Close More Cases: Know Your Patient Demographics

From young adults to parents to divorcees to senior citizens, patients always fall into several categories depending on where they are in life. You can get as specific as you like by naming them as moms, dads, kids, elderly, anxious, reluctant, and so on. The more you know about the people you treat, the better you and your dental team will be at closing cases, marketing, and selling patient membership plans.

The Established Patients

Every dental practice has their established patients. They live or work locally. They consistently make appointments for cleanings and check-ups twice annually, and they know who to call if they have an oral health problem. These are the people you can count on and they know they can count on you. This reliability on both sides, though, doesn’t mean you don’t have work to do when it comes to closing more cases. Effort is still required, especially for success with more advanced dental care.

The New Patients

You are in a relationship dance with your newest patients. If someone comes to you for a long overdue cleaning and checkup and the x-rays you take reveal a problem underneath the gumline, they may be suspicious of this diagnosis. It’s your job to make it clear to anyone who’s in your dental chair, but especially the newbies, that you:

• Are listening to their perceived needs, which might include worries about cost and anxiety about dental work.
• Understand how to reassure and motivate them to make the right decisions for their oral health.
• Have the knowledge, training, and expertise to deliver results within their timeframe and budget.
• Can promise healthier, stronger teeth that make them look better and improve functionality.

The Potential Patients

You’ll have to do the most work for potential patients. When it comes to your marketing efforts, these are the people you’re targeting. Do you want to increase your Invisalign patient numbers? Do you want to promote the cosmetic dentistry side of your practice? Are you offering a special to new patients like teeth whitening?

When it comes to converting potential patients, it’s your job to meet them exactly where they are. Make all the answers easy for them.

• Clarify insurance and financing efforts on your website.
• Highlight the beauty of a patient membership plan and who it applies to.
• Bulk up social media with great before-and-after photos.

Close the Case with Every Patient

Successfully closing cases is all about the patient – they accept treatment plans that make sense to them. Your job as their dental team is to hear them out and deliver the information they need to feel comfortable in their decision-making.

Through the support of Independence Dental DSO, you will get the help you need in reviewing the ages and stages of life of your patients, identifying who inquires the most at your practice, and truly understand the people who walk through your office door. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and find out how we can help your practice.