How to Attract New Patients to your Dental Practice

If you have just started a dental practice or are looking to improve your previously existing one, you are not the only one. With more and more dental practices mushrooming every year, more and more dentists are swarmed by questions like “How to get more dental patients?” “Which marketing strategies should I opt for to get new dental patients?” and “How do I increase patient volume in my dental clinic?” 

Related: Why You Need Digital Marketing for Your Medical Practice

Several dental practices have found themselves stuck within thin budgets due to the pandemic and are looking for ways to retain their position in the market. Competing with more people for the same number of patients seems a pretty bleak endeavor. Thus there are specific proven strategies that you can employ to get more patients in your dental practice and have them refer you to their friends and family. 

How can I get more dental patients?

Getting more dental patients is not an easy endeavor, especially for the practices that have just started out. They must adopt an elaborate set of effective dental marketing strategies to make their mark in an already competitive market. In addition, starting or upgrading a dental practice is quite expensive, with little money left for dental patient marketing after buying the necessary machinery, software, and hardware to run a practice. 

Related: The Importance of Digital Marketing for Doctors and Clinics in 2021

Let us look at a few tips and strategies that answer the question of “how to get more patients” without spending too much money on your dental practice. 

Volunteer to be the resident expert 

You can contact local newspapers, TV stations, and radio platforms to be up-to-date on whether they need a medical professional to talk to for their respective platform or participate in a question-answer session related to your area of expertise. 

This endeavor helps bring a face to your dental practice, as media holds the potential to spread valuable data right from an expert to the public. This gives you adequate media exposure as well, and that too without any cost. 

Take part in educating people 

One efficient dental practice marketing strategy is paying your part in educating people instead of constantly showcasing your practice’s name and qualifications. You can do so by offering them valuable information in your area of expertise. If your practice already has a functional website, you can build a solid customer reputation by persistently uploading helpful articles and blogs.

Such articles can target seemingly widespread but straightforward concerns, such as the correct way to brush your teeth, how often to brush your teeth, or the most suitable way of dealing with bleeding gums. This allows you to establish yourself as an expert in your particular field, causing more people to opt for your practice’s name amidst a plethora of unknown ones. 

Related: Benefits of SEO for doctors

Offer deals, discounts, and freebies 

You can attract a number of patients by offering lucrative deals, discounts, and freebies, such as free teeth cleanings or other special services, every now and then. It is indispensable to advertise these deals on social media and also in front of your clinic to increase patient visibility.

Volunteer at seminars and other platforms

Marketing a dental practice is an arduous task that leaves no room for shyness. You can volunteer to speak at seminars or conduct specialized talks that help inform people about the intricacies in your field. You can also conduct question-answer sessions at local schools, community centers, charity events, and aged care facilities, all this while increasing your public visibility. You can also offer specialized services during sports events or similar community events. 

Don’t overlook your current patients while looking for new ones

The current patients of every medical practice are its most significant asset and should be treated as such. Patients are more likely to refer you to their loved ones and come back to your practice if they experience a professional treatment from your side. Therefore, it is crucial to keep in touch with your present patients, send them greetings, remind them of their appointments, and send newsletters regarding your current deals and discounts via email. 

Related: 7 Proven Patient Retention Strategies

You can also ask them for their views about their experience with you, welcome suggestions on how your practice can improve, and give them special perks for referrals. No matter how minor, all actions that make your patients feel welcomed, cherished, and loved are likely to affect your dental practice positively. 

Be approachable and friendly 

All of your healthcare marketing strategies will go down the drain if you and your dental staff are not friendly and approachable, causing people to develop a wrong impression of your practice. Therefore, make sure your employees work on their soft skills and deal with patients nicely and with a genuine smile on their faces, as that can do wonders in patient retention. 

If you are looking to start your very own healthcare digital marketing platform, SmartClinix is the right fit for you as it can allow you to build credibility, reach more patients, and establish your dental practice as a healthcare authority, all with minimum cost. Head over to SmartClinix to know more!