Appointment systems

At the heart of any dental practice is the appointment book. There cannot be a practice which does not depend upon appointments, yet many dentists seem to be unaware that they can control their appointments system. Practitioners may adopt an existing system which may no longer be appropriate and receptionists can remain oblivious to the pressures and burdens systems impose upon the dentist. In the third of his articles on practice management, Michael Wilkinson considers the problem.