By Dixie Somers
Dentistry is undergoing all the changes expected in this fast moving era. Technology is transforming the way procedures are performed. Software is optimizing patient data. The aforementioned are keeping you on a constant learning curve. It sounds like a race towards a finish line that won’t hold still, but it’s not. Knowing the right moves your dentistry practice needs to make and avoiding the wrong ones will ensure that the year 2017 is both prosperous and productive.
1. Improve collections procedures
A lot of patients don’t send in the money owed no matter how many bills you send them. They never seem to answer their phones when your receptionist calls to remind them that there’s a balance on the root canal you performed. It’s aggravating, but making sure your staff can explain payment options upfront nice and clearly can save the day. It’s pro-active. Instead of leaving the math up to patients confused by what their plans cover and don’t, your office staff should be interacting directly with them about the costs they’re incurring. This communication doesn’t have to be hamfisted bill collecting. It should empower them to better understand co-pays and deductibles because these details are often too overwhelming to matter to someone just seeking relief from a toothache.
2. Personalize your dentistry practice
While it’s true that there’s no way that getting a tooth pulled is a positive experience for anyone, getting painful work done by someone compassionate and even friendly can inspire a patient to return. Get to know your patients. Busy dentists forget to do this and dentistry is undergoing all the changes expected in this fast moving era. Technology is transforming the way procedures are performed. Software is optimizing patient data. The aforementioned are keeping you on a constant learning curve. It sounds like a race towards a finish line that won’t hold still, but it’s not. Knowing the right moves your dentistry practice needs to make and avoiding the wrong ones will ensure that the year 2017 is both prosperous and productive.
3. Your website matters
More than ever, people value the internet and its ability to maintain reputation, improve communication, and facilitate making appointments. Give your site a fresh new design that enables patients to book their next appointments on it without having to call in. You might look at other dentists’ websites for ideas on how to personalize your own.
4. You need a referral bonus program
Patients rarely think about recommending you to their friends, but are more likely to if there’s a referral program in place. Offer reward cards that take $100 off a patient’s next procedure every time they refer a friend or family member.
5. Improve your online presence
Create Yelp, Twitter and Facebook profiles. Include their links in emails and text messages to your patients that encourage them to post positive feedback about the care they received or give you “likes.” Having a blog can also help your dentistry practice to stand out from the crowd. Bring a marketing intern or someone dedicated on board to keep your content active.
Dixie Somers is a Freelance Writer based in Arizona.
dmi Networking is a provider of HIPAA compliant dental IT in the SF Bay Area and beyond