One of the biggest mistakes I see in dental practices is treating the New Patient Coordinator and the Treatment Coordinator as the same role.
They are not.
In fact, they serve two very different purposes within the patient journey.
Let’s start with absolute clarity.
A Treatment Coordinator should see patients face-to-face.
Their role is to support patients through treatment decisions, hold detailed consultations, answer questions, build confidence and work alongside the clinician to help patients understand complex treatment options.
They are there to create value, build trust and improve treatment acceptance.
They are not there to sit by the phone waiting for new patient enquiries.
Yet I regularly see practices where a receptionist answers a call, places the patient on hold and says,
“I’ll just put you through to our Treatment Coordinator.”
The patient then waits.
And waits.
Sometimes the TCO is with another patient.
Sometimes they are in surgery.
Sometimes they are already holding a consultation.
The experience is poor from the very first interaction.
The truth is simple.
If the person answering the phone cannot confidently handle a new patient enquiry, they should not be answering that call.
Every new patient enquiry is a potential investment in your practice. Marketing has done its job by making the phone ring. If the call is then placed on hold or passed around the building, you are simply throwing that investment away.
This is where I believe the New Patient Coordinator role comes into its own.
For busy practices, having dedicated New Patient Coordinators is a fantastic solution.
Their focus is completely different.
They are experts in enquiry conversion.
They understand the services the practice offers.
They know how to listen.
They know how to build rapport.
They know how to answer questions and guide patients towards the next step with confidence.
Many of the most successful practices do not rely on just one person. They train several team members as New Patient Coordinators and rotate the responsibility throughout the day. This creates consistency, resilience and ensures that no opportunity is missed.
It also allows the Treatment Coordinator to do what they do best.
Meet patients.
Build relationships.
Support treatment acceptance.
Hold exceptional face-to-face consultations.
When roles become blurred, everyone loses.
The receptionist loses confidence.
The TCO becomes overwhelmed.
The patient has a poor experience.
Conversions fall.
When roles are clearly defined and people are properly trained, the patient journey feels effortless.
The New Patient Coordinator builds trust.
The Treatment Coordinator builds value.
Together, they create a patient experience that is difficult for competitors to match.
Because the best practices do not simply answer the phone.
They understand that every conversation has a purpose, and every role has a place.
Laura
