Imagine turning the tables on corporate dentistry. The big guys have mega-advertising budgets, but they cannot match what you have to offer. The secret is making the distinction.
Don’t get me wrong. Corporate dentistry is not inherently bad. There are some fine doctors who provide quality care and who just so happen to work for large corporations. You, however, probably work in a more traditional fee-for-service model. I want your voice to be heard over all the noise generated by corporate dentistry advertising.
So that you can clearly communicate the advantages of your practice, here are the key five points you need to make:
- When someone comes to your office, they are going to see the same dentist (you!) time after time. You offer the “warm and fuzzy approach.” Corporate dentistry is often a revolving door, which means the patient may see a different dentist today than the one they saw last time.
- You are not going anywhere. This means you can offer continuity of care. If a corporate concern closes an office, merges with another company, of just flat goes out of business (and some do), then the patient is left without a dentist. As a fee-for-service dentist, you are a constant, and that is reassuring.
- You and your team are dedicated to the best of both worlds, truly personalized service with state-of-the art technology. You actually get to know your patients and you also stay abreast of the latest advances in dentistry.
- In your practice, no one is pressured or rushed. You always take the time to listen to your patients. People like your warmth and compassion. No corporate executive is looking over your shoulder and pushing you to see more patients in less time.
- You have a thorough but conservative approach to treatment planning and you use only the best materials. While you do not claim to be the discount dentist, you also know that it is never cheaper to do the same procedure twice. Your goal is to do it once and do it right.
I always enjoy helping fee-for-service doctors get the word out and distinguish themselves from corporate dentistry. So go ahead. Make the distinctions. It’s an important part of patient education that allows you to continue to thrive as a fee-for-service dentist.