Successful Marketing Practices for Your Beauty Business
The world of dentistry has changed with the rise of digital technology and smartphone use. Dental care is more accessible than ever, with more patients asking their friends for doctor recommendations through social media.
So it all comes down to providing them a great experience that will make these individuals want to recommend your business! Of course, providing such top-notch service comes with a price tag.
Dental practices wanting to upgrade their services by either purchasing new equipment or investing in marketing efforts can look to dental practice loans. These loans can help you secure the necessary funding to scale your business in no time.
To help you grow your business, we're providing you with these 11 tips on successfully running a dental practice with so many ways to increase your number of patients.
1. Create Micro-Moments with Employees and Patients
A micro-moment is a small, everyday interaction between an employee and a patient that can make a big difference in the overall patient experience. It’s those little things that your team does that add up to create a lasting impression – for better.
A few examples of micro-moments include:
- Answering the phone promptly and courteously
- Smiling and making eye contact when speaking to patients
- Offering a beverage or a smile when they enter the dental office
- Putting on gloves before examining a patient
Attempt to make a connection with your patients from the very first interaction. And this habit starts with your own dental practice staff! Remember that your employees are the face of your business and will be the ones interacting with patients on a day-to-day basis. That’s why it’s crucial they understand the importance of providing excellent customer service and maintaining patient satisfaction.
If you treat employees fairly and respectfully, they will be happier to manage your daily operations and ensure both prospective and existing patients are treated the same way.
2. Expand Your Dental Team
It’s no secret that dental care can be expensive. This is especially true for patients who need extensive work done. That’s why it’s crucial to have a team of specialists, including dental assistants and front desk workers, who can help patients get the care they need without breaking the bank. Expanding your staff also allows you to take on more patients, leading to improved operations and increased profits!
3. Train and Educate Employees About the Latest Technology
Make sure that your employees are up-to-date on the latest technology. This will help them provide better service to your patients and make it easier to manage appointments, files, and finances.
Many dental offices use electronic health records (EHR) software to manage their patient data. Your employees should be trained on how to use this software to efficiently and effectively manage patient records.
Other dental technology that your employees should be trained on includes:
- Dental imaging software
- Appointment scheduling software
- Practice management software
By investing in the latest technology, you’ll be able to provide better care for your patients and make it easier for your employees to manage your practice.
4. Use Technology to Streamline Dental Procedures
There are many ways to use technology to streamline procedures. For example, you can use intraoral cameras to get a close-up view of a patient’s mouth without x-rays. This saves time and reduces radiation exposure for both the patient and the dentist.
There are many types of dental technology that can help streamline your procedures. Some other examples include:
- Cone beam CT scanners provide a 3D image of a patient’s mouth, which can be used to plan dental procedures.
- Dental lasers can be used for a variety of dental procedures, such as teeth whitening, cavity detection, and gum surgery.
- Digital X–rays provide a high-resolution image of a patient’s teeth and help diagnose dental problems early.
5. Offer Additional Services
In addition to traditional dental care, you can offer many other services to attract new patients and keep existing ones coming back. For example, you might offer teeth whitening, Invisalign®, or even Botox® treatments.
By expanding your services at your dental clinic, you’ll be able to accommodate more patients and increase your profits!
6. Automate Your Billing Desk
No one likes waiting in line to pay their bill. By automating your billing desk, you can make the process more efficient and reduce wait times for patients. This will help them feel more satisfied with their overall experience at your office.
There are many ways to automate your billing desk, but dental practice software is one of the most popular. This type of software can help you manage appointments, patient files, and even your finances, all in one place.
7. Offer Online Appointments
Nowadays, more patients prefer online scheduling than making appointments on the phone. That’s why dental offices should make it easy for patients to schedule appointments online.
Offering online appointments will make it more convenient for patients to see you and reduce the number of no-shows. Your staff will have more free time, which will allow them to see more patients.
8. Provide Dental Financing Options
Many patients avoid getting dental care because they can’t afford the cost. That’s why it’s important to offer flexible financing options so that everyone has the opportunity to get the dental care they need.
This will help you attract new patients and keep your existing ones returning.
Dental financing options that you can offer include:
- In-house financing
- Dental insurance
- Discount dental plans
9. Follow Up With Patients After Treatment
It’s essential to follow up with patients after they’ve been treated. This will help ensure they are happy with the results and don’t have any additional questions or concerns.
If there are any problems, you can address them immediately and ensure that the patient is satisfied with their experience.
10. Leverage Patient Referrals
Patient referrals are a great way to attract new patients. Offering incentives, such as discounts or free consultations, will encourage existing patients to refer their friends and family to your office.
This is a cost-effective way to grow your practice and ensure that your patients are happy with their experience.
You can ask for referrals by:
- Crafting an email asking them about their experience whereby they provide three referrals if they had a positive experience
- Creating a referral contest. Each referral increases a patient’s chances of winning the prize
- Providing referral cards, they can easily hand them out after their visit
11. Capitalize on Working Hours
Many dental practices are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. But what if you want to attract more patients? Embrace flexible working hours so that patients can come at their convenience.
For example, you might consider staying open late one night a week or opening on Saturdays. This will help you cater to a broader audience and increase your profits. Be sure to manage your bookings and review your schedule so that you can make space for emergency appointments.
You can create patient policies that require 24-hour cancellation notices or no-shows that can help you manage the number of appointment slots open and give you a chance to fill that appointment time without penalty.
Ready to Start Running a Successful Dental Practice?
If you’re looking to improve your dental practice, implementing the tips we’ve shared can help get you on the right track. Of course, there are other important facets of running a successful dental office, such as securing funding. That’s where our team of lending experts comes in. We can help you find the financing you need to turn your dream of running a successful dental practice into reality at Select Funding.
