Every dentist wants to build a sustainable practice that continues to grow – whether through an expanding patient base or additional locations. If you’re looking to nurture your dental practice towards financial and professional growth, try these four simple tips.
- Hone Your Services
If you’re a dental practice in a metropolitan area, it’s vital to be noticeable. Research what the competition is offering and explore ways you can stand apart. If you offer same-day veneers or CBCT scans, make that clear. Adding services such as Invisalign or whitening treatments can also encourage practice growth, as patients will come in more often than they would for simple routine checkups. The more new skills you learn, the more work you can do in-house, and the more expertise you can market! Other potential points of differentiation are the audience, languages spoken, insurance and payment methods, and the days and hours you keep. Giving patients an option for evenings or weekends can help set you apart.
- Build a Strategic Schedule
Keeping your calendar full is key to building growth and revenue for your dental practice. In this business, success isn’t just about new patients – it’s about retention of existing ones. Be proactive about scheduling and ensure that routine checkups and follow-up treatment appointments are booked before patients leave. Follow up with patients who aren’t confirmed on the schedule. Keep a waitlist of patients in the event of a cancellation. Try to ensure that there’s enough room in your schedule to see new patients relatively quickly. The longer they have to wait, the more likely they’ll simply go elsewhere. A complementary part of building out your schedule is ensuring that your office functions as seamlessly as possible. Keep things streamlined, and you’ll have more time available to treat patients.
- Get Serious About Marketing
Exposure is a vital part of any business success. Take time to build out your online presence and marketing strategy so that you’re easily found. Update your website and Google My Business page with your services and opening hours. Invest in a presence across key social media platforms and encourage patients to leave reviews on Google and Yelp. Expand your reach through paid ads, sponsorships, professional referrals, and community appearances: having a booth at community events or visiting schools to talk about dental health can be a great way to build awareness in your community. Finally, make it a point to highlight your unique services or selling points and to incorporate specific messaging about them into your marketing.
- Choose the Right Office Space
The right dental office space not only ensures a positive patient experience but also gives you room to grow. Your space should be modern, easily accessible, with good visibility and signage. Interior design should reflect your target audience, your brand, and the services you provide – a pediatric dentist’s office will look significantly different from a practice primarily offering cosmetic dentistry services. Your space should be big enough to accommodate growth without being so big that you’re paying for space that you don’t use. If you do find yourself considering a larger space, talk to other dental professionals to see if you can work out a sublease or collaborative agreement.
Need Space? Grow Your Dental Practice With GZ
If you’re looking to grow your dental practice and need space, talk to the medical real estate experts at Gittleson Zuppas Medical Realty. We can help pair you with a space that accommodates your current needs while also taking into account your growth goals. Ready to build a practice that will have you all smiles? Contact GZ Realty today.