Sometimes, the day-to-day upkeep of a dental practice prevents you from thinking of the bigger picture. You might notice your patient numbers and referrals dwindling. 

Maybe you’re losing patients to other dental practices, or patients simply forget to come back for routine appointments. Don’t worry, there’s a solution: stand out. 

But what makes a dental office unique? Dental care is more than just teeth cleaning and cavity filling. Dental care relies on a holistic patient approach. Start by using Dental Intelligence Patient Loyalty Program to incentivize patients to return. 

6 Ways to Make Your Dental Office Unique

Ensure your patients leave your dental office smiling. Your practice’s impressions on patients should keep them returning and referring friends and family.

To guarantee your patients have the best experience, you should know what makes a dental office unique.

Cultivate a Good Office Culture

Excellent customer service is a must. This requires consistent communication, a friendly atmosphere, and accommodation when needed. 

Many patients may associate dental care with fear or anxiety. A warm, welcoming atmosphere can do wonders to ease their discomfort and make their visit a positive experience. 

Remember that this doesn’t begin when the patient arrives. When a customer calls to make an appointment, ensure the exchange is positive and sets their visit up for success.

Hire Staff You Can Trust

No individual can guarantee a positive office culture, but they can be enough to ruin it. Every person your patients interact with must treat them with respect and care. The only way to ensure this is through a diligent hiring process and staff training. 

Many people in dentistry have similar personality traits. Use this as a way to encourage a consistently productive and welcoming environment. If your staff is happy, your patients are more likely to follow suit.

Your staff should understand the high expectations for customer service. The front desk employees should greet them with warmth, which should be consistent throughout the customer’s visit. 

Offer Extra Services 

Patients will appreciate the basic services like filling cavities, cleaning teeth, and remedying oral issues. However, offering additional services like cosmetic dentistry, veneer application, and other treatments could increase your clientele.

If you offer these services, ensure patients know about them. Advertise them on your social media and promotional materials and inform existing patients of all your services when they step into your office.

Be Transparent

Another way to stand out is by being as transparent as possible with your patients. Patients want to know about the practice they’re trusting with their dental health. 

Start with an office tour. Every time a new patient comes in, set aside time for a short tour. Tours let the patient better understand the space they’re entering while meeting more members of your staff. 

If you’re not feeling ready to show your space off, it might need a makeover. Remember that the appearance of your practice is the first impression your patients get. 

After the tour, being open with your patients about your philosophy and goals is essential. This conversation helps patients feel like their dental work is something you’re doing with them, not to them.

Consider the Patient’s Perspective

As a dental practice owner, you have a different perspective than your patients. Once in a while, it’s a good idea to step into their shoes and consider what their experience is like. The following are a few helpful questions to ask yourself: 

• How does the office exterior look? Does it appear clean?
• How does the interior look? Is it welcoming? Easy to navigate?
• How long do patients have to wait? Are there enough amenities in the waiting room to keep them entertained? 

Host Events

You don’t want your patients to only associate your office with the chore of going to their dentist appointment. 

Hosting events for existing and potential patients is a great way to stand out. Open house events, for example, allow patients to ask questions and experience your practice differently than at a normal appointment. 

Take Your Dental Practice to the Next Level

Focusing on the patient experience can elevate your dental practice. Now that you know what makes a dental office unique, you can move forward and stand out from your competition.

To keep new and returning patients happy, continue to consider office culture, dental office patient flow, and quality of service. 

Let us take some of the work off your plate. Dental Intelligence works to help dental practices improve productivity with the latest tools and technology. Schedule a demo today to get started.