremely helpful and are capable of handling a ton of tasks and jobs you need completing, including:
- Scheduling appointments
- Handling all phone calls and emails
- Arranging any travel that’s needed
- Handling supplier communications
- Organizing your system
- Posting on social media
- Updating your website
- Releasing announcements
However, they can do more than just basic administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and updating patient records. A virtual dental assistant is equipped with the expertise sure to help any practice run smoothly. In addition to being able to process insurance claims, virtual dental assistants are also equipped with clinical experience.
This means they can assist in managing referrals and providing patient education on oral hygiene and other treatments. What’s even more impressive is due to their versatility and availability, there’s no need for practices to hire additional staff, saving time and money!
How do I get started with a Virtual Dental Assistant?
Starting off with a virtual dental assistant is easier than you might think!
Here at Virtual Gal Friday, we’ve been in the virtual assistant industry for over 20 years, providing businesses of all sizes with virtual assistants that solve problems and get things done. During this time, we’ve streamlined the process into just three simple steps.
Let’s break it down.
Step #1 – Book a Consultation
Your business needs are your own, so get in touch with us, and we’ll set up a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll talk through you and your dental practice’s needs, identifying problem areas and suggesting improvements, as well as personalizing what a virtual assistant could do for your business.
Step #2 – Meet Your Assistant
Now we’re on the same page; it’s time to meet your new assistant.
With a clear understanding of your business, we can match the perfect assistant from our team to your case. You’ll meet them via a phone or video call during a live ‘Kick Off’ session. Here, you’ll discuss what kind of approach you want your assistant to take, how you want them to communicate with patients, and define how you want your workflow to go.
Remember, our assistants are working for you, so we’ll work how you want around you in the style you want representing your business, so don’t hold back and let us know what you want. And if you’re not sure, we’re happy to help!
Step #3 – Start Working
Using the Virtual Gal Friday roadmap, work begins!
You and your assistant will start working as a team, and everything you’ve wanted to achieve can now be put into action. In no time, you’ll be experiencing effective improvements in the productivity and efficiency of your dental practice!
And, of course, our leadership team has always got your back, so if you have any problems or questions, we’ll be more than happy to help!
And why work with Virtual Gal Friday? Well, there are lots of reasons.
Using our dental practice services, you’ll get to enjoy the following;
- Only paying for hours worked or tasks completed
- Easy adoption into your existing workflows
- Our team is 100% vetted for their medical expertise
- Provides both English and Spanish-speaking assistants
- All assistants are US-based and fully HIPAA compliant
- 24/7 support, so we have your back whenever you need it
Summary
Hiring a virtual dental assistant to work with you is one of the best ways to grow your dental practice. Virtual assistants are highly skilled and trained in customer service, appointment scheduling, insurance billing, and other important facets of running a successful dental office.
With a virtual assistant on your team, you’ll be able to take on new patients and offer extended hours and marketing initiatives that weren’t possible before.
If you’re ready to take your dental practice to the next level, get in touch with Virtual Gal Friday. We’ll set you up with a virtual dental assistant who can help you change your business forever.
Let us save your day!
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