We often hear from dental practitioners, "How do I grow my practice?" It’s a common question that’s relevant for both new and established dental practices. A variety of different answers can be given, with some costing you sky-high dollars. We’ll guide you with practical and affordable solutions to grow your dental practice.
Paperless is the Future
Being an environmentally friendly office saves tens of thousands of dollars a year – on average. Traditionally run dental practices using paper-based systems waste away financially in the realm of 5 digit figures for paper related supplies, maintenance, storage, and administrative costs.
Paperless advancements that integrate with major practice management systems, including Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Opendental, Dolphin, and others, shave off an average of $60K in annual office expenses.
On top of that, paperless systems speed up the process by 20X for patients and front office staff, cutting down waiting room time by an astounding 80%, and reducing documentation by 35%.
Back in the olden days, who would’ve even imagined a day would come that a paperless dental office would be an option – bringing about dramatic improvements for the dental industry?
What top benefits have dental practices acquired from paperless systems? Find out by downloading our E-guide below.
Paperless Dentistry - How Practices are saving $60K per year
First Impressions
We all know the saying that first impressions are everything! And they truly are, but what is considered a stellar first impression… and how do you make it happen for your dental practice? Regardless of whether your dental practice is new or established, growing your practice has a lot to do with patient loyalty.
The way a patient is made to feel during that first phone call, or first visit has a huge impact on whether they’ll come back, and if they’ll bring you more patients. First impressions are made as patients are sizing you up based on all of the following and more…
- Knowledge base
- Respectfulness
- Tone of voice
- Body language
- Organized appearance
- Efficiency of processes
- Smoothness of operations
- Team work
- Advanced systems
- Sanitary measures
- Privacy of information
There is no financial cost in making a patient feel happy and comfortable. Going beyond helping them with their dental issues by starting normal conversations about relatable topics, makes them feel like they are talking with a caring friend.
The happier your patients are, the more they will recommend you to their friends, families, and neighbors. Word of mouth is a powerful tool to help grow your practice cost-effectively, and it works in your favor when you’re able to win over the first impression.
Utilize your Waiting Room
The first thing a patient will see in your practice is your waiting room. Since this is already part of your office, you can use this space to show your accomplishments and display marketing material from partnering companies.
Not only is it free to promote dental products from partners, but it also helps you build revenue when your patients purchase these items.
Show your credibility by letting patients see your certificates, awards, and recognitions on display in your waiting room. Consider going a step further by having appealing pictures of your staff working alongside you in the office, in addition to their certificates and awards.
A newly emerging feature thousands of dental practices are finding very affordable, and useful in their waiting room is a branded TV that keeps patients engaged. Customized features are displayed on the TV to captivate patients, so they no longer feel bored. These features include:
- Meet the Doctor
- Introduce the Team
- Relaxing Music and Scenery
- Entertaining Social Media Content
- Google Reviews
- Weather Display
- New Patient Forms
- Cartoons for Kids
- Patient Education
Offices have control over screen time, playlists, and app connections. A branded waiting room TV has proven to be a total win for patient entertainment, and building trust.
Build your network
Building a solid presence in the dental field is critical for longevity and real practice growth. Website optimization is a new buzzword you may have run across. It’s quite vital to bringing in steady traffic to your website via SEO keywords, and strategic thinking.
With the internet and social media becoming regular parts of everyday life, and prospective patients using them to find providers; this is where you can grow your practice.
Free services are readily available online for listing and promoting your business, making your practice more visible to the public. Your location, phone number, reviews, etc., are all accessible and help with your credibility.
Relationship building with fellow dentists and healthcare professionals gives you internal connections for problem solving, referrals, product recommendations, and educational resources. All of these elements help grow your practice via various avenues.
Last, but definitely not least, obtaining patient reviews of your services helps grow your practicep>exponentially. The better the reviews, the more trustworthy you become in the eyes of patients.
Reputation management systems have become the most popular, and affordable method for achieving triple the amount of 5-star reviews in far less time than competitors.
Read Also: Build Your Online Reputation Without Breaking The Bank
They work by targeting satisfied patients right when they're fresh from checking out. A simple SMS message requesting a review only requires a few clicks from patients, and your 5-star reviews are quickly collected. It’s a surefire way to grow your dental practice.
Conclusion
Growing your dental practice is easier now than before, thanks to the many affordable options that bring in a continuous flow of patient traffic. Paperless systems are the most efficient, cost-effective means for streamlining operations and giving patients the convenience they deserve.
By nailing your first impression, utilizing your waiting room to your advantage, and networking with colleagues, you’ll be at a much better place when it comes to patient care, and being able to maintain steady patient growth.
mConsent has helped 5000+ practices streamline operations to improve patient care, and operational efficiency. Find out how mConsent can grow your dental practice.
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