Dental hygienists: plan recall visits without reminders

Recall visits keep your book full and your patients on track, but they're months away and easy to forget. Book doesn't send reminders, so the plan has to be different: book the next visit before the patient leaves, and let the calendar file in their phone do the remembering. This guide shows how to run recalls that way.

At the end of each visit, book the recall yourself from your bookings list at the interval you recommend. First and last name are enough; with their email, the patient gets a confirmation with a calendar file. The date is in their calendar from today, months ahead, with no reminder system needed.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description, all shown on your public page. Each slot belongs to one service, sits within one day and has its own capacity.

Durations are examples: set your own according to the rules that apply to you.

Slots repeat weekly on the weekdays you choose until an end date. Set end dates far enough ahead to cover your longest recall interval, so the date you need already exists when the patient is in the chair. If you prefer, create the recall booking directly in a free time from your list.

Some practices group recalls on set days. Keep recall slots on those days and first visits on others; slots of different services can overlap, so don't open two services at the same time in one chair.

Some patients prefer not to commit months ahead. Ask for their email so they get confirmations later, and tell them they can book recall visits on your page at any time. Your public recall slots stay open for them.

Patients can't move or cancel online: they contact you, and you move the visit from your list. Say in the description how much notice you need. Book doesn't email patients about changes, so confirm the new date yourself if you move it.

Notes appear in the patient's calendar file. Leave them empty or practical when you create recall bookings, and ask patients not to write health details in notes when they book online.

Book has one booking page per business and no staff field. With several hygienists, create recall services per person, so patients come back to the same hygienist.

Book doesn't send reminders or recall emails, store records or take payments. Your bookings sync with Google, iPhone or Mac calendars. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.