In the day-to-day chaos of running a dental practice, it’s easy to overlook some tasks that may not seem as important to your practice’s success. But your staff should be doing everything you can to create a positive, comfortable patient experience.

Creating checklists that help improve your office’s image can ensure you don’t lose sight of one of your most important goals: helping patients have a great experience from the moment they walk through the doors until they leave. 

Here are a few mini dental office checklists your practice can use to enhance the patient experience. 

Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Cleaning Checklists

Does your dental office have a hired cleaning crew, or do you clean the office yourself? Either way, you’ll want to ensure specific cleaning tasks get done regularly. Thorough, detailed cleanings are vital for your office’s hygiene and infection control but also impact your reputation among patients. 

Below are daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning checklists your office can utilize: 

Daily Cleaning Tasks

• Clean and refresh the bathroom. Wipe down surfaces, clean the toilet and sink, and replace amenities to prepare for the next day. 
• Disinfect high-touch areas. Wipe down the reception desk, waiting area furniture, patient chairs, dental equipment, keyboards and mice, faucets and sinks, and any other frequently touched surfaces to prevent the spread of germs. 
• Empty waste bins. Take out the trash daily, even if trash cans aren’t full, to maintain a sanitary and professional image. 
• Dust and vacuum everywhere. Removing dust and debris from every corner of your dental office daily is important in showing patients you care about their safety and comfort. 
• Mop the floors. Clean and disinfect hard flooring to remove dirt and bacteria that patrons track in on their shoes. 

Weekly Cleaning Tasks

• Clean windows and glass surfaces. Use Windex or another glass cleaner to leave all windows and other glass surfaces sparkling. 
• Disinfect trash bins. At the end of each week, take out the trash and wipe down each trash bin with disinfecting wipes to prevent odors and kill lingering bacteria. 
• Dust ceilings. Higher areas of your office may not be as visible as those at eye level, but they accumulate dust and dirt just as fast. Don’t neglect to dust the ceiling and any high surfaces weekly. 
• Clean out the refrigerator. While patients may not see the insides of your office refrigerators, they can certainly smell when food begins rotting. Make a habit of removing old food from the fridge weekly. 

Monthly Cleaning Tasks

• Clean the window screens. Remove dirt and dust from window screens monthly. You can’t assume patients won’t notice these details.
• ‍Check and replace lightbulbs. You may have overlooked lightbulbs burning out in minimally used areas. Check each lightbulb monthly. 

Waiting Room Features Checklist

Keeping your office clean and sanitary is a bare minimum requirement for running a successful practice. But your office can go above and beyond by creating checklists for tasks that enhance patients’ experiences while waiting for appointments. 

Here are a few dental office checklists you can use to spruce up your waiting room and enhance patient comfort levels: 

Educational Resources

Your office can add some educational materials around the waiting room to help patients stay informed about their care, such as:

• Pamphlets about common dental issues, like cavities, chipped teeth, root canals, etc. 
• Televisions tuned in to dental resources, like the American Dental Association TV channel 
• Posters with engaging graphics about dental hygiene or introductions to your dental office staff

Comfort Measures

Dental anxiety is a significant concern for many patients, but your office may implement a few strategies to ease their stress before appointments. Consider the following checklist of comfort measures to include in the waiting room:

• Relaxing music that helps patients stay calm as they anticipate appointments
• Virtual Check-In, which lets patients check in from their cars if they feel more comfortable waiting in a familiar environment
• Soft lighting that helps patients relax 
• Books and magazines for patients who prefer a distraction before their appointments

Boost Your Patient Experience with Dental Intelligence 

While a commitment to your practice’s cleanliness and a reconsideration of your dental office design can do wonders for the patient experience, they’re not the only measures your office can take. Are you looking for more ways to enhance the patient experience? Dental Intelligence lets you check more tasks off your dental office checklist while creating an optimal experience for every patient.

Schedule your Dental Intelligence demo today to see what our practice performance solution can do for you.