A Dentists and hygienists know that regular hygiene visits play an essential role in oral health care. Patients, however, do not necessarily understand that concept. As a result, they may have a weaker commitment to participating in hygiene programs, making it diffi cult for practices to provide the full spectrum of care—especially preventive care. Fortunately, there are several steps practice leaders can implement to meet this challenge. Keep 98 percent of patients scheduled at all times. Introducing and monitoring the progress of this goal will give the dentist, hygienist and other team members a clear picture of what they must do and motivate them to do it. Specific actions include dscheduling the next appointment at the end of the current visit to reinforce the habit of regularly monitoring oral health; dfollowing up systematically with patients who do not schedule appointments, urging them to take advantage of the professional knowledge and skills offered by the hygienist and dentist. Reduce no-shows and lastminute cancellations to less than 1 percent. Patients who fail to arrive for their hygiene appointments disrupt the practice’s schedule, leaving gaps that are difficult to fill. People who do not arrive for scheduled appointments are demonstrating a lack of appreciation for the value of the appointment. By educating patients about the benefits of radiographs, fluoride treatment, oral cancer screening, periodontal examinations and other hygiene services, the hygienist can counteract this problem. The objective is to build value for hygiene appointments as comprehensive preventive care rather than as a mere cleaning. Showcase the hygienist as a professional. Patients are more likely to undervalue their hygiene appointment if they have not been informed about the hygienist’s professional credentials. The dentist, staff members and the hygienist should communicate regularly about the education, training, certification and licensing required to perform dental hygiene services. Empower the hygienist to identify and discuss oral health issues with patients. With experience, most hygienists become adept at recognizing conditions that merit closer examination by the dentist. Not only that, but they have time during the visit to explain to the patient what they are seeing, what it means and what treatment options might be possible. Of course, diagnosis and recommendations are the dentist’s responsibilities, but preliminary discussions between the hygienist and patient can promote a better understanding of the situation on the part of the patient, and it can result in more efficient use of the dentist’s time. Upgrade scheduling and confirmation systems for hygiene appointments. In addition to helping patients value their hygiene appointments, dentists and their team members also should make it easier for them to commit to and show up for regularly scheduled visits. This involves not only scheduling the patient’s next visit at the end of the current one, as mentioned above, but also systematically confirming the appointment, typically one week and then two days before the appointment date. Most practices already have some method for reminding patients of an upcoming hygiene appointment, but it may be time to update their systems. Mailing postcards may no longer suffice, and calls to landline telephones may not get through often enough. Today, dentists and their staff members must update their patient communication strategies to include sending e-mails and calling cell phone numbers. Patients are more likely to answer calls from recognized callers and check messages on their cell phones. Texting is also a good way to send reminder messages.