Focusing on dental practice marketing can elevate patient awareness of your services. 

Your dental practice is committed to offering orthodontics to patients, but how do you get the word out there to bring patients in? You and your team are excited to start your professional orthodontic journey, yet no one seems to be knocking down the door to start treatment. What are some of the best ways to promote your office with dental marketing for orthodontic services?

Before you start marketing, you need to know the audience you are trying to attract. Are you looking to attract younger patients interested in braces? Or older adults looking to make a major change to their smiles? Once you understand your demographic, it will make dental marketing for orthodontic services simple and targeted. 

The American Orthodontic Society (AOS) membership gives dentists the tools to understand the best ways to market their practice based on their practice and patient needs. It is an invaluable membership because all dentists come from similar general dental backgrounds and are looking for ways to branch out of general dentistry or add additional services to their office. When you take an orthocourse with the AOS, you gain experience, but also a professional network with support after you complete your course.

Here are some key takeaways to help dentists begin their dental marketing for orthodontic services.

1. Updated website

For any successful general dental orthodontic practice, you need a well designed website that is mobile and search engine optimization (SEO) friendly. It is the backbone to your marketing campaign, because nearly all new patients will immediately go to your website prior to their first appointment, or even their first phone call to your office.

Create a website that is easy to navigate and user-friendly so patients can find information about you, your practice, and all the services you offer. It is best to use an expert marketing company to design a professional website so patients can find you with online ads or SEO. 

2. Social media

There is nearly no way to market yourself successfully today without social media. There are social media experts who help bring awareness to your practice through the use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube. This doesn’t mean you have to use every social media platform, but it is recommended you promote your practice by connecting with existing and potentially new patients. 

3. Create a brand image

Don’t just be another generic dental office. Create an image of your practice culture through a logo and modern practice design. When you invest in your brand, patients will recognize it and your brand becomes a dental social media marketing tool. Brands can be created using an expert marketing company to show you offer orthodontics and advanced dental techniques. Use eye catching fonts, colors, and design to bring patients in and show them you are the only practice they want to treat their oral health needs.

4. Internal referrals

One of the greatest marketing tools to gain exposure for orthodontics is your existing patients. When a patient is happy with your services and tells you and your staff how much they appreciate your care, use this opportunity to market yourself. Request a positive review on Google. Ask for referrals to family and friends, and offer an incentive for referrals like a discount or gift card. Referrals from existing patients is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to build your new orthodontic practice. 

5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is one of the top marketing techniques to attract new patients. Many dentists don’t understand that, when they open their practices, patients won’t just start calling because there is no way to find them among the numerous other practices vying for the same marketing space. You need specific keywords and SEO dedicated to your practice that focuses on your demographic, zip code, and area of treatment. If SEO is not done properly, you can get lost in a sea of other dentists and lose traffic when patients search for a dentist in your area.

6. The Best Patience Experience 

When you provide the best dental care possible, you’ll notice increased patient retention and lower attrition rates. This means not only providing great clinical care, but caring about your patients from the moment they schedule an appointment to when they leave the office. Make sure your team is trained and understand their roles in the office. When a patient can easily schedule an appointment and wait times are short, it shows you respect their time and value their presence in your practice. 

Taking the first step on the path to success for your practice. 

While launching a marketing plan sounds like a lot to manage, it doesn’t have to be daunting. Even just starting out with one or two of the tips outlined here can get you on the path to creating more awareness for your practice and services. 

If you are looking to connect with a network of professionals experiencing the same challenges and benefits you are, consider signing up for AOS membership and taking advantage of the many member benefits. You don’t have to go it alone!