As a dental professional, you have to consider not just the health of your patients, but also that of your practice. A sustainable business growth strategy is essential for a healthy and profitable practice, and is something all team members should be actively involved in.
Cosmetic dental services are an excellent addition to such strategies. Tooth whitening, for example, is incredibly popular with patients at the moment, with North America accounting for 33% of the world’s multi-billion dollar teeth whitening market. As demand is predicted to increase 40% by 2026, teeth whitening represents a lucrative revenue stream and a serious growth opportunity for your practice. Other popular examples include veneers, composite bonding and orthodontic treatments (particularly clear aligners and braces), all of which have the potential to improve your patient’s smile.
When a patient is happy with their smile, they feel more confident and more motivated to look after their oral health. And of course, and a happy patient is a loyal one, translating to a better patient-provider relationship and more business for your practice. They may even become more interested in other treatments once they see the difference the treatment has made to their smile. You can make them aware of solutions like the Colgate Optic White Professional Take-Home Whitening Kit, a new product that helps you give your patient dramatic whitening results in just five days. By providing such fast results in the most convenient way for your patient, you can turn a one-off treatment into a long-lasting relationship, where the patient attends for regular smile maintenance and even further improvements.
Another group of patients to grow your practice are those who are looking for a dental professional now; commonly those who are experiencing pain. Be open to people who may have not been to your office before - even if they are technically under the care of another dentist. These patients are often very grateful for the care they receive and if they have a good experience where they are seen quickly and treated well, may choose to switch to your practice or engage with more regular care. Have appointments that are easy to book including appointments set aside for dental emergencies. Train your front of house staff to be open, accommodating and understanding when speaking to emergency patients - these are fantastic leads who can become regular and loyal patients.
Other general strategies to increase the number of patients you can attract as a practice include:
Asking your patients, whether they are new to the practice or longstanding patients, if there is anything they would like to improve about their smile. This can open the conversation about cosmetic treatments and help you to discuss what options are available for the patient.
Advertise treatments and services on your practice website, on social media, and in your waiting room.
Encourage online reviews of treatments your office has provided. You can also encourage your patients to talk about their experiences to family and friends to generate new referrals and get more patients through the door.
Show before-and-after photos of previous patients and their new bright, white smiles. (Be sure to get consent from the previous patient first!)
Invest in digital solutions, such as email and text reminders or email newsletters, to promote whitening and other services.
Make a good impression! Make sure to retain new and old patients by being caring and keep in contact with regular patients to reduce the chance of them being lost to follow up or them going elsewhere for their care.
By combining an established and well-recognized brand with innovative and effective tooth whitening technologies and other treatments, you can engage Generation Y and Z patients, improve overall patient satisfaction, and help ensure the continued growth of your dental business.
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