Do you plan to open a dental practice soon or expand your dental office setup? That’s great! Having your own dental office can grow into a really profitable venture. However, your success will largely depend on how you set it up. Consider these tips to increase your chances of getting it right the first time right the first time.
1. Understand Your Services
You can offer many services in your dental practice. Spend some time thinking about the ones you’ll offer once you open shop, as they’ll help you know what your dental office needs. For example, suppose you want to offer orthodontic services. In that case, you’ll need to hire a specialist orthodontist and maybe a jaw pain dentist and set up a room for them to do their work.
Ensure you’re equipped with the equipment to handle the services you intend to offer. Where your business calls for partnering with other professionals, give the specialist an office within your dental office setup.
Include affordable treatment plans. For example, you can give your clients the option of paying an initial down payment and then clearing the balance in installments before the date of their appointment. You can also offer payment plans through personal finance companies offering short-term loans.
2. Offer Clear Aligners
Clear aligners offer a discreet alternative to braces. Many patients choose clear aligners because they are removable. They come in a set, with each aligner installed at a different position in the mouth. Their placement will gradually push the teeth into their proper positions.
These aligners are made of a clear plastic material that does not change the color of the teeth. It’s only noticeable if the wearer tells another person to look closely at the teeth. They’re especially popular among teenagers who desire to correct the alignment of their teeth but don’t want the ‘nerdy’ look associated with braces.
Be sure to offer treatment options for different customer needs in your dental office setup. For instance, you’ll encounter patients who prefer wearing aligners only at night. To cater to their needs, offer nighttime clear aligners for teenagers.
3. Work With Insurance Companies
Dental care is generally not cheap. Procedures like getting a dental implant can be quite expensive. Most people use the dental insurance provided by their employer. Employers get good rates and benefits depending on their bargaining with the insurer.
That said, there could be families with no insurance. While some may have the financial ability to pay in cash, there will be those who cannot raise the required amounts upfront. Your dental office setup should have a plan for handling such clients. A good number of patients choose a dentist depending on the insurance they hold
So, how do you find the right insurance company for your dental office setup. Start by checking if the plan covers the procedures and treatments you offer at your dental practice. This may include regular cleanings, root canals, fillings, cosmetic procedures, and orthodontics.
Next, check the percentage of covered dental work. Some plans provide full coverage for all maintenance work and only 50% of other services up to a capped amount. Others may cover 60% of all dental work. Choose the one that works best for your patients.
That said, don’t forget that your practice also needs to make money so you can continue helping patients. Consider how a given insurance plan will affect your profit margins. The easiest way to know this is by looking at the write-off. It could be 30%, 40%, or even 50%.
How much are you willing to write off? You want a plan that will still allow you to practice dentistry that’s worth the time you’re putting in. At the end of the day, you want to be able to provide your patients with quality care and stunning results.
Every year, patients fail to use thousands of treatment dollars because they’re unaware their benefit will expire at the end of the year. Informing these patients of their underused benefits is a good move. Think about it. Many individuals purchase new glasses yearly, even though they don’t need them.
Since they don’t want to waste the chance, they get them before their benefit ends. It would also be smart for your dental office to inform patients when their benefits renew.
There’s often a lot of money waiting to be used for treatment when insurance companies renew benefits at the start of the new year. The issue is that patients sometimes forget or lack the motivation to contact their dental office to book their appointments. Stay proactive to bridge that gap.
4. Begin Marketing
What will make a business grow if you’re not marketing it? To market your business is to actually work for the business. In our hyperconnected world, internet access is quite affordable. People consume most of the information they get on the internet today.
Start by having a web designer create a website for your dental work. The website should have sufficient information, such as the official contact information. Publish your team of dentists, nurses, and other workers on the website. You need to show your patients that you are confident in your skills.
You should also leverage the power of social media platforms to reach clients with your services. The world is quickly adapting to the online community. People keep themselves posted about current events, hunt for discounts on consumer goods, and praise or criticize a company, celebrity, or government, all on social media.
Having social media accounts for your dental office will raise awareness of your practice and build trust in your locality. Invest in a top-notch content marketing team. These professionals can consistently produce high-quality, relevant content for your website and socials. This includes feature articles, videos, and newsletters. Great content engages audiences and positions your dental practice as an authority in the industry.
Reach younger generations by using Snapchat and Instagram creatively. Ephemeral marketing works best for this age group. Know their needs and pain points using family dentists. Build long-lasting patient relationships. This is better known as ‘relationship marketing .’ Invest in increasing customer loyalty and engagement by improving the customer’s experience, retention, and satisfaction.
Make video content as often as possible. Video is the future of marketing. Make use of live streaming opportunities to give prospective customers a feel about how a particular procedure is done. Use targeted digital ads to put your practice front and center through a simple digital advertisement search engine.
5. Hire Specialists
As you put together your dental office setup, remember to hire specialists. General dentists can only do so much, and even if you’re a specialist, it’s likely in only one specialty area. There are several specialists you should consider.
Pediatric dentists specialize in childrens dental health care. They provide care for infants up to teenagers. These professionals employ friendly approaches to routine dental care and pediatric-specific dental issues.
You’ll also want to bring an orthodontist on board. These specialists typically handle jaw and teeth alignment. They’re the professionals you want for cases involving misaligned teeth, crossbites, underbites, and overbites. Orthodontists have experience working with braces, retainers, wires, and other devices.
Periodontists diagnose, treat, and correct gum issues and diseases. A periodontist will treat tissue affected by advanced gum disease (including minor surgery). In contrast, a general dentist will help patients avoid gum disease. This specialist may also be the one installing dental implants.
Treatment of oral illnesses affecting the teeth and jaw is the specialty of oral pathologists and oral surgeons. They deal with misaligned jaws, oral reconstruction, impacted wisdom teeth, and mouth, neck, and head cancers. They go through thorough training in oral surgery. They may collaborate closely with ENTs to address sleep apnea and facial injuries.
6. Protect Your Business
You have invested significant money to bring your dental office setup where it is. Now, you must protect it so it gives you profits. Using the one-way vision window films on your windows is a great place to start. They’re extremely effective and cost-effective means of deterring crime.
They give a one-way mirror effect, so criminals are barred from seeing inside your premises. They also strengthen your existing window glazing. Besides protecting against theft and vandalism, they’re shatter-resistant. Visit your local windows and doors company to discuss your options.
Install CCTV cameras on your doors. They’re associated with significant reductions in property crime. Modern CCTV cameras and alarm systems have remote viewing or motion-detecting capabilities. This enables you to constantly monitor your dental office setup without physically being at your premises.
7. Build Fencing
As part of your efforts to safeguard your dental office setup, you want to prevent unauthorized access and other potential physical threats. A good fence improves your office’s curb appeal while keeping intruders at bay. Consult a fence company in your location and discuss what kinds of fence materials they have.
A hedge-length fence may not offer much protection, but it’s pleasant to the eyes. Putting a fence on your property will require approval from your local authority. Ensure the paperwork is in order. Your fencing company can help you with this before starting the work.
8. New Blinds
Your dental office setup is a place where you want patients to feel that their privacy is assured. Different kinds of custom blinds can help you achieve the ambiance you want for your workplace. Vertical blinds are perfect for reducing light and retaining heat inside the office.
Blackout blinds block natural light, removing outside distractions and offering a confidential setting for your clients. Dental practice roller blinds are perfect for controlling the light being let in and improving heat retention.
Venetian blinds allow for easy control over light. These can be tilted to let in the desired amount of natural light. If none of these options appeal to you, you can always get custom blinds. This way, you’ll have something that’s designed to serve the specific needs of your dental office setup.
9. Install Flooring
Pay attention to the floors when working on your dental office setup. If the current flooring is worn out and has a lot of visible damage, installing a replacement is in your best interest. You have several options here, but always keep the patient in mind.
Nylon carpet offers a durable, long-lasting option. It’s known for its forgiving finish on uneven floors. Regular vacuuming is all you need to do to keep them clean. Nylon carpet is great for rooms such as the reception and staff and waiting areas. However, it’s not ideal for areas exposed to water, like treatment rooms.
Vinyl flooring is also a great option. Today’s vinyl options have a smart-looking finish, frequently replicating other materials like marble tile or timber, unlike the vinyl flooring that first appeared in household kitchens in the 1960s. Vinyl is durable and has minimal maintenance needs.
All you need to do is regular mopping. For this reason, it’s suitable for high-traffic areas like your reception and corridors. It’s also a wise choice for places like operating rooms where sterility is crucial.
If your dental office has concrete floors, invest in epoxy floor coatings rather than installing new flooring. The 100% epoxy solids can coat concrete floors subjected to high wear activity. The epoxy coating strengthens the floor’s surface and can produce skid-proof finishes.
Epoxy floor coatings are long-lasting. They don’t chip, peel, stain, or fade. They’re easy to clean due to their dense, seamless coating and low porosity. A busy office should use this floor due to its foot traffic.
10. Pave a Parking Lot
Your driveway must be presentable to your guests and clients accessing your business. Research online for a local paving service to work on your parking area. Decide whether you will use asphalt paving, seal coating, or striping.
Find out whether their team of experts is sufficiently trained and qualified for the job. If the paver doesn’t have the right equipment and experience, the driveway can start to degrade in as little as two years.
Remember to consider key factors such as the location and demographics of the area, the competition in the dental market, and the availability of dental and medical facilities nearby. Familiarise yourself with the regulations and guidelines set by organizations like the CQC (Care Quality Commission).
Provide great working environments for your specialists and the general team. Install relevant software to ensure seamless workflow. Store your patient information securely with passwords that are not obvious and can lead to hacking. Work towards ensuring that your services are easily accessible and affordable to the clients in your locality. Go on and give oral health care business your best.
