The Welcome Patients Never Forget (E.320)

“The patient welcoming is so simple, but really, really important.”- Apryl Christian

Brief Overview of the Episode

Some practices think patient experience is built through big gestures. This episode makes the opposite case. Trust is often won or lost in the smallest moments. Eye contact at the front desk. A warm welcome. A phone call that feels human instead of transactional. A team that steps in for each other without missing a beat.

Apryl Christian brings the real-world view of someone who has lived every level of the dental office. Together, she, Sara, and Regan show how patients decide whether they feel safe, seen, and valued long before treatment starts.

What This Episode Reveals

Patients are reading your practice before anyone says a word about dentistry.

They notice whether they are welcomed or interrupted. They notice whether your team feels connected or stressed. They notice whether someone is listening or just trying to get through the next task.

This episode reveals that loyalty is often built in the first few seconds. Not because the office is perfect, but because the patient feels acknowledged, cared for, and guided.

What You’ll Learn

• Why a simple welcome changes the tone of the entire visit
• How to make patients feel seen, even on busy days
• What active listening really sounds like at the front desk and on the phone
• How to keep calls from sounding transactional
• Why patients remember how your team made them feel
• How team cross-support creates a stronger patient experience
• What leaders should listen for in the reception area
• How small touchpoints build trust before treatment begins

If This Sounds Familiar

• Patients walk in and stand there a little too long before being acknowledged
• The front desk is busy, but the warmth is inconsistent
• Phone calls sound efficient, but not personal
• Team members are working hard, yet the patient experience still feels uneven
• You know your practice delivers good care, but you are not sure patients feel that care right away
• The office gets chaotic and connection is the first thing to slip

Next Steps

1. Walk through your own front door like a patient.
2. Call your own office and listen to how the conversation feels.
3. Sit in your reception area and pay attention to the tone, the sounds, the pauses, and the handoffs.
4. Ask one simple question: does this feel like a place where people are truly welcomed?
5. Choose one change your team can make this week so every patient feels seen from the start.
6. If you want help improving the patient experience from first contact to follow-through, schedule time with Sara: Schedule Here

---

TRANSCRIPT

GMT20260309-211248_Recording_640x360-esv2-90p-bg-10p-music-10p

[00:00:00] Sara Hansen : Doctors, have you enjoyed the last two episodes, navigating your way through the reception area, the patient experience, and all the different touch points if you have? You are going to love today’s episode. If you haven’t, doctors, go back and listen to episode three 17 and three 18 because it’s going to set you up perfectly.

[00:00:25] Sara Hansen : For today’s episode, I am joined by my co-host Reagan. 

[00:00:32] Regan Robertson: Hi, Sarah. 

[00:00:33] Sara Hansen : Hi. And we have a really, really special guest, um, an amazing person that I’ve known for a very long time. Um, we’ve worked together, we’re from the same state. Um, listeners, I wanna introduce you to Miss April. Um, April. Welcome to our podcast.

[00:00:55] Sara Hansen : How are 

[00:00:56] Apryl Christian: you? Thank you. I’m great. Thank you for having me, Sarah and Reagan. [00:01:00] I’ve, I’m excited to do this with you guys. It’s important. 

[00:01:03] Sara Hansen : Yes. So when Reagan and I were thinking about, okay, we have talked about the patient experience, we’ve talked about touch points, we’ve talked about the reception area, marketing ties into it, sound, you know, all those different things.

[00:01:19] Sara Hansen : I wanted to bring what I consider an expert. In the dental industry to really act as that team member. April, you have been in dentistry for a really long time. Can you tell our listeners, just your background, you know, all the things that you’ve done within the dental office? 

[00:01:39] Apryl Christian: Sure. Absolutely. So I was born into the dental industry.

[00:01:44] Apryl Christian: My dad is a dentist, and so even as a little girl when we were having cereal, I remember our stove was between the counter of, um, sitting at the, at the at the counter and our stove and our cereal was below it. And I remember my dad saying, hand me the cereal box [00:02:00] and. I handed it to him and he’s like, no, no.

[00:02:04] Apryl Christian: Like when you hand that to me, I don’t want to look up. I wanna know that’s in my hand. You guys. I think I was maybe six years old. So yes, I have been born definitely into dentistry, old school dentistry and um, I worked for my father, um, until he retired. Then I worked for another office that we built the practice from the ground.

[00:02:25] Apryl Christian: Up and I was an assistant and the office manager at the same time, dual positions. And then I went to my last office and I worked again as a dental assistant. And then I ended my career completely in dentistry there as the director of operations. 

[00:02:42] Sara Hansen : Wow. April, you are? What did they say? The jack of all trades.

[00:02:48] Sara Hansen : The lady of all trades. 

[00:02:50] Apryl Christian: Yeah. Yeah. Whether you wanna be or not, it’s kind of out of necessity that, that you first get into the role and then you have to like really hone in [00:03:00] on your skills to be able to make this practice successful. 

[00:03:06] Sara Hansen : Yeah. Yeah. Reagan, I saw your face when April was talking about having her dad hand her the cereal box the right way.

[00:03:14] Sara Hansen : So a little context for that. All of the dental assistants listening will know, and the doctors will snicker because the doctors, as they’re working, they want to be able to know that you know what they need at that time. They don’t even have to look up. From what they’re doing, that it just is in their hand at the right time exactly where they want it, so they can continue staying so focused.

[00:03:37] Sara Hansen : So 

[00:03:38] Regan Robertson: April 

[00:03:38] Sara Hansen : is learning that at six 

[00:03:39] Regan Robertson: years old, all well already, April, having you on this show is amazing because, you know, for, for Sarah and I, it’s really wonderful for us to, to teach theoretically, you know, that every little intersection. That patient comes across during the journey from when they first hear about the practice all the way to when they’re actually sitting in the chair and, and then checking out as well [00:04:00] that we understand what it is that they need at that moment and, and how they lay out, be received, and, uh, and so to have you, you know, actively going through this in today’s world.

[00:04:11] Regan Robertson: Right now, in this moment as a guest to share your experiences on, on, you know, the reception room and the, the patient phone call. When those little micro moments and how they make such a difference to me, it just locks it right in. So yes, Sarah, my eyes did go up for sure. You were, you were learning, right?

[00:04:29] Regan Robertson: I mean, you’re just not even like kindergarten. 

[00:04:33] Sara Hansen : Yep. 

[00:04:34] Apryl Christian: Well in dentistry definitely progressed from like the dead. Does not all of them want to know that something’s right in their hand. And when I very first started, my dad, towards the end of his career, I worked with him his last eight years of practice.

[00:04:48] Apryl Christian: And I, at those last two years, filled in almost every office in our little town for offices who maybe had a maternity leave for three days a week or. Somebody’s sick or, [00:05:00] or somebody just simply wanted to go on vacation and knew that they could have an assistant come in. And, um, I would go into these other offices and when I worked for my dad, I would hold his gloves open and he would put his hands in them.

[00:05:12] Apryl Christian: So I’d go to other offices and the doctor would look at me and look at his assistant and go, you need to learn how to do this. And they’re like, no, get her outta here. Like, those are old school talents that I had that were kind of fun. Um. As I was getting towards the end of my career, like you want me to put your gloves on for you?

[00:05:30] Sara Hansen : Yeah. Hey, that’s like the OR, right. Scrubbing in. Getting ready. Yes. I love it. 

[00:05:36] Apryl Christian: Yes. That’s how we us to do it. 

[00:05:38] Sara Hansen : Yeah. April, with you having so many opportunities to work in different practices within your small town, growing up you probably saw things that. You loved, made a lot of sense for patients. Maybe you saw great patient experiences and then things that maybe were opportunities of, [00:06:00] you know, improvement or areas of opportunity.

[00:06:02] Sara Hansen : So looking back at kind of where you came from, how did that help guide you then, you know, leading dental practices later in your career? 

[00:06:15] Apryl Christian: I would say it helped me definitely know what kind of experience I wanted to have if I was the patient in the waiting room, and I don’t do that. Sarah and Reagan, in just dentistry, I do that.

[00:06:29] Apryl Christian: Like you guys have been speaking about anywhere I go, even today being retired, I do that. If I’m at a doctor’s office, I do that at a restaurant. I do that everywhere, that I look around and I, and I see like, what are other people seeing? Because no matter what, at the end of the day, we’re constantly growing.

[00:06:47] Apryl Christian: And if we’re not, we should be. And so, um, for me looking at the other offices, I. I loved seeing, I’ve, I’ve been in offices with the commercials about that office that were [00:07:00] great. I had been in offices that had just like, um, a Netflix on there, just straight music. Um. I would say that my least favorite and a growing opportunity for me to know what I didn’t want was an office I went in that just had like, it wasn’t CNN, but some type of just regular old news on, on there.

[00:07:20] Apryl Christian: Yeah. And it, it just kind of, it sets the tone for what, what you’re about to go into. And I know that to some people that can be relaxing, but it’s not inclusive. I feel like it’s really important when you’re going to a waiting room to have like an inclusiveness that you just, you feel welcome, you feel welcome, and you’re just about to have that next experience that’s gonna feel welcome as well.

[00:07:46] Sara Hansen : Yeah. You know, I love that we talked about Reagan and I in the previous episodes, different opportunities, you know, that you could have and that is one of those marketing opportunities. And, you know, take a [00:08:00] deeper look on like what, what is playing on your tv, you know, are you setting Yeah. Tone for what we want the patients to experience.

[00:08:09] Sara Hansen : Um, yes, April. One of the things I love about you is not only your friendliness and like just your enthusiasm toward life, but you really make everybody feel seen and heard. Um, knowing you for so long, I’ve seen you work with patients. I can you explain to some of our listeners, one of the things that I know you do really well at is making each of the patients.

[00:08:38] Sara Hansen : Sitting out in the reception area, waiting for their appointment, feel seen and heard, and then as they kind of transition. For that next touchpoint into the practice. Can you walk the listeners through on some of the things that you’ve learned or developed that you know made a huge impact on patients’ lives within that first touchpoint in the reception area?

[00:08:58] Apryl Christian: Yeah, absolutely. [00:09:00] I would say one of the most important things is. And it’s so simple, is to say, welcome when somebody comes through the door, depending if you have a big waiting room or whether they have a small one. Having that acknowledgement that you’ve just come through the door with eye contact, like welcome is so simple, but really, really important.

[00:09:22] Apryl Christian: And I, I. Towards the end of my last practice. That was, that was something that was a must. And then for me personally, I, Sarah, I love relationships with people. I, I teach from my heart. I love from my heart, and I am all heart. And so I just love people. It comes naturally to me. So for me to come out. Always looked at the photo of who I was gonna see, and then as the, and I’m coming from the dental assistant side of the waiting room.

[00:09:52] Apryl Christian: And so I would come out and I would say, let’s say you were out there and I would probably put my hand out. And Sarah, hi, nice to see you. Oh [00:10:00] my gosh, your hair looks great. I always make sure to find something that’s authentic, not, not. Something that is fake and say, you look great today. I absolutely love that we have matching pink sweaters on, and I, I love how great you look and, and engage with somebody that they know.

[00:10:22] Apryl Christian: Sincerely, I appreciate that you’ve taken the time to spend the time with me today. I appreciate that we get to share for the next little while. And so it’s always on a personal level for me, from the waiting room and then walking back all the way down the hallway is personal. Um, how was the family? How was the kids, how is work?

[00:10:43] Apryl Christian: Whatever it be. And then into the chair. Have a seat right here. Oh, I’m so glad you’re here. Then I, that’s when it kind of turns off for me. It doesn’t turn off, but it’s a switch. I put a bib on as I’m clipping it. It’s always, [00:11:00] hold on. I have, I have it in the back of my head. Um, any change in your health history?

[00:11:06] Apryl Christian: It’s literally, that’s the thing. Okay. Have a seat right here. And I put the bib clip on it. It closes and bam. Has there been any change in your health history, Sarah? And it just, they know, like, I mean, business, I’m still me, but that has always been how I work is. Is building that relationship. But then as we get to the chair, just changing it just slightly, but I’m still here.

[00:11:31] Apryl Christian: I’m still your advocate. I tell people all the time, I am your advocate. And when they leave, they call me and they know like I sincerely mean it. I am here for you. 

[00:11:45] Sara Hansen : Hmm. 

[00:11:47] Regan Robertson: Man, that that cannot be overstated to say welcome as soon as they walk in. It feels so small, such a micro expression, and it makes a massive difference like amazingly.

[00:11:59] Regan Robertson: So in, in [00:12:00] your practice, does the, the person who would greet and say Welcome, are they responsible for phones at all or do they get to be just dedicated right there? Or do they have to juggle like phone calls and things like that? 

[00:12:12] Apryl Christian: Not only are, is everyone, everyone juggling the phone. In the last practice I was in, but there also, I mean, there was four people up there, sometimes five, um, oftentimes people walking in, walking out, checking in, checking out, um, sitting in the waiting room.

[00:12:31] Apryl Christian: And, um, you have to tweak it constantly in the, we did an expansion and so. I continued to try and tweak it. And finally, you’ve listened to a. I don’t hear people coming through the door. So then you put a little bell on the door and then you ended up putting like one of those, one of those silence like, um, things where you, where the door opens and closes where he took the bell off, but then put a little like doorbell.

[00:12:58] Apryl Christian: But when every time the door opened and [00:13:00] closed behind the front counter, then you could hear it so that you are constantly working through those roadblocks of Ry. I can’t do this because I’ve got a patient in front of me. I can’t do this because of the fact I didn’t hear them come in, or they’re standing in front of me and I, I was on the phone.

[00:13:18] Apryl Christian: So that it’s a priority no matter what. That, um, everybody knows that we turn around, even if you’re on the phone, like we hear somebody came in and we know like, oh, welcome, welcome in and on. Even to the point that it, I mean, and this is a team, this is a team experience, right? Mm-hmm. So if I’m standing up front and I see all these people are on the phone, who cares if they get three welcome ins?

[00:13:44] Apryl Christian: Does it matter? No. Like if you’re a dental assistant and you’re asking a question and somebody walks through the door, it’s all of our responsibility to be like, welcome in. Like, how cool is that? That three people just said welcome in, and you’re like, whoa, that, that’s pretty cool. So [00:14:00] it, it’s. Everybody, everyone’s busy.

[00:14:03] Apryl Christian: I understand it, I get it. But walk through that door yourself. If you don’t understand how important that is, walk through the door yourself. Walk outside the back door. Come in the front door and see how it feels. To have somebody simply say, welcome in. 

[00:14:20] Sara Hansen : Yeah, April. I love that, and I love that you spoke about the roadblock before it became a big roadblock or before.

[00:14:30] Sara Hansen : You know, as a team, you all had a goal to do specific things on the patient experience, and we know that. That it gets busy, right? We know there’s a lot of things happening, so I love that you address that, that you know, there are times we’re gonna have to pivot. We’re gonna have to find solutions to help create that patient experience that all of us as a team are looking to give to each of our patients.

[00:14:55] Sara Hansen : So, I wanna know, can you speak to [00:15:00] some of the patients that have received that great patient experience? Everything has gone. As planned. Right. Versus maybe some of the times it’s gotten chaotic, you’ve been down team members because we know that, that the doctors, um, that are listening and the teams that they experience, the great days and then the chaotic days.

[00:15:22] Sara Hansen : Can you speak to that kind of, you know, what do your patients experience on the good days? But then talk to us about the chaotic days.

[00:15:32] Apryl Christian: Well, there’s always gonna be chaos. This is gonna stry, um, I would say to end this conversation, but I’m gonna come back is sit in your waiting room, sit out there. Once in a while, go sit and see like, how is the mood, how is it going out there? Does it seem, and after a while, because number one. Your team’s gonna know you’re catching them doing good things.

[00:15:57] Apryl Christian: That’s what they’re, that’s what I always tell ’em, like, I’m out [00:16:00] here and just keep doing what you’re doing. I’m just listening for other things, like what I could do better. So, um, catch people doing right and they, they’ll be used to you being out there the days that you go to get a patient. Maybe for me, I wasn’t always able, especially the last several years of my career, I wasn’t in, in the waiting room.

[00:16:18] Apryl Christian: I had my own office doing a lot of, you know, other things. But you could hear the patience and the tone of the day, and if it was. It’s like quieter. You knew that it was probably super busy in the waiting room, that there wasn’t a lot of buzz going on out there, which probably wasn’t a lot of welcome ins and those types of things.

[00:16:38] Apryl Christian: You have four doctors going, you have four, you know, four hygienists going, it’s crazy. Mm-hmm. Um, but that doesn’t excuse us from making sure that we make a connection to make a good experience for, for patients. That’s the. Ultimate goal no matter what. And so at that point, you just get up and maybe stop by the rooms [00:17:00] and say like, Hey Sarah, it’s so good to see you today.

[00:17:03] Apryl Christian: I didn’t get to see you in the waiting room. I wanted to make sure you knew I was here. I just wanna connect with you and, and make sure that you create that because it’s not, it’s. It’s not always going to be there, but you need to make sure that you have a presence of it, and it’s just about listening to what it sounds like outside of your own office if you’re not right close to the waiting room.

[00:17:28] Sara Hansen : I love that. Reagan, we spoke about this in the last podcast. Um, I can see your wheels turning like Uhhuh, uh, Uhhuh. Well, 

[00:17:36] Regan Robertson: there was there, well, there’s one thing I saw an office too recently that I thought was brilliant and it was to tackle the lack of a welcome if there is, if there has to be a lack of a welcome because somebody’s on the phone.

[00:17:46] Regan Robertson: So, yeah. Um, so walking in and it was like a little happy face on a little blinking light. It said, and the little happy face had like a little chat bubble and it just says, if I’m blinking, I’m on the phone. And it was approachable [00:18:00] and cute and it let, and, and this particular practice is very good with their welcomes.

[00:18:05] Regan Robertson: However, I thought, man, they’ve anticipated so I, I wonder if they had someone come in or if they went through and walked, because I think April, it’s hard to see. Any element in the office from a fresh perspective because we get used to our routines. We get used to, like you said, coming in the back, or even if we’re sitting out front, we just kind of have, it’s like you can’t see your nose, you know?

[00:18:29] Regan Robertson: Your eye learns to ignore your nose. Uh, so you don’t really ever see that it’s Right. Yeah. Unless you focus on it so. Is there, I like the tangible for me that you said was, was sit down, look at the positive, but really try to engage your senses. So maybe listening for the sounds and then scanning with your eyes.

[00:18:50] Regan Robertson: Um, is that something that you just picked up over time or was there something that you said, okay, I’m going to do 1, 2, 3, to make sure that I’m not being, having a blind spot [00:19:00] in evaluating my, my reception area. 

[00:19:03] Apryl Christian: Oh, Regan, lemme tell you like there’s a lot of blind spots and there’s a lot of times that I can tell you I missed the boat a million times.

[00:19:11] Apryl Christian: So this absolutely comes. I could tell you probably three weeks before I retired I was missing the boat. Still don’t think by any means that this is on the daily. I’ve got this stuff together, but. In all reality that is, that is the reality of it. It’s just a constant work in progress. You have to be real about it, but you have to bring it back to the forefront that remember your why.

[00:19:35] Apryl Christian: Remember that these people coming in are. Why you have your job. It’s why I loved my job so very much. It’s the people and, um, and so yeah, you have to, you have to work on it constantly. And then, um, just remember maybe, ha, I know at some point some of the girls had little baby mirrors by their desk to remember like, oh yeah, I need to [00:20:00] smile, or, oh yeah.

[00:20:01] Apryl Christian: And it’s just those little tiny, like you say, micro moments that you’re like, oh yeah, that’s right. Oh, that’s right. And it might be like your nose, where it’s just outta sight out of mind. You need to put something in there or have somebody around who, who brings that power and that light and that authenticity of a smile.

[00:20:22] Apryl Christian: And for me, yes, it absolutely was learned, um, learned from a very small child. Um. The answering the phones as my dad. You know you didn’t have call waiting back in those days, so you couldn’t be on the phone, and then when call waiting came, you answered the phone just like you were a receptionist. Thank you for calling our residents.

[00:20:44] Apryl Christian: This is April speaking. How can I help you? I’m six years old. So, yeah. Yeah, that stuff was ingrained in me from itty bitty and then going to classes like crazy, um, going to a [00:21:00] PDA seminar answering, you know, just building constantly, um, on what you could do for leadership and how to bring those memories back to always remembering that experience.

[00:21:14] Apryl Christian: People will always remember. Maybe not always remember, they’ll remember who you are and they’ll remember like going to the dentist, but they will not forget and experience a story the way you made them feel. If you make them feel like seen, heard. Especially in the dental office, that is your goal. Like from your heart, that is your goal, that somebody absolutely will remember this experience.

[00:21:44] Sara Hansen : I love this so much. April, this is why I love you. What I love about what you said is, you know, I think because we do this every day in the dental office, I think it can become very routine, [00:22:00] and I think oftentimes we forget that. Dentistry. We are truly transforming lives. Reagan and I talk to doctors and teams all the time, where in April you see it in all of your practices over the years, right?

[00:22:14] Sara Hansen : But they truly transform lives. You are changing people’s lives truly to dentistry. Smile. Yes. Like they’re confident. They get jobs that they’ve never had. You know, they actually want to show up and participate in life like. You do that every day. And I think sometimes we forget about that. So I love that you brought it back to why do we do this, you know?

[00:22:38] Sara Hansen : Um, and the other piece is it’s about the people. Um. I mean that, you know, and the relationship and you know, again, they’re coming to us for so many different reasons, and it’s our job to figure out what they need and how we best show up for them, um, and connect with them during the process. I love, I love what you’re saying.

[00:22:58] Sara Hansen : You’re speaking our [00:23:00] language For sure. So I have a tricky question for you, because while you worked in a big office where there’s multiple people. To answer the phone, yes. You have multiple doctors as well, but what would you say to the OM or the admin team that is the lone Ranger at the front desk trying to greet the patients and answer the phone and still have that positive, um, interaction, you know, that they’re hoping to have?

[00:23:32] Sara Hansen : What advice would you give them? 

[00:23:36] Apryl Christian: Sir, from the top of my head, this is literally what comes to my mind. If I was on the phone and I was all by myself, I literally would like make like probably hold the phone with one arm. Make like a love you sign language. Yes. And be like, I’ll be with you in just one like mouth it like let them know like.

[00:23:58] Apryl Christian: You are [00:24:00] seen. And, and that’s just from, I mean, that’s been a lot of years ago that I was like, that probably with my dad was the last time that I was like, they was like a receptionist and myself, and that was it. And, um, I, I think that’s what I would do from, from just my. Like this is what I would do is, is I would do that.

[00:24:20] Apryl Christian: It would make some type of gesture for them to know, like, I see you also, Sarah and Regan. I’m gonna tell you guys that back in the day, you just brought back such a memory back in the day when it was just one receptionist who. Crazy. Answered the phone, did the insurance, did the recall. Yeah. Does the scheduling.

[00:24:41] Apryl Christian: And then you have one assistant who has three operatories turn and burning them, and one hygienist and one doctor. I can tell you guys that oftentimes when I would be walking up a patient, I could see her on the phone. I would hand her a chart. I would listen to her for just a second, and I would take [00:25:00] that phone from her and I would continue that conversation.

[00:25:02] Apryl Christian: And the patient on the other end had no idea that we had just swapped roles and somebody would be walking through the door and I would give them a like, hi, be with you in just a second. And 

[00:25:15] Sara Hansen : yeah, 

[00:25:16] Apryl Christian: and just move right on. It’s. About teamwork. It’s not just about them. One person. It’s being able to see and and being able to be one.

[00:25:26] Apryl Christian: And that is loving each other. That is loving your team and your team loving you and being, being one so that no matter who’s face that patient is seeing, no matter what they know, they’re going to be taken care of. And if they’re on the phone, they don’t know who they’re talking to, they’re still gonna be taken care of.

[00:25:47] Sara Hansen : Yeah. I love that rain. This goes back into old PDA, the five ees. 

[00:25:55] Regan Robertson: Mm-hmm. Oh, it really does, doesn’t it? 

[00:25:57] Sara Hansen : Yeah, and we would talk about. Cropping [00:26:00] up each other as a team, so meaning April? Um, well, what you and I have talked about the five E’s before in the past, but, um, the five E’s of, you know, the perfect patient phone calls and stuff, but part of that was, um, when a new patient calls, you know, giving them that confidence of.

[00:26:17] Sara Hansen : Oh my goodness. I’m so glad you called us. Dr. Joe is the best at placing implants. Yes. He’s gonna take great care of you, right? Or, um, that is a great question about your insurance. I’m gonna hand you over to Reagan because she’s an expert and she will be able to answer all your questions. So again, propping each other up as a team.

[00:26:37] Sara Hansen : Um, putting your co your vote of confidence within what they do in their roles, and it really makes the patient feel held through that. Patient journey. 

[00:26:49] Apryl Christian: Yes. Well, and you’re talking about being on the phone. Yeah. And you believe how many times people come in the door and say, where is so and so? That’s who took my phone call and she was [00:27:00] amazing.

[00:27:00] Sara Hansen : Yeah. 

[00:27:01] Apryl Christian: And everybody will turn around and be like, oh, that’s her right here. And you know, or if you’re the only person there, like they, you know, that person on that took that call and those two made such a great bonding. And that can never be un undone. Ever. Never. 

[00:27:18] Sara Hansen : Yeah. 

[00:27:19] Apryl Christian: Which is the why. Why we do, why we do these things.

[00:27:23] Sara Hansen : Yeah. One of the tips, April, that we like to talk to teams about, especially when it comes to the phone call, because it can be that make or break moment, it really is that first interaction with the practice. And what tends to happen is sometimes those phone calls can start to feel transactional. Um, you know.

[00:27:43] Sara Hansen : Mm-hmm. Do you take Aetna? Yes, we do. Do you do root canals? Yes, we do. Right. We kind of go back and forth. Yes. But one of the things that we like to tell teams is. You need to be asking two questions to every one question that [00:28:00] the patient asks you. So when it comes to insurance, you know, do you take Aetna?

[00:28:06] Sara Hansen : That’s a great question. Yes. You know, we do accept, or yes, we are unrestricted with Aetna, whatever that sounds like. Can you tell me a little bit more about why you called. You know, um, I’m Sarah, you know, that sort of thing. Just getting to know your patient more so it pulls them out of the transactional.

[00:28:25] Sara Hansen : What other tips would you give for that very first phone call that comes in with new patients? Because you are an expert at handling those new patient calls, really as a new patient advocate. What would you tell team members. Has tips and um, good things that you’ve seen over the year that make a big difference with converting that call?

[00:28:49] Apryl Christian: So, a couple of my favorites for the phone when I answer the phone, which I think comes from being a little girl. I love being on the phone. I love talking to people. [00:29:00] I, this is gonna sound funny, but. This is kind of was always a pet peeve of mine when a phone call comes in and I said, hi, this is April. How can I help you?

[00:29:12] Apryl Christian: And the person would say, oh, this is Susie Smith and I, I need to make an appointment. My go-to is always, oh, Susie, thank you so much for calling. How long has it been since we’ve seen you just take that in? Let’s say that person’s never been there before. Let’s say that person comes every other week, that phone call is gonna go one way or the other.

[00:29:37] Apryl Christian: Mm-hmm. And it kind of bugs me to hear the sentence, have we ever seen you before? Yeah. I’m like, wait, you’re supposed to? No. So if you Yeah, 

[00:29:48] Regan Robertson: I would be so offended. I’d be like, hello? 

[00:29:51] Apryl Christian: I 

[00:29:51] Sara Hansen : was here last week. 

[00:29:54] Apryl Christian: I was here yesterday. Yeah. Yeah. So if you get in the mindset of always [00:30:00] saying, when was the last time we saw you?

[00:30:02] Apryl Christian: Oh, that’s right. You were here yesterday. That is so awesome. Can you, um, whatever the question is, you know, can you, are you, help me? Are you recalling about this or that? But that to me is such an opener. For people to say, yes, I was there. I saw so and so, those kinds of things. It’s a recognition and for me on the phones that, that is number one.

[00:30:26] Apryl Christian: Um, with, with the toothaches, with insurance and things like that. Um. I would always say, would they say, oh, I have a toothache. And for me it was important to say, oh, you have called the right place. I am so glad you’ve called us. Can you tell me more about your toothache? How is it bothering you? So you get that story.

[00:30:48] Apryl Christian: Everybody remembers a story, Sarah and Reagan. 

[00:30:51] Sara Hansen : Yep. 

[00:30:51] Apryl Christian: So for me, I am like, tell me that story. Tell me more. How long has it hurt you? And so from that story, as weird as [00:31:00] this is. You get to know more. Is this really a true emergency or is it not? This has been hurting me for weeks. Not a true emergency. This started last night.

[00:31:10] Apryl Christian: I woke up in the middle of the night. I’m throbbing. Yeah. Oh, so you’re taking yourself seriously. This is an emergency. Yeah. And then I’m gonna go down another whole nother, a whole nother way. Um, did this person just pick themselves off the couch and been meaning to call you for a month and finally got around to calling?

[00:31:27] Apryl Christian: If I got that feeling? I would wanna get them in right away because obviously something marketing probably has picked up the phone and made them call. And so I want to probably do a consult with that person so that we get that instant, uh. I want you to know you can trust us. Come in for a free consult so that we can create that experience for you, right that minute.

[00:31:50] Apryl Christian: And so from those first beginning words, you really get to know, is this gonna be an emergency? Is this gonna be a new patient or is this gonna be a [00:32:00] consult to see how fast am I going to to make this experience last for this person? 

[00:32:07] Sara Hansen : Yeah. I love that. Reagan, I have to give you credit because you taught me the sentence.

[00:32:14] Sara Hansen : Tell me more about that. 

[00:32:17] Regan Robertson: Oh yeah, the tell me more about that is a, is a big one and it helps people get into that active listing mode. Um, April, if I can reflect to you, there are three really particular traits that leaders embody that you have done on this entire time together with us and. That is that you are eternally curious.

[00:32:36] Regan Robertson: So in in the hundreds of interviews that I’ve given, I haven’t seen a leader that hasn’t been in eternally curious, especially with a growth trajectory that you’ve had. Even with you being in dentistry from being a very young child forward. There’s obviously something about you that can compels you to be a natural active listener, which is trait number two, being a great listener.

[00:32:58] Regan Robertson: And the third, which to me. [00:33:00] Completes this trifecta is your deep caring heart. And when you put all three of those together, uh, not only are they three positive traits, but you can help someone feel seen and heard. And I’m, I’m very curious, is that something, do you think that you got that from your dad or your family or were there particular instances along your career journey where that was positively reinforced for you?

[00:33:26] Regan Robertson: Because you did say that it is a team effort, and so as a leader, I’m sure those are three traits that you work on instilling in the team that you guide as well. 

[00:33:38] Apryl Christian: I would say it’s a little bit of all Reagan. I, I think that I was born like this, that, um, come bouncing out of the womb of like, Hey, here I am.

[00:33:47] Apryl Christian: I think my dad is a lot to be, you know, credited for it. Um, and constantly speaking about like, this is what you say, this is not what you say. My mom as well. [00:34:00] Um, like the, the finger like. Do not say that. Um, but then a lot of it came from, I watch a ton of, um, YouTube videos on listening skills. That is a learned thing.

[00:34:13] Apryl Christian: It is really, really learned. Um, and I used to share listening skills with the team on our team meetings. Like the top 10 things you do to listen and let me, let me just tell you, it’s important to listen. It is really, really important to listen. Celeste is one of the YouTube TED talks that I did, I can’t remember her last name, but she was so compelling about listening and how important it is to make a connection.

[00:34:45] Apryl Christian: Um, and so I, I feel like, oh, and I know where else I learned it, but I’ll continue down this. I, so I, I think that you don’t really. Care about somebody unless you are truly listening, [00:35:00] like you can’t make that connection unless you’re truly listening to what they’re saying. I will tell you that going back, um, back ways, I was a Mary Kay consultant.

[00:35:13] Apryl Christian: That’s where I learned it. Mary Kay Ash taught how to listen. And one of the things that Celeste talked about is when somebody’s talking to you, you should not have an answer back. And let me tell you guys, that’s hard. That’s so hard. Hard. I learned that in my career as a Mary Kay consultant and, um. I was like, wait, isn’t that active listening that you have something to come back with?

[00:35:40] Apryl Christian: And so you would think, 

[00:35:41] Sara Hansen : yeah, 

[00:35:43] Apryl Christian: you would think it is. So that was probably my first aha moment of listening and. Truly giving an authentic answer back. Mm-hmm. But then when I started working with patients and listening to what they had to say, that’s what probably [00:36:00] where my heart grew more, like building that relationship with people is once you craft that listening skill, you.

[00:36:08] Apryl Christian: Your, your heart grows and you’re really into it with this person. And um, I would say a second part of that is not putting your own experience into that, listening with them, because it’s really easy for me to do like, oh yeah, I know my kid does blah, blah, blah. Or Oh yeah, when I was younger I did this and that.

[00:36:28] Apryl Christian: And that isn’t really active listening. That is just trying to throw your own stuff onto them. And so that I’ve had to really, I’m still. Really learning that is to how to like really listen to people and to be able to say back, I bet that hurt. I bet that didn’t feel comfortable, or, I bet that was the most exciting thing that ever happened to you.

[00:36:51] Apryl Christian: Yeah. And I bet that, I bet that was wonderful. That is active listening and that is something that you have to work on all the [00:37:00] time. Like it will never, if you stop learning. Period. You, you may as well hang it up, but that, yes, that is it. It’s both Regan. To answer your question, it’s both. I grew up that way, but I’ve taken little pebbles of pearls of knowledge my whole career, and I think I will until, until the end of time.

[00:37:21] Sara Hansen : Oh. April, this is so good, and I think you and Reagan are kindred listening spirits because, um, Reagan has taught, I know all of us. So much about that, about what active listening actually means. Um, and it is, it’s life changing. So I love that you spoke and shared that with all of our listeners because I think that’s something, Ian, we need to do a podcast on.

[00:37:49] Sara Hansen : Just your active listening stuff. 

[00:37:51] Regan Robertson: We will have. 

[00:37:53] Apryl Christian: It’s so. It’s okay. 

[00:37:55] Regan Robertson: April, you’ve given us a, a masterclass in, in the short term that we’ve been [00:38:00] together, and I know there’ve been lots of laughing in this, but in a serious note, this really is the difference between hundreds of thousands in revenue coming into the practice.

[00:38:08] Regan Robertson: And, uh, doctor, if you’re listing right now, I definitely challenge you to, to think about that and write that down. Uh, you know, if. You are not welcoming them in and you’re not welcoming your patients in a way that helps them feel heard. Uh, it really can, it can be upwards of a million dollars, I would say, in those larger practices, things that we take for granted by not listening at these micro moments and, and intersection.

[00:38:31] Regan Robertson: So, uh, so yes, I challenge you to sit down in, in your own reception room. And, and look at, look at the magazines. How old are they? Look at at the carpet. You know, listen to the sounds and really ask that question. How are we showing our patients that we’re listening to them? And, and April, that’s what you’ve taught me in this time.

[00:38:52] Regan Robertson: It’s been an incredible honor to have you here as our guest. Thank 

[00:38:55] Apryl Christian: you. 

[00:38:55] Regan Robertson: Vast knowledge with us. 

[00:38:57] Apryl Christian: Can I just say also Reagan, [00:39:00] in that for doctors, doctors are busy. The, the money comes in if you are busy, and so find your person on your team. I was the person on the team that made the connection with my patients, and I call them mine because at that moment they were mine.

[00:39:17] Apryl Christian: I had a solid amount of time that was set aside for me to sit and listen. And so doctors make the time for your assistant, your office manager, your treatment coordinator, whoever it’s going to be to sit down and let them. Get to know that person and then let them come to you and give you the cliff notes.

[00:39:37] Apryl Christian: You don’t have to be the one that sits there for 20 minutes as you’re thinking because you’re not active listening as you’re thinking about all the 10 things and the patients in the other room that are hearing this, and I could just be giving anesthetic really quick. Those types of things have, have somebody, an auxiliary from your team, go ahead and do that and give you those, but then.

[00:39:58] Apryl Christian: Do not make that person [00:40:00] repeat everything. Come in and say, you know what, April just shared with me your wonderful conversation. I love, and the doctor come back and say like, I loved that you moved here from so-and-so. I loved that you loved your last dentist, so that that person sitting there is like, wow.

[00:40:17] Apryl Christian: I don’t have to repeat myself. I, she heard everything. And another important thing that I always did for my patients is I would say, you know what? I’m gonna go to share with the doctor everything that we’ve talked about, and then from here on out, I’m gonna be your advocate. I’m gonna be standing behind you, the doctor’s gonna be talking, he’s gonna be calling out numbers and noises and things like that.

[00:40:38] Apryl Christian: And know that if I speak up behind you. It’s because I’m your advocate and I know that you are probably thinking this question, and I’m just gonna ask the doctor while he is here. So if he didn’t explain something that I thought in, in your terms, you were gonna understand, I’m gonna be asking it so that you can hear it out loud.

[00:40:56] Apryl Christian: And then when he walks away, I’m gonna be able to still answer your question. [00:41:00] I am your advocate. I’m listening to everything for you. 

[00:41:05] Sara Hansen : Oh. I love everything you said. Such good tangible takeaways from everything that you said. April, um. Everyone, if you want any more fun takeaways, again, Reagan and I are here.

[00:41:22] Sara Hansen : I can always get you, um, connected to April. She is a great leader, um, a good mentor as well in the dental industry. So we are happy to get you in touch with any of us just to help support your team. Reagan, any last thoughts as we end today’s podcast? 

[00:41:39] Regan Robertson: I’ve learned a lot today. Uh, and really for me, the, the ending note is just absolutely pay attention to every small thing and those three traits, um, bring your curiosity, bring your active listening, and bring your caring heart.

[00:41:54] Regan Robertson: I think that your chances, you will make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. It’s a guarantee in life. But when you [00:42:00] bring those three together, uh, April, again, thank you for. For demonstrating your leadership capabilities, your incredible growth, and all the lessons you’ve learned along the way so that others can benefit from your bruises and your triumphs.

[00:42:14] Apryl Christian: Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for having me. I, it is an honor for me to sit down with you too and pass on the torch to, to those that are going down that path. 

[00:42:25] Sara Hansen : Thank you, April.