Profiting in any business relies on a range of factors, such as the services offered, competitive pricing that exceeds overhead, marketing strategies that increase sales, and encouraging ongoing patronage and referrals. Businesses that grow and diversify have the greatest potential to increase profits.
When it comes to dental practice growth, you may naturally see some competitors growing faster than others. How can you position yourself at the head of the pack? You could start by offering more services in-house, increasing convenience for patients and opportunities for your business to earn.
If you haven’t yet considered adding orthodontics to your on-site services, think about how many patients you refer out and how many you could provide this care for once you’ve completed the right orthodontic courses.
With orthodontic continuing education (CE) for general dentists and dental teams, you can not only expand your skill set but also your service mix, systems, and strategies, accelerating business growth and adding value for patients.
Service Mix Matters More Than Volume
There’s a reason so many consumers turn to Amazon when ordering goods. It has everything in one place, along with a membership program that reduces shipping costs and offers extras like access to media.
You can employ this principle in your own business model by expanding your service offerings to reduce friction for existing patients and attract new clientele.
By adding orthodontics to a general dental practice, you increase convenience for patients. They can continue to see a trusted provider, rather than stressing about the logistical challenges and discomfort of visiting a new office.
You might still have to refer complex cases out. However, reducing referrals and keeping patient treatment in-house increases revenue per patient and has the potential to nurture loyalty and encourage additional referrals.
Efficient Scheduling Drives Growth
When planning for dental practice growth, it’s important to assess performance and set realistic goals. One hallmark of high-performing practices is a focus on productivity, rather than simply filling the schedule.
This starts with organized processes, such as data-driven scheduling that reduces issues like gaps and double-booking. Next, you must consider how to maximize chair time and revenue with the right procedures.
Block scheduling, or booking similar procedures for several patients in blocks, allows every member of the team to optimize performance with a scheduling rhythm. You can stagger complex procedures to account for potential delays that create bottlenecks in the daily flow. Efficient scheduling is important in a performance-driven practice.
Strong Case Acceptance Makes the Difference
It’s not enough to offer additional services if you want to increase dental practice revenue. You must also convince patients to take advantage of these services. This starts by raising awareness.
Supply literature, such as pamphlets, in your waiting room, or add signage encouraging patients to ask about orthodontic services. Make sure every team member is prepared to suggest new treatment options and answer commonly asked questions.
Clearly communicating what is being offered and why treatments are beneficial encourages patients to move forward. They need to be comfortable and confident in their decisions, and this starts by conveying the value orthodontic treatments deliver and what patients will gain by choosing you for all their oral healthcare needs.
Even patients who aren’t ready for these treatments may refer family members and friends if they believe your services have value.
Systems and Team Alignment
Completing orthodontic CE courses for dentists is a step in the right direction if your goal is dental practice growth. However, you’re likely to experience greater success when your whole team is on the same page and prepared to participate in new service offerings.
It’s not always easy for working professionals to find the time or budget for ongoing education, so you might want to incentivize them by paying for courses. Spearhead efforts to organize workflows around trained units that operate efficiently within your office setting.
You could also consider pay raises or performance bonuses for those willing to participate. When your team is working toward shared goals of exceptional patient care and practice performance, everyone should benefit.
Smart Expansion Addresses the Profitability Gap
Dental practice profitability is not a luck-based system. It’s not even about how hard you work, at least not entirely. It’s about making intentional decisions based on research and data and planning for successful outcomes.
When you add services, you must make sure your team is up-to-speed and ready to deliver. You must optimize systems, scheduling, and strategies to add value for patients and maximize performance and profit.
It’s never too soon to evaluate your service mix and systems to get a leg up on competitors and close the profitability gap. The qualified professionals at the American Orthodontic Society are happy to help. Contact us now to learn more about orthodontic courses for general dentists and dental teams.
To learn more about our popular orthodontics courses for pediatric and general dentists, check out one of the upcoming events below.
