In dentistry, patients have a wide range of treatment needs. When you can provide specialized orthodontic treatments, you strengthen their loyalty. Adding orthodontic services to your practice allows for more comprehensive patient care.
Because orthodontic treatments often take months or years to complete, they open the door for additional patient relationships. Whether it’s an existing patient or a new referral, you have more time to create a favorable impression in their mind.
As a general dentist, orthodontics might not be top of mind for you. However, orthodontic patient relationships are generally stronger and longer-lasting. Let’s take a look at how adding orthodontic services can benefit your practice.
Why does orthodontic treatment create opportunities for stronger patient relationships?
Onetime dentist appointments aren’t very memorable. They’re more of a check box on a patient’s to-do list each year.
Here’s where general dentistry and orthodontics have a nice overlap. Orthodontic treatments require regular appointments with specific timelines. This allows patients and dentists to get to know each other better.
When your patients genuinely know and trust your team, the bond strengthens. So does their loyalty to your practice.
Patients value consistent, reliable care from a dental team they already know and trust. That’s why adding orthodontic services to your general dentistry practice is so worthwhile. Patients can get everything they need in one place.
As you follow your patients’ progress and milestones throughout their treatments, you celebrate everything that’s going well. This creates stronger orthodontic patient relationships where each individual feels truly valued.
At the end of each treatment, you have solid outcomes for patients to talk about. More referrals equal more opportunities for new orthodontic patient relationships.
4 Ways Orthodontics Can Strengthen Patient Loyalty
Here’s what orthodontic services can provide to your patients and practice, ultimately resulting in strengthened patient loyalty.
1. Provide More Care Under One Roof
In today’s busy landscape, patients value their time more than ever. When you can provide comprehensive treatments in one place, you win the favor of almost any patient demographic.
Patients appreciate the convenience of getting general dentistry and orthodontic services in the same place. That’s one less appointment they have to book and less staff to get to know and trust.
By providing more robust care at your practice, you save patients time, which is one of their most valuable assets.
2. Build Trust Through Consistent Communication
In orthodontics, you see patients more often. Treatments require regular check-ins and follow-up appointments. Through these periodic appointments, you have more opportunities to answer questions and build relationships.
The better you address patient concerns at each appointment, the stronger their loyalty to your practice becomes. More appointments mean more communication opportunities, which are important for practice growth and success.
3. Develop Relationships With the Entire Family
Orthodontics is relevant to almost every age group. Both children and adults can benefit from orthodontic services, so by offering orthodontic services, you get in touch with the entire family. Treating all age groups encourages multiple generations to visit your practice.
Family connections increase your referral count and improve your practice’s reputation. Word-of-mouth is perhaps the most important form of patient referral, so getting family members in for treatment is a recipe for success.
4. Stay Connected After Treatment
After a patient’s treatment course is finished, they still need follow-ups and check-ins to maintain their results. Teeth are always moving, so you’ll need to monitor patients’ bites, tooth alignment, X-ray images, and other important indicators.
During retainer checks and follow-up visits, you remain connected and continue building trust and loyalty with your patients. Orthodontic services help you stay in touch with your patients long after the initial treatments are over.
Orthodontic patient relationships thrive on longevity, and you can reap the benefits by offering these services.
How can stronger patient relationships support dental practice growth?
Satisfied patients are usually more likely to return for other dental services. If you impress a patient with your orthodontic or general dentistry services, chances are that they’ll come back for future needs.
Positive experiences are a breeding ground for new referrals. Happy patients are more likely to talk about your practice and send friends and family to you.
Long-term patient relationships are extremely valuable in dentistry. Long-lasting loyalty supports patient retention, preventing them from going to another practice. If you want recurring, reliable practice revenue, you must first build a strong foundation of core patients.
Build Lasting Patient Relationships by Adding Orthodontics
Orthodontic services are in high demand almost everywhere. Adding orthodontics to your practice as a general dentist will strengthen your existing patient relationships and draw in new patients. As a result, your practice can grow and thrive.
If you want to add orthodontic services to your practice, start by exploring the American Orthodontic Society’s course catalog. We offer orthodontic courses for dentists to help take their practice to the next level.
Browse our courses today!
To learn more about our popular orthodontics courses for pediatric and general dentists, check out one of the upcoming events below.
