Patient education is fundamental in raising treatment acceptance rates and improving your marketing, but many dentists don’t take full advantage of the patient education resources they already have. Here’s how you can create a culture of education at your practice:
- Engage your patients before they come in. Educational materials in marketing can help raise awareness of certain treatments and gently remind patients that you offer a particular service. Post a video of how veneers work to demonstrate your expertise when it comes to cosmetic dentistry and build trust with your patients before they ever set foot in your office.
There’s nothing worse than having a long-term patient go to the dentist down the street because they didn’t know you offered a certain service. Featuring patient education in your marketing mix and in your office can prevent that awkward moment when you realize that your patient has new cosmetic work — and you didn’t do it.
- Empower your staff to talk about treatment options. Offer staff well-researched materials that you have already approved. Patient education videos can help reinforce your message on everything from good oral hygiene to placing a dental implant. Make these videos available to staff so that all they need to do is hit play. This will save you time and energy because the patient will be primed for your conversation.
- Help nervous patients through their treatment. An educated patient is more likely to accept treatment … but educational content can also help to put their mind at ease. For nervous patients, not knowing what’s happening during a procedure can be difficult. Demystify the procedure with patient education that shows exactly what’s coming up. Diagrams, visual aids, infographics and videos can help show patients what to expect.
- Follow-up with ease. For patients who decide not to complete a procedure right now, follow-up individually by email with patient education and include educational content in your monthly newsletter to reinforce the message. That way, you can gently remind them how important it is to get those wisdom teeth out or how braces could change the look of their smile.
- Respect the rules. Some dental colleges are stricter than others when it comes to advertising. Use patient education to get the word out about your services without going offside. Promoting good oral health and providing information about treatment options will always be onside with the dental colleges.
There you have it! Creating an educational environment is easy with these simple steps to success.
About the Author
Brent Parr is the co-founder and CEO of Optio Publishing Inc. Optio was founded in 2002 with the launch of Optio Dentistry which has grown over the years to include a series of patient education videos and consultation apps. In addition, Optio Publishing provides innovative marketing for dental practices, including dental websites, and internet marketing. For more information visit https://www.optiopublishing.com or contact Brent Parr at brent@optiopublishing.com or 1-866-906-7846
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