A recent report by the American Dental Association (ADA) states that private dental practice ownership has been on the decline. In total, the ownership percentage has declined 8.6% since 2005. This is a result of the recent pandemic.
The pandemic has also affected existing practicing dentists’ net income by a whopping 17.9% Earnings consequently declined after the closure of offices which resulted in dentists working fewer hours.
However, don’t let these statistics discourage you. Times have been tough, but now that COVID-19 numbers are improving, you can bet these dental statistics will improve too!
With the world slowly getting back to normal, you can strive to safely get more patients walking through that door. Grow your dental practice today with the essential tips listed below.
Find your niche
Dig into your specialties or create a unique marketing strategy to make your practice stand out. Whether you specialize in oral surgery, sedation, implants, whitening, or Invisalign, market to the kind of patients you want to see.
It’s important to note that having a niche does not make you susceptible to only a certain type of patient. You can still advertise other services, but if you want to be known as the top oral surgeon in your area then don’t be afraid to state that on your dental office’s website and socials.
Some offices opt for themes with pediatric dentistry or dental care for seniors. If you’re expanding your realm of potential patients, opt for a service niche instead. For example, you can advertise that you make luxury dentistry affordable to all patients with flexible dental payment plans.
Ask for reviews
Do you look up a restaurant on Google or Yelp before you decide whether or not to eat there? Of course, you’ll scroll through the appetizing photos of food, but your decision also relies on their review ratings.
Encourage your patients to leave reviews on Google or other related sites to boost your online reputation. When patients search for dentists in the area, they’ll be able to see how reputable you are.
Asking for reviews may seem intimidating, but you can make it easy. Have your front desk staff identify satisfied patients after they get their dental cleaning or service, or send a follow-up email shortly after the appointment with the option to review.
Nonetheless, you want to show potential patients that your existing ones have great experiences. So keep working your magic to make patients happy and you’ll start expanding in no time.
Give patients payment options
You’re aware of how partnering with traditional lenders works. After all, it’s the most standard form of financing, but traditional financing may not contribute to your dental practice’s growth. Since lenders run hard credit checks for dental loans or medical credit cards, it’s a good idea to look into providing an additional payment solution.
With an additional payment option, you won’t have to turn away patients because they’re denied access to the financing they need. Denefits is an accessible payment solutions system that can widen your range of patients. Denefits provides instant approvals and runs no hard credit checks.
So, more payment solutions lead to more happy patients. Not only will you expand your patient base, but your existing patients don’t have to worry about getting denied. It’s a win-win situation.
Read Also: Why Your Dental Practice Should Offer Payment Plans
Provide patient specials
Some dental offices offer membership plans. Membership plans can consist of a monthly or annual fee charged to the patient for preventative care and discounts on other services.
Oftentimes memberships are offered to those who lack dental insurance, but they could be a cheaper option for your patients who have a high deductible dental plan or have to pay additional out-of-pocket costs. You can also finance high out-of-pocket costs with the right financing system.
Although, if a membership plan isn’t the right fit for your practice, why not offer patient specials to make your patient feel special? You can use your socials and tell your existing patients about specials going on, and discounts are incentives for patients to come back and new ones to come rushing in.
Further Information: Why Dental Financing is Important?
Increase your online presence
You most likely have a website, but when was the last time it was updated? Is it optimized to be used on mobile devices? If your website is in need of some TLC, then invest in updating it so patients can easily find you.
It’s also a good idea to work on posting on your social media pages consistently. These are additional pathways where patients can get a hold of you. By being on Google My Business, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more, you can keep moving on up.
Final thoughts
You’re bound to grow your dental business with these tips, but your best bet is to give your patient the right payment plan solutions. Proper dental care is the number one priority, and you need to be able to supply it right away.
The Denefits system is easy-to-use and approves all your dental patients so you never have to say no to anyone. Plus, Denefits can handle all your accounts receivable which will take the load off your business. If you’re interested in learning more about Denefits, request a callback today.
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