151 - Pediatric Dental Missed Appointment Rates at the Holyoke Health Center: A Quality Improvement Project

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to examine factors that impede Holyoke Health Center (HHC) pediatric dental patients’ abilities to attend dental appointments, then address barriers to improve missed appointment rates. This project utilized same-day telephone reminders as an intervention to decrease missed appointment rates for pediatric dental patients. 

Methods: Surveys were sent to patients with a history of missed appointments using REDCap survey software (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN., USA). Based on the survey responses, the intervention of same-day phone call reminders was implemented. The data recorded included patients aged 0-17 years over 3 months for pre-intervention and 3 months for post-intervention. Age groups were divided into 0-4, 5-12, 13-17 years, and new patients aged 0-17 years old. Daily appointments and missed appointments were documented in the collection tool, Google Forms. Missed appointment rates were analyzed using JMP statistical software (Statistical Analysis System Insititute, Cary, NC., USA).  

Results: New patients aged 0-17 years had a 4% increase in now-shows, ages 0-4 had a decrease by 2%, ages 5-12 increased by 2%, and ages 13-17 increased by 1%.  

CONCLUSION: Same day phone call reminders are not effective in reducing no-show appointment rates at HHC. Age is not a major factor in missed appointment rates. Additional cycles of the PDSA process are required to identify the true root causes for successful intervention. 


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