The Importance of Ongoing Patient Communication

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With advertisements coming through the mail weekly for free dental exams or discounts from other area dentists, it’s important that you stay present in your patients’ minds through a variety of communication methods. This ensures that they’ll consider you and your practice first.

Here are four great ways to keep the lines of communication open with your dental patients.

1. Send regular email newsletters – Once a month email newsletters that include an informational article, a coupon (either for a dental service or manufacturer coupons for dental products) are perfect to remain in your patient’s minds.
2. Maintain an active Facebook page –  All dental practices should have a Facebook page. It’s important to keep the status updates on that page active in order for your followers to see it in their newsfeed. If you can get your patients to interact with you through questions or surveys on the page that’s even better. Another advantage of a Facebook page is that you can use it to give “behind the scenes” peeks to patients. This makes them feel like an insider and will go far in building relationships with your clients.
3. Focus on quarterly direct mail campaigns – This could be quarterly or even just a couple of times a year. Again the reasoning is to keep your name in front of your patients and prospective patients. Your mailer could be a simple postcard with “Happy Holidays,” a seasonal message, or even a coupon for 10% off their next cleaning.
4. Remember patient’s birthdays– You have all of your patients’ birthdays with their records. Taking the extra time to send birthday cards really makes an impression on your patients. Have your office staff or a designated person take one day a month to sign and address the cards and send them out. There are services available where you can input the information into an online database and a card with a handwritten font will go to your patients. These hand-addressed envelopes look more personal than one with a computer generated label and are less likely to get thrown away.

Whether you’re a new dentist or one that has been in practice for decades, keep your patients coming back by building strong relationships. These methods of increasing your communication are some of the most effective ways to maintain a successful dental practice.