Time.
Time. Life’s most precious commodity. It’s “what we want most, but use worst.” I have recently been contemplating how I use my time and how I could be more meaningful with it. Maybe it’s because I’m reminded weekly by my phone just how much “screen time” I put in, or maybe it’s because I recently spent over an hour and a half in the waiting room of a doctor’s office…either way, I’ve realized just how much I hate to waste time. Ask anyone how patient I am. Unfortunately, patience is not one of my strongest virtues. Because time is so valuable to me, I thought I would share a few thoughts on how, at Grants Ferry Family Dentistry, we try our best to respect your time.
I think everyone has come to expect a short wait at a medical or dental office. But let me assure you, from the moment you walk in the door, the team is notified and actions are being taken to get you in the dental chair as quickly as possible. For a scheduled appointment, we try to keep your wait time to less than 5 minutes.
Now, every once in a while, things don’t go exactly as planned. What started as a simple procedure may turn more complex. Some people like to talk more than others. Maybe there was a technical issue with your insurance. We are a small office and when these issues happen, everyone chips in to try to keep the schedule on track. Please know that we have not overbooked the schedule or gotten lazy with our time management.
What about the times you KNOW you’re going to have to wait? We are absolutely thrilled to be able to offer crowns in a single appointment, but that means you’ll have to wait about 30 minutes for it to be fabricated. I think simply knowing you’ll have a short wait makes it better. (Just ask me how I felt about waiting for 1.5 hours with no explanation at my last doctor’s appointment!) We also have multiple things to offer to make your wait easier: TV, free WiFi, ear phones, water, coffee, magazines, blanket, etc. Your comfort while you wait is our priority.
One of my goals for 2019 has been to be more purposeful with my time. I’ve lived the majority of my life wishing for the next moment in time: to be done with school, to have kids, to own a practice. Now I’m trying to slow down and enjoy the time and gifts I’ve been given. This quote made me smile, so I’ll end with this, “Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with you family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.” -Earl Nightingale