Category: Business of Dentistry

What We Do Differently for Dentists

Today, in response to my first post about our SEO service, The Success, I was asked the following question by a periodontist on LinkedIn. I thought I’d share my answer, in case you have the same question!

Q: What separates your product/service from your competition that promises the same response but never seems to deliver??

A: Well, a few things!

1. ALL of our content is original. Instead of starting with techies, we started with copy — because that’s what Google says is most important. In my DFW office, I have a team of copywriters who understand clinical dentistry and SEO. Each of my client dentists has a copywriter on our team. All website content and blogs are completely original, optimized, and clinically accurate.
2. We answer our phones. I’m the COO. My business partner is the CEO. All of our clients have our direct cell phone numbers, and we answer our phones after our clients are finished with their workday — even on weekends.
3. We are a small business, and we understand small business. Read my bio on our blog-site for more information about my philosophy for helping small businesses thrive! Read More

Black Hat and ADA Non-Compliance in Dental Marketing

Do you really know what’s on your dental website? Recently, MDPM found seriously problematic, black-hat marketing tactics on some dental websites. Dentists need to know, some SEO tactics can get your domain blacklisted from Google and you’ll be up to your neck in hot water with the ADA – we’re talking suspended license. Ultimately, you are responsible for your dental practice’s marketing, and blind trust  of your marketing company could cause you major problems.

How Can My Website Get My Dental License Suspended?

The American Dental Association has guidelines for ethics, and the ADA’s marketing/advertising regulations are the basis of many state dental boards’ guidelines. The ADA offers a guide to help dentists understand advertising regulations.

The ADA’s marketing guidelines specifically state:

“…statements to be avoided are those that would: contain a material, objective representation, whether express or implied, that the advertised services are superior in quality to those of other dentists, if that representation is not subject to reasonable substantiation.”

 

For dentists who do not comply with regulations, state dental boards can  impose fines and suspension of licenses.

Also, most states have regulations against making comparisons of one dentist to another.

That said, do you know if your website is in violation? Perhaps you and your dental marketing firm should review the guidelines and your website as you make marketing goals for the coming year.

What is Black Hat SEO and Blacklisting?

As in the old west, in search engine optimization, a black hat means the bad guy. A white hat means the good guy. Black hat marketing defines a set of SEO tactics that Google and other search engines consider bad, unethical, and misleading. If caught by Google, a URL using black hat SEO tactics can be blacklisted, which involves being banned until compliance is re-established and proven. JC Penney faced this discipline a few years ago, and the mega-company had to grow a new Internet presence from the ground up, with a new domain. Read More

Building Value into a Dental Practice

This guest post is brought to you by our friends and colleagues at Goldin, Peiser & Peiser, LLP, a Dallas-based accounting firm.

For a dental practice to be successful, its dentist-owner must do more than simply produce satisfied patient-customers. The dentist must operate the practice as a business – an entity that generates revenues, assesses risks, and sets long-term financial goals.

Most dentists, although incredibly knowledgeable about the field of dentistry, are not trained in the analytical methodologies required to scrutinize and evaluate the overall business functions of their practice.  Even those dentists with the time and skills necessary to manage the day-to-day business operations of their practice cannot deny that their energy is better spent on the more critical role of treating patients.

Often outside financial consultants experienced in dental practice management and handling issues facing dentists can be valuable business partners. This allows dentists to concentrate on treating patients, while the business adviser provides personal attention and customized solutions that meet immediate and future business needs. Read More

Ten Steps for Managing New Patient Surveys

Last week, we discussed the pros and cons of conducting patient surveys. Although Modern Dental Practice Marketing primarily focuses on marketing through blogs, websites, social media, and newsletters, we’re happy to offer you a 10-step plan to help your team manage a dental patient survey.

Step 1: Decide upon your survey’s theme

Your survey should be geared to a specific topic so you can target improvements to a specific area or service of your dental practice.  For example, if you want to discern whether your front office staff is acting professionally, you might want to tailor your survey to patient service oriented questions.

Step 2: Ask questions that illicit useful feedback

Ideally, the answers in a survey should provide as much information as possible in a concise manner. Avoid open-ended questions and simple yes or no answers. Instead employ a scale for each question.

Step 3: Determine how you will conduct your survey

Will you use an Internet service, hand out survey forms to patients in person, or use both of these methods? If you decide to use both methods, you may have more patient feedback.

Step 4: Decide if you need to screen the survey’s audience

Depending on the purpose of your survey, you may need to screen who participates. For example, let’s assume that you’re a general dentist who also provides cosmetic dental procedures. More than likely, a 10 year old’s opinion of porcelain veneers won’t matter much to you.

Step 5: Inform respondents of how long the survey should take

Time is valuable. As a courtesy to your patients, let them know roughly how long the survey should take. Extending this gesture of respect for their time, might secure more responses. Read More

Do Dentists Need a New Patient Survey?

I’m often asked whether a dentist should send a survey to new patients. On one hand, surveys provide information that you can use to improve your customer service. On the other hand, consumers are inundated with surveys.

You’re probably asked to complete a survey at over half of the stores and restaurants you visit…the request is often printed on the bottom of your receipts, along with a promise to enter your name to win a bazillion dollars if you complete the survey. The survey craze is a national problem. Just yesterday, a popular radio station featured the topic of “too many surveys” on their morning show, here in Dallas-Ft. Worth. When is the last time you completed a survey, just to offer constructive advice (not to register a complaint)?

Why to Have a Survey

That said, surveys for new dental patients can be a good tool for improvement and quality control. You’re in and out of your office every day, and you probably think you know the impression you make on new patients. However, you aren’t on the phone when they call, in the front office when they arrive, or at checkout when they leave. You may not know how long they waited to see you, whether they were greeted with a smile or frown, and what the “temperature” is in your office. The kicker is, if you are not going to review survey results and take action toward improvement, surveys are a waste of time for you and the patients who complete them! Read More

How To “Respond Publicly as Owner” to a Bad Google Places Review

I’m the first person to tell a dentist, if you’re going to use a consumer review service, use Google Places. Sure, you could use Yelp! or Merchant Circle, and I certainly don’t discount the SEO benefits of using multiple services. However, only Google Places allows a dentist to “respond publicly as the owner” to a negative review.

Let’s say you get a Google Alert that your name came up in a new Google Places review. Much to your surprise, the review was bad… really bad. In fact, you were called a quack! You may not even remember seeing the offended party. Perhaps the review is a fake. Regardless, you’re lucky the review was on Google Places and not Yelp! Why? Because you can respond. You have the opportunity to share your side of the story.

Warning: DO NOT GET EMOTIONAL. Instead, use facts, empathy, and kindness in your response.

Here’s a pretend review from a disgruntled individual…

“Dr. Xavier placed a crown on my tooth, but I still have a toothache, and I feel like I was greatly overcharged! When I called to ask about my bill, they wanted me to come in for another appointment! I think Dr. Xavier and his team are money hungry quacks! – In Pain from Dallas, Tx” Read More

10 Steps to Create a Dentist’s Newsletter

This post is part two of “Is Your Dental Office Ready for a Patient Newsletter?”

Whether you build your own dental practice newsletter, have your office manager tackle the task, or use a service, these are 10 primary elements you need to consider.

  1. Email list: You can’t send an e-newsletter campaign without email addresses! If you subscribe to Demandforce, Smile Reminder, or another patient communication tool, you probably have a list of patient email addresses. Dental offices without a patient email list should start asking for email addresses today. Some patients may not want to provide you with their email address, and that’s fine. Don’t let those few discourage you. Most of your patients will be happy to give you an email address, especially if you explain the purpose: to deliver your dental health newsletter.
  2. Distribution Service: You can send e-newsletters through your patient communication tool, or you can sign up with a service like MyEmma.com. Many e-newsletter services exist, so do a little research and find one that’s convenient and user-friendly. You might put the task on your office manager, but if you do, be sure to assign a deadline. She should find a tool, write a synopsis, and send you her findings within a week. If you don’t have time for any of this, MDPM can handle all aspects of your newsletter creation and distribution.
  3. Column Designation: Feature 3-5 regular columns in your newsletter. The more personal, the better. Don’t be that dentist who sends out generic newsletters. With Google, people can find information about dental health when they need it. Instead, feature articles about your patients’ successes in the community. Which of your young patients made the A-honor roll? Which of your adult patients volunteers at the food bank? You might include a recipe from a staff member, photos of your team retreat, and testimonials from happy patients. End your newsletter with an article about a special offer, contest, or new service. Read More

No Prize Required for Great Referrals

In states where it’s not banned, dentists often turn to incentive programs for referrals. While I’m not opposed to incentive programs, incentives for referrals isn’t necessarily a good marketing tactic. Word-of-mouth is the most effective and efficient way for dentists to get new patients. Referred patients have a good reputation for long-term retention, so providing an incentive to increase word-of-mouth among your exiting patients seems like a good idea, at least on the surface.

Have you ever referred a friend to a business – like a particular golf pro shop or gym? How does it make you feel to provide a friend with information on where to get the best service? For most of us, giving good advice and helping our friends feels rewarding. Our conscience says “good job” for being wise and informative. There’s no guilt because there’s no tangible referral incentive. Yes, incentives can actually keep people from making referrals because they feel bribed. Emotion plays a big role in word-of-mouth referrals.

How to Ask for Referrals
There are alternatives to incentive programs. You can boost referrals very easily by asking for them. If you know that your team is friendly, helpful, and provide superior service to your patients, you should not feel guilty asking for referrals. Here’s a script to help you. Read More

Busy or Profitable? Your Choice.

Today, veteran dental management consultant Mayer Levitt of Jodena Consulting shares insight on increasing profitability in the dental practice. Subscribe to the Jodena Consulting blog by clicking this link.

My most recent blog post listed four ways to increase revenue in a dental practice. In retrospect, I would like to add a fifth. It is an important strategy that relates specifically to the topic of efficiency in the doctor’s appointment schedule for a busy dental practice.

The most important management system in a dental practice is scheduling, because the only thing we have to sell is our time. Yet over the years, I have observed that many practices are terribly inefficient in the way the doctor is scheduled to deliver treatment, wasting upwards of two hours every day. I didn’t say they weren’t busy–I said they weren’t efficient. There is a huge difference between being busy and being profitable.

I believe that when an effective scheduling system is introduced into a practice:

  • the stress level of every one can be significantly reduced.
  • the appointment backlog can be cut in half.
  • the need for an associate is often eliminated.
  • production is increased dramatically without raising fees or altering the mix of the practice.
  • every hour in the practice becomes a productive hour no matter what procedures are being performed. Read More

Honey, Don’t You Notice Anything Different About Me Today?!

Has MDPM lost weight? New haircut? Nope. We’ve added the Google +1 widget to our sidebar!

Everyone seems interested in Google+ since its launch a few weeks ago. In fact, just yesterday, MedMonthly asked me to write an article on the new social network. (Stay tuned for the article with all the juicy details.)

Just this morning, I read a Google Webmaster News blog post that reminded me, it’s time to add the +1 widget to the website. So, over in the right sidebar, you’ll see a little white box with the Google colors. If you’re already on +1 (you have to be invited, can’t just sign up), click the +1 icon as a special favor to me, your marketing diva. If you’ve not signed up for Google+, but you want to stick  your head in the room and look around a bit, email me, and I’ll add you to my MDPM circle.

Don’t know what a circle is? Circles, IMHO, are what set Google+ apart from Facebook. I’m not insinuating that one is better than the other (we don’t want FB to start pulling G1’s hair), but there differences that make them each special in their own way. Circles are groups that allow you to organize your G+ friends. I have a family circle, MDPM pals circle, friends circle, and an oft untapped circle of cheerleader moms (yikes). These circles let me show certain people what goes on inside my G+ page. If I don’t want my parents to know I’m headed to the lake after work to have a few beers with my old high school friends, I simply don’t let the family circle see that post.

That’s all for today, folks. More to come, I ‘m sure. If you like the tips we share here, subscribe to the blog in the right sidebar. Then you’ll get emails every time this digital diva pens a post. Until next time, peace, love, and good ROI to all of you. Tata.