Dental Practice Success: How to Attract the Kind of Patient Base You Wish to Treat

As a general dentist, you can find yourself treating patients of all ages and covering the full range of potential cases, but it’s also important to note that you have a say in your dental patient base. You can achieve dental practice success by targeting the right individuals and taking the necessary steps to attract and retain such patients.

Defining Your Target Patient Base

The first thing to consider as you develop your strategy is what types of patients you want to include in your base. As a general dentist, you have the necessary skills to treat children, teens, adults, and seniors, but not all of these demographics are equal in terms of the benefits they’ll provide to your practice.

In many cases, the most directly lucrative patient base is made up of families, given that they will likely require a wide range of treatments, particularly with developing children. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean other demographics should be overlooked when choosing who to target as your patient base.

Another important area to consider is the unique vision you have for your practice. While balancing the books is always important, so too is the fulfillment of your career. If you set out as a dentist with a specific goal in mind, then that goal may play a critical role in establishing the right customer base.

Understand the types of cases you enjoy working on most and the areas in which you have the most highly developed skills. Whether you have more experience in preventive, cosmetic, or restorative dentistry can guide your decision, as these treatments are sought out in varying frequency amongst different demographics.

However, make sure that you keep the foundation you already have in place with your practice today in mind. Even if your practice isn’t necessarily proceeding along the lines you initially envisioned, success in any particular area shouldn’t be overlooked.

Developing the Right Training and Experience

Planning your dental practice growth is important, but you also need the practical skills to make it a reality. Once you have an idea of the patient base you’re looking to target, you need to ensure that your practice offers the specific types of treatment options those individuals will be looking for.

For example, that might mean expanding your range of cosmetic treatment options, given that certain demographics may be looking for the latest options in teeth whitening, veneers, and dental bonding. Acquiring the necessary training and equipment, therefore, can let you offer those treatments.

In other cases, you might consider seeking out orthodontic continuing education courses, especially if you’re aiming to expand your patient base to include families. Orthodontic treatment is a common need for developing children, and you can save your patients time and money by offering treatment in-house instead of having to refer them to an orthodontist.

What’s more, orthodontic continuing education has also become a way to improve outreach for adult patients. Having the capability to provide both straight-wire and clear-aligner treatment in-house opens the door to a wide range of orthodontic cases. As more adults are seeking straighter smiles than ever before, you can make them a part of your patient base as well.

No matter which area of dentistry you choose to expand your treatment options, make sure you choose courses from an established and reputable organization. In the case of orthodontics, the American Orthodontic Society provides courses that deliver the skills you need, along with membership that establishes your credibility.

Reaching Your Patient Base With Effective Marketing

You can’t expect new patients to simply stumble onto your practice, even if you’re dedicated to driving real dental practice growth. Instead, you’ll need an effective marketing strategy to highlight the unique benefits you offer for specific demographics.

Make sure that you have an updated website that covers all of your treatment options. If you take the time to develop your orthodontic or other treatment skills, you’re going to want potential patients to know about it. They want a dentist who can provide all their needs in-house, so you should highlight your available treatment options.

Make sure to ask your patients to leave reviews online to help spread the word about your practice as well. Online reviews are an important factor for patients choosing a new dentist. Make it easy for your patients to leave reviews by including links to your social media or Google Business Profile pages in your communications through email and text.

Drive Dental Practice Growth With AOS Membership

If you are looking to drive dental practice growth by successfully targeting the right patient base, an American Orthodontic Society membership can help you do just that. Expand your orthodontic treatment options and take advantage of a wide range of resources to grow your practice by becoming a member today.