Dentists Encouraged to Text Patients
Dentists have been encouraged to text patients to remind them about attending regular check-ups after a study in India found that texting can make a huge difference to attendance levels.
The British Dental Association found that more than 3.5 million appointments are missed every year in England and a study from India has revealed that texting patients could provide a solution.
The study revealed that dentists who text their patients to remind them about their appointment experienced much higher levels of attendance and four out of five patients who received a text message from their dentist attended their appointment on time.
Some dentists in the UK already use a text service, but research suggests that the proportion is still relatively low, despite the fact that more than 90% of UK adults own a mobile phone.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, feels that texting is a valuable means of communication for dental practices. Sending a message is quick, simple and cheap and could make a huge difference to attendance levels and encourage patients to be on time, which will prevent other patients from having to wait. Dr Carter said that with so many people owning a mobile phone, texting is perhaps the most effective and efficient way to remind patients about their appointment or encourage them to make a new appointment.
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