When dealing with an upset patient on the phone, it’s important to remain calm and professional. Here’s an example of how to handle a situation where a patient wants a refund:

1. 1

   Patient: “I was not satisfied with my dental work, I got a crown done and I don’t like it. I want my money back. I never said I wanted my tooth to be this color!”

   Response: “I am so sorry sir, what is your name and date of birth so I can get your account pulled up?”

2. 2

   Patient: “First, last name 1-2-34, I want to speak to the manager right now!”

   Response: “Okay, what I can do for you is send your information over to our office manager and biller via email and you will hear back from them within 24-48 hours.”

3. 3

   Patient: “No, I want to talk to someone right now!”

   Response: “If you’d like, I can put you on a brief hold and call her office to see if she is available for you, give me just a second.”

4. 4

   At this point, you don’t want to seem as if you do not care or won’t try to contact anyone for them. Call over to your office manager and briefly explain the situation. Most likely, you will be told to send them an email and repeat the 24-48 hour response time.

5. 5

   Response: “Okay sir, sorry for the hold. I was not able to get an office manager for you at the moment, so again, I am going to get a good phone number for you and send them an email. You will hear back from them within 24-48 hours.”

If the patient continues to insist on speaking to someone right away, apologize for the inconvenience and reassure them they will get a call back. At this point, there is nothing more you can do.