Your team’s reaction to your new associate sets the tone for every patient interaction that follows. When staff members enthusiastically embrace and confidently introduce a new doctor, patients naturally follow their lead. Conversely, if your team seems hesitant or uninformed, patients can sense that and be reluctant to give the new provider a try.

Host a team meeting dedicated to introducing your associate— before their first day. Share their professional background, clinical philosophy, and personal interests. Discuss how their skills complement existing services and how patient scheduling will work moving forward. Address any operational changes directly and allow time for questions. This initial meeting transforms your associate from an abstract concept to a real person your team feels connected to.

Create reference materials that help your team speak confidently about your new doctor. Develop a one-page highlight sheet with key talking points about their education, experience, special interests, and procedures they’ll focus on. Include personal details your associate is comfortable sharing—where they’re from, hobbies, or family information—as these create natural conversation bridges. Make these reference sheets accessible at every team workstation for quick consultation.

Front desk staff need particular attention, as they’ll field most patient questions about your associate. Script several responses to common scenarios: existing patients asking why they’re being scheduled with someone new, inquiries about your associate’s experience, or concerns about changing providers. These prepared responses should emphasize confidence in your associate’s skills while acknowledging the importance of patient choice.

Role-play these conversations with your team. Practice explaining why seeing your associate might mean earlier appointment availability or how their specialized training benefits specific treatment needs. Stay away from robotic scripts and instead develop comfortable, natural language that conveys genuine endorsement.

Establish clear protocols for handling patient scheduling with your associate. Determine whether certain patients will be preferentially scheduled with them based on treatment needs, scheduling availability, or other factors.

Create a strategy for balancing your associate’s schedule with an appropriate mix of procedures and patient demographics that support their development and integration.

Prepare your clinical team for warm handoffs between doctors. When you personally introduce your associate to long-term patients during hygiene visits or treatment consultations, you transfer your established trust directly. Guide your hygienists and assistants on facilitating these introductions naturally during patient appointments.

Finally, update any internal systems that reference provider information, from billing procedures to electronic health records. When your team is thoroughly prepared, they become your most powerful marketing channel—authentically promoting your associate because they fully understand the value this doctor brings to your patients and practice.