While attracting new patients is vital for the growth of a dental practice, keeping them coming back is more crucial. Unfortunately, it is easier said than done. According to American Dental Association (ADA), the average customer retention rate in the industry is only 41 percent.
If your practice struggles in the area of patient retention, consider looking into value-added offerings such as teeth whitening services to boost customer retention.
Teeth whitening has become a new norm for Americans. Consider these statistics:
The above data provides welcome news for practitioners: People are becoming more conscious and proactive about their oral health. Now let’s take a closer look at how whitening treatments can be a valuable aspect of your core practice.
5 ways to leverage teeth whitening services as a patient generation and retention tool
Here are five simple ways to leverage teeth whitening services as a means of patient retention and generation:
1. Incentivize patients
Incentivize patients who come to their routine hygiene sessions. For example, offer patients a free tooth whitening kit for complying with their maintenance consultations.
Giving incentives will help your dental practice provide a positive experience to your patients. Remember that a satisfied patient will recommend treatments to friends and family. This can effectively boost patient retention and generation.
2. Initiate a refer-a-friend promo
Seven out of ten Americans believe that they are busy and that they have enough priorities, as is. The result: No time to seek out the best dental clinic for teeth whitening services in town.
However, word-of-mouth can be a practical way of reaching these busy individuals for your dental clinic promotion. The friends, family members, and acquaintances of existing patients are the best target audience for your customer acquisition initiatives. Hand out complimentary whitening kits to patients after their referral comes in for a first consultation.
3. Package whitening services with other procedures
A study found that many patients want to improve their dental aesthetics. In fact, 43 percent of patients are unhappy with their dental appearance. Below are other findings from the study:
- Twelve percent think their anterior teeth are protruding.
- Thirty percent of patients are dismayed with the crowding of anterior teeth.
- Seventeen percent have non-esthetic restorations.
- Twenty-three percent of patients hide their teeth while smiling.
- Fifty-one percent of patients are uncomfortable with the color of their teeth.
Offer teeth whitening services at a reduced price to patients who undergo dental esthetic treatments. Patients might want to whiten their teeth before restorative work or after completing their clear aligner therapy.
4. Create seasonal promotions
In survey results published by the American Dental Association (ADA) in 2018, 41 percent of 1,025 Americans do not get to see their dentist as much as they want. Seasonal promos can be a starting point to the dental care journey.
Consider running seasonal discounts on teeth whitening services and products. Holidays and summer are a great time to promote teeth whitening services, and your dental practice in general. Encourage patients to treat themselves to an aesthetic treatment during those seasons. They might want a brighter smile during holiday celebrations, a friend’s wedding, or during their child’s graduation.
5. Offer custom trays at a reduced price
Your whitening treatments can include personalized trays for patients. Offer trays at a discounted prices by bundling with whitening syringe packages. This strategy will benefit your patients and generate more revenue because of the following:
- Custom trays can minimize costs in the laboratory by reducing the time it would take to sterilize reusable trays.
- Patients might run into your practice and buy these necessities at a reduced cost.
Teeth whitening services can innovate the way you earn
Teeth whitening services provide an effective tool for patient retention. People who are conscious of their oral health will take advantage of the service and can become returning patients. Educating them about your procedures will give them more reasons to do business with you.
Patient retention is an ongoing challenge that never ceases for any practice. Always be ready to adapt to inevitable changes. An increased focus on building patient satisfaction will enhance your bottom line. It will also optimize your marketing efforts.
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