Practice

8 ways to attract more patients to your orthodontic practice

In the past 18 months the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns have created havoc within the dental and orthodontic industry. It’s left many practice owners wondering ‘how can I build my patient base and attract more patients to my practice to recover some of this lost income?’

September 21st, 2021

While we appreciate the importance of nurturing the clients you already have, to grow the orthodontic practice you need to attract new clients. To do this you’ll need to invest time and money to build a strong brand, have a focused marketing strategy and clear objectives in terms of patient attraction and retention.

This might seem like an expensive endeavour, however it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. There are a few ways to attract new patients for a small investment.

Recruit a winning team

From the reception staff to orthodontists, every interaction patients have with members of your team will shape their experience and be translated into either positive or negative word-of-mouth (WOM).

Word-of-mouth referrals are an important marketing tool for orthodontic practices, so it’s vital your team make the best first impression and offer the best service available to attract new patients.

Investing in professional development and training will help your team reach their potential and ensure they are representing your practice in the best way possible. Having a positive and collaborative culture will flow through to the patient experience and help you attract new patients.

Retain existing patients to gain new ones

Nurturing existing patients is a great way to attract new ones. Word-of-mouth spreads quickly and referrals are valuable.

Existing patients have friends and family who can be recommended to your practice to help you build a strong patient base.

Why not consider a marketing strategy focused on attracting family members of existing patients? This could include an incentive for patients who recommend your practice to people they know.

Follow-up past patients

Following up past patients is one of the easiest ways to potentially bring on new patients, as long as they have had a positive experience with your practice in the past.

Haven’t seen a patient for a while? Maybe they need a quick reminder that their check-up is overdue. It’s quick, easy and inexpensive to send an email and may result in a patient returning to your practice.

Woman Dental Treatmentjpg

Build a strong digital presence

A good motto to adhere to when marketing your practice to attract new patients is ‘go where the people are’. And that place is online!

Creating a strong digital presence will help you attract and connect with new patients. There are so many ways to harness the power of digital media to promote your practice including:

  • Blog posts.
  • Social media such as Facebook and Instagram.
  • Email marketing.
  • Through your website.
  • SEO landing pages.
  • Consistent branding

While it’s important to connect with your patients and potential patients through these avenues, it’s just as important to ensure you’re having meaningful 2-way interactions to drive people into your practice.

Your website can also be used to build the identity and showcase the personality of your practice. For example, designing an ‘about’ page that introduces your staff so people will recognise and resonate with them upon entering your practice.

Encourage reviews

Consumers value reviews and it’s no different when it comes to orthodontic treatment. Harnessing positive reviews from patients who had a great experience with your practice is a powerful way to attract new patients.

Whether the reviews are on Google, on social media or showcased on your website, it provides potential patients an insight into how others have experienced your services.

Connect with the local community

Community advocacy is a powerful marketing tool and can be used to attract new patients into your orthodontic practice.

Giving back to the community and collaborating with community groups is not only a great way to show your support, it’s also an effective strategy to promote your practice and build brand awareness.

Stay relevant

Over the years many things have changed in the orthodontic industry. With these changes comes more advanced technologies and techniques that offer patients improved service. To keep up with competition and attract new patients it’s important to invest in the latest technology and training.

This shows patients that you’re always striving for the best result and offer them the most advanced treatment options available.

Orthodontic payment plans

Not everyone can afford to pay for their treatment upfront. If a patient wants to pay off their orthodontic treatment and you offer an affordable payment plan solution, it could be the difference between them choosing your practice over another.

The DentiCare Payment Plan solution is designed especially for the orthodontic and dental industry and is an effective way to retain current patients and attract new ones. The DentiCare Payment Plan solution allows patients to get the treatment they need and pay it off over time, while you’re guaranteed to get paid on time, every time.

These are just a few ways your orthodontic practice can attract new patients. If you’d like more information on how the DentiCare Payment Plan solution can help you attract new patients, connect with us today!

Back To All