Greeting patients in a covid-19 world
For more than 30 years I've been totally convinced that the best way to greet patients is by shaking hands. It's a gesture that's warm, friendly and open. It sets the tone for a good, solid trust between patient and dentist.
But, now, in the covid-19 world, that has changed. Maybe forever. Shaking hands has gone from being a normal gesture to being strictly taboo.
The questions that should come to your mind are:
How do we still greet patients warmly?
Can we turn this negative into a positive?
I think both can be achieved.
You'll need to have a staff meeting and work out your new "greeting strategy".
How will you greet someone at the reception desk? How will you greet them in the operatory? Who will wear a mask and when? What will you say when meeting a patient?
With thought and a bit of planning this challenge can be overcome. In fact, it can even become a way to differentiate yourself.
