One of  the features available in Dentrix G7.3  is an option to require a referral source for a new patient. I really like this new feature because I think it will benefit all types of offices.

To enable this new feature, in the Dentrix Office Manager go to Maintenance > Practice Setup > Preferences. At the bottom of the Additional Options section, check the box for Require Referred By for new patients.

Occasionally, an office team member may forget to enter a new patient’s referral source. This can cause reports regarding referral sources to be inaccurate. If these reports are inaccurate, it makes it difficult for a practice to use these reports to analyze data and make future marketing decisions.

By requiring a referral source for new patients, you can rely on the data you receive from these reports to be accurate. With accurate information, you can:

• Determine whether your practice advertising efforts are successful and what type of return on your investment you are receiving. Because these reports also include production generated from referred patients, it allows you to put a monetary value on each referred patient, therefore giving you the ability to analyze the return on your advertising investment.
• Know who your main referring doctors are and develop a way to thank them. This is particularly helpful for specialty offices.
• Evaluate which patients are referring their friends and family, especially if your office relies on internal marketing through patient referrals.

The Referred by Patient and Referred by Doctor/Other Reports provide valuable information regarding referral sources to your office. This information can be used to analyze current and future marketing plans. However, these reports are only accurate if referral sources are being entered into Dentrix.

By requiring a referral source for new patients, you can eliminate the problem of no referrals being entered. I’m excited about this new feature. I believe it will benefit all types of offices, both general dentistry as well as specialty, to create more accurate reports and therefore make better marketing decisions.

By Charlotte Skaggs
Certified Dentrix Trainer and The Dentrix Office Manager columnist

Charlotte Skaggs is the founder of Vector Dental Consulting LLC, a practice management firm focused on taking offices to the next level. Charlotte co-owned and managed a successful dental practice with her husband for 17 years. She has a unique approach to consulting based on the perspective of a practice owner. Charlotte has been using Dentrix for over 20 years and is a certified Dentrix trainer. Contact Charlotte at [email protected].