5 Common Obstacles in Dental Patient Recruitment
Whether you’re opening a brand new practice or expanding with an additional office, you may have trouble attracting new patients to your dental studio. In this blog, we’ll discuss five common obstacles that dentists must overcome to bring in more patients and grow sustainably.
1. Limited Appointments Available For First-Time Visitors
If a new patient is interested in booking a checkup at your dental office, chances are they’d like to be seen within a week or two at maximum. If you can’t fit them in within a couple of weeks, chances are that they’ll just look for a different dentist.
So while prioritizing existing patients is great, make sure you have a couple of appointments per week set aside for new patients. This ensures that if a new patient books a visit at your practice, you can see them right away. Consider extending your office hours by offering early morning, evening, or even weekend appointments. Flexible scheduling can attract busy professionals or families juggling school and work. By catering to their specific needs, you create more opportunities to fill your schedule with first-time visitors. Additionally, online scheduling tools can streamline the appointment booking process for new patients. With a user-friendly platform that allows them to view available time slots and schedule their visits directly, you’ll reduce the chances of losing potential patients to competitors.
2. Unclear Insurance Acceptance Policies
Patients with dental insurance are less likely to book with your practice if they can’t find information about the insurance companies you work with. So it’s best to highlight your insurance approach on your website. Also, make sure your front office staff are trained to discuss what insurers you work with and other basics about insurance coverage. This helps patients stay informed if they choose to call to book a visit – and prevents nasty surprise costs for patients, too. Related to this, you could also consider offering in-house dental membership plans. These plans are usually paid for either yearly or monthly and cover the cost of preventive care, often with additional discounts for other necessary procedures. This is a good way to help people without dental insurance save money. In addition to updating your website, consider sending potential patients an email or text message when they inquire about your services. Include detailed information about accepted insurance plans, out-of-pocket cost estimates, and membership benefits. This level of transparency fosters trust and sets your practice apart as one that prioritizes patient satisfaction. Moreover, using visual aids like infographics on your website or in your office can simplify complex insurance information for patients. A visually engaging explanation of insurance processes, pricing, and membership plans can alleviate concerns and make your practice more approachable.
3. Concerns About Treatment Costs
Related to the above point, new patients are often concerned about how much their treatment will cost. Along with being transparent about prices and the insurance companies you work with, offering a third-party payment plan can help with this. If you partner with a dental financing company like CareConnect, patients can get care right away and make monthly payments to cover their treatment costs. This makes treatment costs less of an issue for new patients. Adding an online cost estimator tool to your website can give potential patients a general idea of treatment expenses. This not only helps manage expectations but also demonstrates your commitment to transparency. Patients are more likely to trust and choose a practice that clearly communicates costs upfront. You can also consider running special promotions or discounts for first-time visitors. For example, offering a reduced rate on initial consultations, cleanings, or X-rays can incentivize new patients to give your practice a try. Highlighting these offers in your marketing materials can be a powerful way to attract cost-conscious individuals.
4. Fear Of Judgment, Pain, Or Dentistry In General
Dental anxiety is extremely common in adults and kids of all ages. Up to 36% of the population are affected by some level of dental anxiety, with up to 12% experiencing “extreme dental fear.” So when you’re marketing to new patients, you need to emphasize that your practice provides safe, gentle, judgment-free care. If you have experience treating patients with anxiety, highlight that on your website. Also, if you offer sedation dentistry, highlighting this can help attract patients with dental anxiety. Other options to help with fear and anxiety include offering office tours and pre-appointment meetings/interviews with patients. These give new patients a chance to get to know you, your team, and your office before scheduling their first actual visit, and can help reduce pre-appointment anxiety. Taking time to personalize the patient experience can go a long way in alleviating anxiety. Simple steps like remembering patient preferences, using calming language, and playing soothing music in the office create a more welcoming environment. You can also share patient testimonials and success stories on your website or social media. Hearing from others who overcame their dental fears can encourage hesitant individuals to take the first step and schedule an appointment. Consider creating short videos where patients describe their positive experiences and how your practice helped them feel at ease.
5. Lack of Online Presence
In today’s digital age, a strong online presence is crucial for attracting new patients. If your dental practice doesn’t have a well-designed website, active social media accounts, or positive online reviews, you may struggle to stand out from competitors. Patients often research practices online before making an appointment. If your practice lacks updated information, high-quality photos, or engaging content, potential patients might move on to a competitor with a more polished online presence. To address this issue, invest in a professional, mobile-friendly website that highlights your services, team, and patient testimonials. Regularly update your social media platforms with educational content, promotions, and community involvement posts to stay top of mind. Encourage satisfied patients to leave reviews on platforms like Google or Yelp. Responding to reviews—both positive and negative—shows that you value feedback and are committed to improving the patient experience. Over time, a robust online presence can become one of your most effective tools for attracting new dental patients.
Need Help Recruiting Dental Patients? Turn To Incept Health!
With the right marketing strategy, it’s easy to overcome the barriers that make new patient recruitment difficult. So don’t wait. At Incept Health, we specialize in digital marketing for dentists. Schedule a consultation with one of our experts now to see how we can help your practice grow.