Consumer-Driven Dentistry Paves a Path Forward
Over the course of our hopefully long and prosperous careers, there are bound to be years that stand out. For example, the year you opened your practice, the year you invested in technology, or maybe even the year you hit that production goal you always dreamed of. Unfortunately, I think it’s safe to say that 2020 will be remembered as the year of the coronavirus.
But the silver lining during this healthcare crisis and other trying times is that we've been given an opportunity to pause, evaluate where our practice stands, and hit the reset button. One area of practice that calls for closer examination is what your office is doing to be more consumer-driven. To fully understand what consumer-driven dentistry is, we have to put ourselves in our patients’ shoes. Ask yourself: How do you interact as a “patient” when you look for a hairstylist, book a hotel, find a new doctor, or even order food? More likely than not, you have a record of choosing companies that make it easy for you to do business with them.
Creating a Consumer-Driven Practice
For years now, the majority of people have preferred texting over phone conversations—it's fast, convenient, and we know that we won’t get sucked into a long conversation we can’t get out of. Yet for most dental offices, this only goes as far as using automated text confirmations that feel impersonal and stop short of their potential. Billing, scheduling, and postop questions can all be leveraged over text, which frees up phone lines and allows patients to ask questions whenever they want. A good example of using text messaging to its full potential is allowing patients to text their check-in when they arrive. This way, we can bring them straight from the car to the operatory.
"Now is the perfect time to pause and reflect on the best ways to create a practice that encourages patients to do business with you."
The ability to capture leads is ultimately what generates new business. Prior to investing in an online chat feature, my only way of capturing leads after business hours was through voicemail. And let’s be honest—if a patient left a voicemail on Friday at 5 pm, the likelihood of me getting back to them before midday Monday was pretty slim. Online chat has been a great way to find out what information may be missing from my website, as well as to give patients a new way to reach out that is easier and less intimidating than a phone call.
Finally, there is online scheduling. More and more patients want to schedule their appointments on their own time with minimal human interaction. And we can’t blame them—when was last time you called to book a flight or schedule a cab? Before you start imagining the “wild, wild, west” of patients scheduling their own fillings and crowns, understand that this can be customized so that patients only schedule the treatment that you want them to schedule, and during time slots that you select.
So, whether it's 2-way texting, online chat service, or online scheduling, now is the perfect time to pause and reflect on the best ways to create a more consumer-driven practice that encourages patients to do business with you.
Sully Sullivan, DDS, a 5th-generation dentist, is the host and creator of the Millennial Dentist podcast and partner of Sullivan Dental Partners in Brentwood, TN. He attended dental school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN, where he graduated in 2015 with the Dean’s Award for Clinical Excellence. He currently is a member of the ADA, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and International Congress of Oral Implantologists.