Dental Marketing

Posted: March 1, 2001

Seven years of medical school. Two years for the DDS. A few more years for a specialization in maxillofacial surgery or endodontics-and they still won’t call you a doctor. Still, you can handle it. What you can’t handle is no business. And if you are a dentist, you probably already know that one of the hardest parts of the job is getting patients in the chair.

People want someone they can trust to take care of what’s important to them, and as hard as many people find it to locate a reliable mechanic, the stakes go up when you’re rolling the dice with your oral hygiene on the line.

Dentists nationally and around the world have taken pains to take the pain out of locating a quality dental practitioner. Independent certifications, marketing consortiums, and an ever-growing recognition of the importance of a good bedside manner have done a lot to make sure patients show up twice a year-but how do you make sure they show up at your practice?

Cut through the anonymity of print yellow pages and other directories with a quality website that can really show what makes your practice special. Most professionals know that good web-page design is essential for successful Internet marketing, but end up being puzzled by the absence of new business.

What’s missing from the Internet marketing strategy of far too many dentists is the means to make sure that their quality web-site and services reach the people who need to see it. A dental practice is a local business, so it’s important for a successful office to connect with as many people as possible in its community.

Search-based online advertising drills straight to the root of the problem-it makes sure that the money from your practice you devote to attracting new patients is spent only on reaching prospective patients. If someone searches for “Sacramento dentist” they’re likely to have to sort through newspaper articles, college websites, and other unrelated miscellany before locating your website.

The good news for dentists and patients alike is that with search-based online advertising, locating new patients for your dental practice doesn’t have to be like pulling teeth. This exciting new form of marketing could be just the thing to ensure that the word gets out about the quality dental work your office can offer.

A comfortable office, interesting and current magazines, and a friendly, competent office staff with the capability of putting patients at ease in this notoriously frightening environment are all essential parts of a dental practice, but without a successful marketing strategy, you’ll find yourself talking to an empty chair.

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