Building a good reputation, both as an individual dentist and a dental practice, is essential for acquiring new patients and ensuring they stay with you long-term. In an age where patients might choose to shop-around for their dental care, it’s important to present a good image of yourself across all aspects of your online and physical presence. In order to do this, there are a number of key things that practices can do to boost their reputation, encourage positive feedback, and ensure they continue to provide excellent standards of care to their patients. So, what should practices consider when building their reputation?
Building a positive presence
No matter how talented your dental team is, and how high-end your facilities are, you will not be able to showcase your skills if you do not attract patients. As such, a great way to let potential patients know you’re there is to create and maintain an online presence. This usually involves building a website which reflects your brand, is informative, and is user-friendly. Be sure to list the treatments you offer clearly, using patient friendly language, and feature informative blogs to ensure patients have a good understanding of the treatments they are seeking from a reliable source – you![i] It can also be very helpful to have a ‘team’ page, which allows potential patients to ‘meet’ the dental team virtually, viewing information such as qualifications, specialties or areas of interest, as well as personal information, where appropriate. This can help to show that your practice is friendly and approachable.i Creating a presence on social media is another great way to connect with patients in an informal way.[ii]
However, patients are unlikely to go straight to your website. Commonly, those seeking dental care will search “dentist near me” and start there. As such, put yourself on the map – literally.i Ensure you are easily searchable on Google Maps, with your phone number and practice website clickable from there. Another helpful feature here is the ‘reviews’ function. This is a great place to send patients to leave feedback following their appointments, as it is a fantastic tool for patients when deciding to register with the practice.i
Keeping patients
When it comes to patient reviews and feedback, inevitably, not all will be glowing. As such, it’s important to know how to handle a bad review and, more importantly, how to learn from one. While positive reviews are fantastic, enabling you to showcase your successes, and increase your star rating, negative feedback can also be incredibly useful. Constructive criticism, in particular, can highlight areas where you could improve your practice further, be it the physical environment, patient experience, or learning experiences for the dental team. Where these reviews – positive or negative –are submitted to a public forum, responding quickly can be helpful, as this shows that your dental practice engages with its patients, even after the appointment is over.[iii]Not only is this a great way to keep current patients coming back, but it acts as an advert for new patients too.
Another fantastic way to keep patients long-term is to offer high-quality treatment types, provided by highly skilled clinicians using excellent materials and equipment. Constantly investing in your own training and education, as well as that of your team where appropriate, can be an incredibly valuable asset. When you possess an outstanding skillset, patients are far more likely to be satisfied with the high-quality treatment you provide, and choose to come back time and time again. Similarly, investing in equipment which matches these high standards will allow you to carry out your treatments to their full potential.
By creating an environment that reflects your brand, you will be able to develop a consistent image of your business. Patients create an association with your practice, and high-quality treatment, with the familiarity building a sense of trust. As part of this, it’s important to invest in high-quality equipment which sets you apart from your competitors. A chairside workflow, for example, can be a fantastic selling point when drawing in new patients. Clark Dental offers the CEREC Primescan, Primemill, and Primeprint chairside workflow, which allows clinicians to carry out entire treatments in one place, without the need to employ the services of an external dental lab in many cases. This creates a streamlined experience for the patient, allowing them to receive their restorations more quickly thanks to an entirely digital workflow.
In the modern and competitive dental landscape, it’s important that dental practices have the knowledge and skills they need to stay ahead of the curve. Maintaining a good reputation can play a big part in this, enabling you to attract new patients, and encourage existing patients to keep coming back.
For more information call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email info@clarkdental.co.uk or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk
[i] Forbes. Reputation Management For Dentists: What Makes A Stellar Reputation. Accessed Feb 24. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2023/04/10/reputation-management-for-dentists-what-makes-a-stellar-reputation/
[ii] DOCS Education. Negative Publicity: Crisis Management for Dental Practices. Feb 24. https://www.docseducation.com/blog/negative-publicity-crisis-management-dental-practices
[iii] Podium. 10 Reputation Management Strategies for Dental. Feb 24. https://www.podium.com/article/reputation-management-for-dental-practices/
