Most people visit a general dentist regularly, since treatment is often covered by insurance. A general practitioner rarely needs to spend a lot of money on marketing to create demand - especially if the dentist is skilled and accommodating - once a practice is established.
However, most cosmetic dental procedures are out-of-pocket costs, quite expensive, and elective treatments rather than required to maintain health. This reduces the number of potential patients for cosmetic dentists, and most of those patients are very selective. Thus, effective marketing becomes essential, especially if a dentist wants to focus solely on esthetic services.
Advertising
The first thing marketing must do is get patients through the door. Although word of mouth helps, it usually will not sustain a specialized practice that offers expensive elective services - even if every patient leaves the office ecstatic. Most cosmetic dentists need to advertise. What kind of advertising works best? Advertising has a couple of important functions. First, it should establish name recognition, linking a doctor’s name in the consumer’s mind with esthetic services. Second, it should give people a reason to make an appointment.
Name recognition cannot be achieved with only occasional ads. It requires repetitive hits in which consumers frequently see the same name associated with esthetic services. Hence, dentists should not skimp on advertising. On the other hand, via careful venue targeting, they should focus on consumers who might use cosmetic services. Most people who have the money and personal motivation to invest in a beautiful smile will not look for a cosmetic dentist in the Yellow Pages or in newspapers. Although radio can be effective for publicizing a name, its target audience is fairly unfocused, and doesn’t help much beyond general exposure. I currently direct funds toward more high-end print publications in which I can display photos of my patients’ smiles, list my credentials, and direct readers to my Web site. I also take advantage of co-marketing opportunities with laboratories and other institutions. For example, MicroDental advertises MAC Veneers™ directly to consumers in magazines, such as InStyle, and refers patients to MAC-qualified dentists.
Here are some do’s and don’ts about advertising:
• Monitor ad performance - Ask patients where they heard your name and what publications they read. Use this information to select advertising venues.
• Negotiate with vendors - Rather than sign a long-term contract for advertising, test the waters first. Sign up for a few months, and see if the ads actually work.
• Avoid generic photographs - Patients don’t care about the work of an anonymous dentist; patients care about what you have done. Invariably, they will ask if “before- and-after” photos are your patients.
• Pay attention to advertising esthetics - The quality of your ads and Web site is particularly important for cosmetic dentistry. After all, you are marketing beautiful smiles. An ad makes a subliminal statement about your esthetic sensibilities.
Marketing yourself
Once patients walk in the door, how do you keep them and convince them you are the best person to do the work? Much has to do with self-presentation, which encompasses virtually everything associated with a practice.
Everything in your office - such as the design, furniture, decorations, even your style of dress - sends a message to patients. People come because they want beautiful, natural-looking smiles. They want you to have the appropriate sensibilities.
Your presentation includes your demeanor and the supportive attitude of your staff. When a dentist is tentative - “I have to check this,” “I’m not sure about that” - patients worry. Their smiles are very important to them, and they want to entrust it to the right person. Confidence and decisiveness are reassuring. On the other hand, you certainly should not sell beyond your capabilities. This can easily become an awkward situation, and even lead to legal problems. One way to avoid this - and build trust - is to commit the time, effort, and money necessary to mastering the craft so that confidence and decisiveness are grounded in skill and become second nature. Then, in addition to any ad campaigns you might run, you become your own billboard.
Dr. Christopher Pescatore lectures worldwide on topics such as state-of-the-art esthetic procedures, techniques, and materials. He holds a U.S. patent for a nonmetallic post system to restore endodontically treated teeth. He is the former clinical co-director and current featured speaker at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. He has a full-time practice in Danville, Calif., dedicated exclusively to esthetic dentistry, and also serves as Clinical Director of MicroDental Laboratories. Contact him at (925) 362-9330, or at [email protected].