How To Get New Dental Patients

While you may pride yourself on providing excellent patient care within the oral hygiene field, its is essential that potential clients are aware of it. A dental practice, above all else, is still a business and you need patients in order to keep it going.

Any oral health practitioner that is  serious about maintaining and growing a successful practice and needs to embrace and execute an effective marketing strategy. There are several ways to go about recruiting and retaining new patients to your dental practice.

Here are a few  tips how on how to get new dental patients:

PATIENT MANAGEMENT

It’s common knowledge that despite the advent of online marketing, the best recommendation a business or health care practitioner can get is through word of mouth. A key goal for your practice therefore, would be to ensure such great service is had by all patients, that they cannot wait to tell everyone they know about you and your outstanding dental practice. This service should be all encompassing, from the greeting you receive at the door, to the way you are treated when you are in the chair, to the ease and convenience you are able to settle your bill.

BUILDING A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

Social Marketing is a very powerful tool, for all businesses, big and small. In today’s day and age, Marketing tools extend from websites to facebook pages, LinkedIn and Twitter, and they are all easily manageable platforms to engage with current and prospective patients.

Remember that an active and consistent  presence on these platforms, with useful information about your practice  and  helpful dental tips could be a sure fire way to attract  a larger client base.

As a leading practitioner in your field, it would be totally acceptable to ask your patients to use their social media platforms to promote your practice or write personal testimonials for your practice’s facebook page or website.

SEND OUT  A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Sending out a regular newsletter  allows you to maintain contact with your existing patients, and in so doing hopefully connect with others. Perhaps you can suggest that regular clients add the names and email/or physical addresses of family and friends, allowing you to reach more potential customers. A digital newsletter also affords you and your practice more exposure, not only to new patients but industry bloggers who might aid in your marketing strategy. More traffic and visibility creates more awareness, and when trying to attract more business, nothing is more beneficial.

DON’T DISMISS THE MAGAZINE

We all know that when waiting for a doctor’s appointment the best way to pass time is to leaf through that magazine on the table next to you. Print magazines might seem like a thing of the past , but within this context, they’re definitely a valued manner through which  a dentist can reach potential patients. A small advertisement or article discussing your community involvements, or even testimonials from patients are an excellent way to attract the attention of potential patients especially while they are receptive to reading about some health related.

GETTING INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY PROJECTS

A health care practitioner who has a clear and active sense of community suggests that a person or practice cares about his/her patients and their families. Volunteer dental projects and pro bono clients are a definite way to get free advertising. A practice that is involved in such events, will most certainly get noticed as a practice with heart and therefore attract the type of patient who values a sense of community and who would be a loyal and supportive long- term client.

TIME MANAGEMENT

A visit to a healthcare practitioner ( not matter what the specialty) has become synonymous with waiting. Careful time management and a doctor who is on time for your appointment can really make all the difference to a client’s experience at your practice. Manage your time carefully, work in conjunction with your receptionist and hygienist. Make each appointment a bit later or longer but make it it a top priority to be on time.

STAYING ON TOP OF YOUR GAME

Investing in your practice is an important part of attracting new patients and retaining old ones. The dentist is an essential point of visitation for everyone, so as a practitioner you want to make sure that your practice stands out, that you are different and above your competition. That you have all the latest machinery and are trained in the latest procedures. It must be known that you can offer your patients the best oral health care and the most comfortable experience from the minute they walk through the door, till they are in the chair until they pay for their experience.

CephX  helps dental practices in minimizing after hour workload and by ensuring that clinical treatment presentations are concise and to the point. With Cephx, practitioners are able to spend less time at their computers and more time with their patients – fostering personal relationships and ensuring the patient’s experience is a comfortable and pleasant one.