Simple tips to boost your pediatric practice. 

Pediatric dentists enter the field because of their love of treating young patients, but it takes a lot more than patience and a desire to help children to run a successful dental practice. In order to create a successful pediatric dental practice, you need to warm the hearts of both children and their parents. Here are some simple tips to help boost your office’s revenue while making your patients love coming back year after year.

1. Create a child-friendly atmosphere.

A majority of children are scared to go to the dentist. The smells and sounds can make a child frightened and cause an appointment to go downwards fairly quickly. Consider creating a comforting environment to make the appointment easier for both the patient, parent, and YOU. There are simple ways to make a pediatric dental practice appealing to children by having kid-friendly colors and themes. Other ways to make the office child friendly are to: 

• Offer laser treatment to avoid traditional drills.
• Offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help patients feel at ease during treatment.
• Have kid-friendly products, like child flavors for toothpaste. 
• Give out incentives for good behavior.

Creating a child-friendly and family-oriented atmosphere makes it appealing to parents because they know their children will be comfortable and happy going to the dentist. This translates to greater patient retention and more referrals, leading to increased office production. 

2. Offer orthodontics.

Orthodontics is a lucrative way to boost a pediatric dental practice’s revenue. Considering a pediatric dentist sees patients twice a year (and sometimes more), there is a great opportunity to identify the need for orthodontic treatment. The American Association of Orthodontics recommends all children have an orthodontic evaluation by age seven, but you will be in a position to spot and recommend treatment when your patients need it. 

Become an expert in orthodontics by taking the Basic Straight Wire Course with Dr. Brad Williams. Pediatric dentists who take orthodontic courses are motivated to provide optimal care for their patients and, at the same time, it can positively and drastically change the direction of your office. You can easily gain income by offering pediatric orthodontics and your patients will quickly notice how your practice is set apart from other local cookie-cutter offices. 

3. Design a perfect work schedule.

One of the greatest downsides to owning a dental practice is empty chair time. A poorly built schedule means lower production, increased payroll costs, and less money in your pocket as a dental owner. Try to be on top of the schedule and have weekly or monthly meetings with the scheduling staff to ensure everyone is on board about the best way to schedule.

Scheduling younger children and more complex treatment in the morning will eliminate headaches in the afternoon and weekend. This way you can also fill your afternoons with school-aged children and recall visits. 

When your practice confirms patients through text and email reminders, you also help ensure fewer no-show visits and more production at the end of the year. 

4. Consider all preventative services.

Preventative care is the bread and butter of a pediatric dental practice. Offering all preventive services for your patients is beneficial and it also increases your revenue. Prevention is a good model for all offices because it helps set good long-term health care goals and prevents dental problems like tooth decay and gum disease. 

The most common preventative services to offer your patients include:

• Patient education: Educating patients and families about the value of good oral health and how to maintain their oral cavity will benefit them throughout their lifetime. 
• Dental sealants: Sealants help prevent cavities by covering the grooves of molars where tooth decay frequently develops.
• Fluoride treatments: Fluoride application is a great, simple way to benefit your patients and increase production.
• Athletic mouthguards: Mouthguards help prevent trauma and injury to the jaw, teeth, and soft tissue.
• Space maintainers: Space maintenance is valuable to avoid teeth shifting and ensure permanent teeth erupt into the proper position.
• Dental cleanings: Prophylaxis is important to remove plaque debris and prevent tooth decay and gum problems.
• Silver diamine fluoride (SDF): SDF is a newer, conservative treatment to help arrest incipient tooth decay and manage sensitivity. 

5. Use social media. 

The days of print ads and door-to-door marketing are over. Having a social media presence is necessary to bring in referrals and increase office production. Instagram and Tiktok are popular ways to showcase your office, show before-and-after clinical photos, and update patients on office protocols. Facebook ads are a good way to market your practice and Facebook groups are a common way to get local referrals for new patients. When you spend time on your office’s social media presence, you will quickly notice an increase in new patients calling and an increase in revenue. 

There are numerous fun and simple ways to increase production for a pediatric dental practice when you think outside the box. Take a hard look at your practice to see your strengths and areas that need improvement. When you revise your schedule or incorporate highly sought after treatment like orthodontics, you can guarantee your production will rise quickly.