What You Need to Know About Dental Patient Expectations Post-Pandemic

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a “new normal” for dental practices. New habits have formed. Many businesses have changed their procedures to improve convenience and made it considerably easier for customers to do business with them. Dental practices are no exception to this shift in business, you’ll need a plan to be convenient and consistent.

Your patients will certainly expect increased availability and convenience post-pandemic. So, what does this mean for your dental practice? It means that you will need to adjust to the current business and social climate and be highly accessible for patients.

Set up virtual consultation options for your patients.

Ensure that your practice is available to patients who want to be able to easily communicate with you from the comfort of their home.

The new expectation is that your patients will be able to ask questions and address concerns without first needing to come into your practice. Setting up virtual consultation and engagement options for your patients shows that your practice cares deeply about the comfort and safety of your patients.

The dental practices who are supporting patients by offering extra accommodations experience increased trust and build better relationships. Ensuring that the experience your patients have with your practice is convenient and consistent will make you significantly more attractive to new and returning patients.

Be prepared digitally.

Your dental practice will need to have a strong social media strategy in place in case something like quarantine ever happens again. Have a plan to provide value via social media. Think, “What can I share that will improve my patients’ lives?” “What is the best way for me to effectively communicate with my patients via social media?”

Not everything you post needs to be educational, you can also provide value by sharing something to make your patients smile. By creating a social media strategy you’ll be prepared to support your patients in a time of need, creating relationships, not as a business and it’s customers, but as friends.

Bounce back from COVID quickly and get your dental practice on track to have a successful 2020. As you return to patient care, use the resources from My Social Practice to guide you through your first few days and weeks.

We’ve frequently been asked questions like “How do dental practices reopen post-COVID?” and “What does the post-coronavirus dental office look like?” We understand this is a lot to think about at once! Reopening the right way can seem overwhelming but not to worry, our master marketers provide the content, tools, and one-on-one training to take you through each step. A roadmap for post-COVID help for your dental practice is just a call away.

Regardless of your practice size or location, we can customize a solution that will work for you. Build a powerful social media presence with My Social Practice!

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Why Empathy Helps Dental Practices Grow

Being an exceptional dental office isn’t just about treating patients, it’s about having a practice that uplifts the lives of everyone around you.

We’re proud to work with hundreds of dental teams that show up for their communities and patients. These dental practices actively seek opportunities to serve. Being an empathic and serving practice builds a practice culture that your team and patients are proud to share, recommend, and send referrals to.

2020 has been a difficult year for many. Previously, you may have been opposed to offering discounts on dental treatment because it attracts discount shopper patients. In light of the current situation, most people are now looking for a discount. Now you have the opportunity to show empathy by extending flexible payment plans or reduced service rates.

Not only are many patients financially struggling and they are also anxious about their health and the health of their families. As a dental professional, you have the knowledge and experience to support and comfort worried patients while at the same getting exceptional business for your practice. Your understanding of your patients’ needs during difficult times will go a long way for your reputation and relationships.

In an interview with My Social Practice, dentist Dr. Craig Spodak said, “I do believe that the ultimate purpose of a business is to provide compassion, trust, and love… We’re not in business just to make money — money is the consequence of doing something with love. Everything we do [in our practice] is born from wanting to create a sense of community, whether that community is within our office or the community that we serve.”

Being a compassionate, giving practice is more than just a nice gesture. It builds your practice in real, practical ways. How? Well, first it makes your practice stand out from your competition. You strive to provide excellent clinical treatment and exceptional patient experience however, so does every other dental practice. Seeing your team in action providing help for patients in need and doing good is something that people will remember.

Second, it boosts team unity. A 2018 study reported that employees are happier when they work for generous companies. A happy dental team means a better experience for your patients. Third, being empathetic by proving helpful information and responding to patient’s concerns will raise awareness for your practice through social media. By caring for your patient’s needs, you tell your practice story and show that you are bigger than just dentistry.

As you show empathy, you will gain greater patients loyalty by showing that you are listening and that you care. Creating a compassionate culture evokes trust, makes your practice likable, and demonstrates thought leadership.

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Let Your Dental Patients Build Trust For You

Scott Cook, the Co-Founder of Intuit, once said, “A brand is no longer what we tell the customer it is. It’s what customers tell each other it is.” Your practice grows when your patients participate.

One of the best ways to create advocates for your practice is to make it easy and fun for patients to be involved in what you share on your social media pages. Engaging with your patients on social media creates powerful word-of-mouth recommendations by allowing your patient’s friends and family members to see what a great experience and relationship they have with you.

A study found that 71% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase based on social media referrals. What you say on social media matters, but what your patients are saying on social media matters more!

But how do dental practice get patients involved? We have found that to get patients to participate in your dental practice’s social media, it has to be easy and fun.

Make It Easy

It’s no secret that sticking to the schedule is critical when working in a dental practice. Make sure that your in-practice social media activities take two minutes or less. Both you and your patients have busy schedules and most of the time, patients want to get back to their day as soon as they can.

Some patients may not use social media often or aren’t familiar with how to use apps. To these patients, sharing something on Facebook or writing a Google review can seem like a daunting task.

Train your dental team on how to explain the simplest way to share on social media. (My Social Practice has an app to help!) Your patients will be willing to advocate for you if you make it easy and quick.

Another important point to keep in mind is “What is the patient getting for participating?” Small incentives go a long way. Whether your patient is liking your page to get the doctor to perform a fun challenge, snapping a photo to support a good cause, or writing a review for a chance to win a prize, keep it fun by making sure there’s something in it for them.

Getting your patients involved with your social media efforts will undoubtedly benefit your online reputation. Regardless of how someone first hears about your practice, learning more about your practice becomes digital and social. If someone recommends your practice over lunch or receives your direct mail postcard, the first thing they will do is take out their smartphone to look you up. When a potential patient sees the friendly faces of your office and patient photos on your pages, they will begin to like and trust you before they step into your office.

You’ll build trust and find new patients when you use social media as a platform for communicating your own unique practice story. Through people, and through relationships, your practice will shine online and be a reminder to your community that dentistry isn’t a commodity. The way you practice dentistry each day makes a difference which in turn strengthens relationships, increases reach and, builds a strong reputation.

Effective dental social media marketing belongs to dentists who care about people, who are conscious of the opportunity dental social media marketing provides, and who believe that genuine relationships matter.

The world looks a little different now. Social media is stronger and more important for businesses than it was pre-pandemic. Embrace what this shift in social media marketing can do for your dental practice.

My Social Practice has spent over 10 years building tools to make sharing your practice’s story online easy and intuitive. Find out how your practice can see success in 2020, chat with us!

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Quick Guide: Show Your Patients You Know What You’re Doing Amid COVID-19

As a health expert in your community, patients expect a lot from you in regards to keeping them safe and healthy. Potential patients are looking for a safe and reliable practice to trust with their dental care. You’ll need to have an active presence on social media to show your patients that you are taking every precaution. 

One of the main benefits of using social media is that it makes dental practices much more visible. Social media creates an audience for your dental practice on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms allow you to establish authority and build your practice reputation. 

Additionally, having an active social media presence makes it easy to answer your patient’s questions and concerns. Show your patients that your office is prepared, organized, and ready to treat patients.

Use social media to demonstrate the steps you’re taking to ensure your patients have a great experience. Go the extra mile to show how you are preparing to put your patient’s worries and anxieties at ease.

Remember, your dental Facebook page gives patients an idea of what it’s like in your office. Your potential patients can see your office, and meet your team before they ever walk through your door. Let your professionalism and competence show through your posts.

Typically, a lack of competence in a dental practice leads to negative online reviews. Although almost no business gets away without a few negative reviews, poor reviews hurt your online presence and your practice reputation. Show your competency by updating your patients consistently and providing valuable information.

Here are a few dental post ideas to demonstrate competence in your practice:

1. Share photos of your friendly and happy team members in their face shields and personal protective equipment.
2. Post photos and take a couple of short videos showing what your team has done to prepare your practice for patients.
3. Share information about your office hours on your social media pages. Explain that you are being flexible regarding scheduling appointments in order to accommodate patients.
4. Your team members are working overtime for the benefit of your patients. Show your followers that their dental cares by giving a shout out to your hard-working team.

Dental social media marketing moves quickly. Getting attention for your dental practice requires a different approach than even just a couple of years ago. Old dental social media post ideas and marketing techniques aren’t effective anymore.

Acquiring new dental patients entails using social media to create personal connections, show authenticity, and build a trustworthy reputation. Prove that you are a likable, professional, and trustworthy practice by sharing meaningful posts on your pages. Especially now, dentist office reopening procedures and protocols are an important part of what makes patients trust dental teams.

Having a strong social media presence supports your practice by giving potential patients a look into your practice. Posting current and welcoming content to your pages creates trust and makes potential patients more likely to give you a call.

Make sure to follow My Social Practice on Facebook and Instagram for some dental COVID humor to lighten up your day!

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The Best Way For Dentists To Address Health & Safety Concerns

As your patients ease back into the regular swing of life post-quarantine, they may have a few anxieties about visiting public places and healthcare facilities like their dentist.

Calm your patient’s apprehensions and concerns regarding their dental care by informing them of steps you are taking to keep them safe. The absolute best place to provide timely, educational, and interesting information is on social media!

Dental professionals are trained on how to keep their practices and operatories extremely sanitary and safe. Your social media is the means by which you can communicate your high standards of cleanliness to your patients before they even step foot in your office.

Show your dental patients that you take their health, the health of your team, and your community seriously. Use your social media pages to outline the measures you and your dental team are taking to guarantee they are well-cared for when they come into your practice. Illustrate the precautions you are taking before, during, and after appointments.

Encourage interaction with your patients by using your dental social media pages to explain your new safety procedures and take questions from your followers on what to expect while visiting your office.

If you find that a patient does not feel ready to come back into the office, validate their concerns, and schedule an appointment for a later date. Express your gratitude and appreciation for them and assure them that their safety is your top priority.

Ways to address safety concerns on social media:

1. Make a virtual office walkthrough video and describe the patient experience with the changes you have made

2. Show behind the scenes of sanitization at your practice. Take photos or videos of you sanitizing your dental tools, instruments, door handles, chairs, etc.

3. Create a post explaining what PPE is and how it works to protect your patients.

4. Explain measures you are taking like staggering appointments or the removal of non-essential items in the practice.

5. Explain wait times for retainers, crowns, dentures, etc.

Being active on Facebook and Instagram is one of the best ways to keep in touch and strengthen relationships with patients during times of uncertainty and confusion. Communicate your thoughts and feelings, as well as your plan of action and safety procedures to your patients to build trust.

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How Dentists Should Communicate Their Scheduling Game Plan Post COVID-19

Dental professionals are preparing for a new normal as they begin to open their practices again. Naturally, dentists feel the necessity to start seeing patients again considering the role dental health plays in overall public health.

While every dental practice will be abiding by their individual state regulations and their own personal judgment, there are things every practice should implement to secure a stable reopening. Keeping patients and followers in the loop on social media is one of them.

If you’re like many dental practices across the country, you have been forced to cancel routine dental appointments. As a consequence of the guesswork surrounding the current pandemic, most of these canceled dental appointments have had to wait to reschedule.

As soon as your practice has a reopening date, even a “soft” reopening, reach out to the patients who had to cancel their appointments. To build trust and strengthen your relationships, we recommend that dental practices reach out to every patient with a canceled appointment individually.

Dental practices can instill confidence in their patients and provide direction by keeping in touch online. Encourage interaction and communication with your patients by using your dental social media pages as a place to update patients about your practice’s re-opening. Post details regarding your rescheduling plan on your dental social media pages. The more clarity and information you can give to your patients, the better. Having a social media marketing plan for re-opening after COVID-19 is vital to your practice success.

Thanks to the amazing people in the dental community, there has been significant support and information to help dental practices navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. On the contrary, there has not been much information given to the patients of dental practices regarding what is going on and what their experience will look like moving forward. Use your voice as a healthcare professional to reassure and comfort your dental patients.

Address common questions and concerns on your social media pages

• Will you reschedule canceled appointments first?
• What treatments are being prioritized?
• How long should patients expect to wait before being contacted by your practice?
• Can patients expect a different reception or operatory experience?
• Validate concerns and address unnecessary anxiety and stress.

Create a sense of urgency

• Communicate the importance to schedule an appointment. Stress that appointments are filling up fast and to schedule soon!
• Express the importance of taking care of tooth damages that may have occurred during the quarantine.
• Explain the significance of good oral health and its impact on overall health. 

Utilize this time to sharpen your dental practice’s social media pages. Social media provides a way to maintain strong relationships with current patients and reach new ones online.

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