{"id":40710,"date":"2025-05-19T09:25:49","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T23:25:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/?p=40710"},"modified":"2025-05-19T09:28:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T23:28:15","slug":"extended-opening-hours-a-good-idea-or-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/extended-opening-hours-a-good-idea-or-not\/","title":{"rendered":"Extended opening hours\u2014a good idea or not?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-estimated-reading-time yoast-reading-time__wrapper\"><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-icon=\"clock\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" style=\"display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.1em\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__spacer\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:1em\"><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__descriptive-text\">Estimated reading time: <\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__reading-time\">5<\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__time-unit\"> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"642\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours.jpg\" alt=\"extended opening hours\" class=\"wp-image-40713 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-768x482.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-670x420.jpg 670w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-600x376.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-696x436.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"642\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours.jpg\" alt=\"extended opening hours\" class=\"wp-image-40713 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-768x482.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-670x420.jpg 670w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-600x376.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/extended-hours-696x436.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photography: kinash\/123RF<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-extended-hours-appeal-to-many-clients-but-early-mornings-evenings-and-weekends-increase-your-operating-cost-so-how-do-you-make-it-work-nbsp-by-frank-leggett\">Extended hours appeal to many clients but early mornings, evenings and weekends increase your operating cost. So, how do you make it work?&nbsp;By Frank Leggett<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the main advantages of extended hours is the improved accessibility it offers clients. They can schedule appointments around work, family and social commitments, making it more convenient to access dental care. The disadvantages, however, include an increased staffing cost to the business and a complex rostering system.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe decision to offer extended hours should not be taken lightly,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/carolynsdean.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Carolyn S. Dean<\/a>, a dental marketing consultant who advises start-ups, individual dental practices and major dental organisations.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"bitem-article-desktop-720x300-in-text\" id=\"bitem-3139322693\"><!-- Bite 720x300 [async] -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">if (!window.AdButler){(function(){var s = document.createElement(\"script\"); s.async = true; s.type = \"text\/javascript\";s.src = 'https:\/\/servedby.engagemedia.com.au\/app.js';var n = document.getElementsByTagName(\"script\")[0]; n.parentNode.insertBefore(s, n);}());}<\/script>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\nvar AdButler = AdButler || {}; AdButler.ads = AdButler.ads || [];\r\nvar abkw = window.abkw || '';\r\nvar plc705185 = window.plc705185 || 0;\r\ndocument.write('<'+'div id=\"placement_705185_'+plc705185+'\"><\\\/'+'div>');\r\nAdButler.ads.push({handler: function(opt){ AdButler.register(165450, 705185, [720,300], 'placement_705185_'+opt.place, opt); }, opt: { place: plc705185++, keywords: abkw, domain: 'servedby.engagemedia.com.au', click:'CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER' }});\r\n<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe first thing to consider is your target market,\u201d she says. \u201cIf these are patients who are employed and you\u2019re only open 9am to 5pm, you\u2019re asking them to take time out of their workday to see you. If your target market is families with preschool-age kids, empty nesters or pensioners, it\u2019s not such a big issue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe majority of people with school-age children are employed, and they\u2019ll want the flexibility and availability of extended hours. Each practice needs to look at their current demographic and who they\u2019re trying to attract.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-value-of-extended-hours\">Value of extended hours<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr Alex Maer and his wife, Esther, took over the one-chair practice, <a href=\"https:\/\/dentalcarecarnegie.com.au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DentalCare Carnegie<\/a>, in Melbourne in 2019. From the outset, they promoted their extended hours extensively.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, it\u2019s open from 8.30am to 8.30pm Monday to Friday, and 8.30am to 6.30pm Saturday and Sunday.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond that, Dr Maer and his team have committed to never saying no to an emergency, no matter how late the call. If a staff member answers an urgent patient call, they will stay back and deal with the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of the factors that has allowed our business to grow from one dentist to 13 in five years is our extended hours,\u201d says Dr Maer. \u201cI look on it as a reputation builder more than a profit-making exercise. When somebody comes in at 9pm for an emergency and we look after them, they leave happy and tell all their friends and family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-getting-the-timing-right\">Getting the timing right<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Located in inner-city Sydney, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dentistryatthecross.com.au\/dentist-darlinghurst\/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22421678808&amp;gbraid=0AAAAABzJLiMvuCxYN1L0kCUTd6wWRiAOZ&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpKvy3ZWujQMVqqpmAh36rRhAEAAYASAAEgKwjvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Darlinghurst Dental<\/a> has a young professional demographic. It opened in 2015, run by two co-owners\u2014principal dentist Dr Frank Farrelly and practice manager Shannon Richards. Many of their clients are time-poor so attending appointments during business hours is difficult. The practice is open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday but on Thursday it\u2019s open until 8pm. Saturday it is open from 10am to 2pm.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur most popular appointments are first and last,\u201d says Dr Farrelly. \u201c8am is always hard to get and can be booked out weeks in advance. Saturday opening has been more problematic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>If people have plans for the weekend, they\u2019ll choose to cancel their dental appointment. Even if it\u2019s a cancellation with notice, it\u2019s difficult to refill. The other issue is that when one long appointment is scheduled on a Saturday, it can end up costing more than it\u2019s worth. <br><br><strong>Dr Frank Farrelly, co-owner, Darlinghurst Dental<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The main issue is that Saturday appointments are not highly valued when up against weekend activities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf people have plans for the weekend, they\u2019ll choose to cancel their dental appointment,\u201d says Dr Farrelly. \u201cEven if it\u2019s a cancellation with notice, it\u2019s difficult to refill. The other issue is that when one long appointment is scheduled on a Saturday, it can end up costing more than it\u2019s worth. There are times when I\u2019ve considered stopping our Saturday opening.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-deposit-taken\">Deposit taken<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Early mornings, late nights, and the weekend increases staff costs. Is it possible to put a system in place that protects the investment of resources?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m seeing many practices taking credit card deposits for out-of-hours appointments,\u201d says Carolyn Dean. \u201cThis adds value to the appointment. There must be clear communication with clients, however, that explains those extended hours are the most sought-after. In order to secure your spot, we need to take a deposit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr Maer requires a deposit from new patients for weekend appointments. If an existing patient doesn\u2019t show up once, then a deposit is required for a second appointment. Dr Farrelly is considering a deposit for Saturday appointments but hasn\u2019t implemented it as yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-impact-on-staff\">Impact on staff<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing to extend working hours does have an impact on staff. There are ways to handle the situation provided there is a willingness to work less traditional hours. Dr Maer employs university students and people without children who are happy to do late hours. Over-time payments in accordance with the award system makes this very popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFilling the roster is not a problem,\u201d he says. \u201cOur dentists work a different number of days and hours with an expectation they will do at least one late night a week and one weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Darlinghurst Dental, Dr Farrelly has instituted a four-day week with different staff working on different days. \u201cIt\u2019s worked out really well,\u201d he says. \u201cSome do study, some take personal time, and some even work elsewhere. On the half-day Saturday, we originally employed a dentist from a nearby dental hospital but now we share the load.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-good-results\">Good results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Offering extended hours does demand something of a balancing act between income, staff time, outgoings and uptake. \u201cFor the majority of practices, there\u2019s an opportunity here,\u201d says Dean. \u201cBut owners need to go in with their eyes open. Advertising the new hours is essential. People won\u2019t use the service if they don\u2019t know it\u2019s available. Like any change in a practice, the results need to be measured, tracked and adjusted if necessary.\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-carolyn-dean-s-seven-tips-to-getting-extended-hours-right\">Carolyn Dean\u2019s seven tips to getting extended hours right:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Understand your business goals. If you have enough patients and revenue, extended hours may not be the answer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Understand who you are trying to attract and whether extended hours are something those clients need.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look at your competitors and see if there\u2019s a gap in the market.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Talk to staff to ascertain if there\u2019s capability, willingness, availability and an openness to work extended hours.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Put all the correct systems and processes in place prior to extending hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Communicate your extended hours with all your patients on all channels\u2014website, social media, emails, SMSs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Track, measure and evaluate the results against the goals you set.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Extended hours appeal to many clients but early mornings, evenings and weekends increase your operating cost. So, how do you make it work?&nbsp;By Frank Leggett One of the main advantages of extended hours is the improved accessibility it offers clients. They can schedule appointments around work, family and social commitments, making it more convenient to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":40713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7170,691],"tags":[20345,2534,684,8964,4120],"class_list":{"0":"post-40710","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-featured","8":"category-your-business","9":"tag-after-hours-dental-treatment","10":"tag-emergency-dental-treatment","11":"tag-featured","12":"tag-four-day-week","13":"tag-hours-of-operation"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Extended opening hours\u2014a good idea or not? - Bite Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bitemagazine.com.au\/extended-opening-hours-a-good-idea-or-not\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Extended opening hours\u2014a good idea or not?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Extended hours appeal to many clients but early mornings, evenings and weekends increase your operating cost. 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