The Sustainable Dentist: Attracting Old Patients and New Ones Back to Your Dental Practice
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It’s late 2021, and we all thought, “Finally! We’re moving past the global pandemic!” Oops … not so fast. As of this writing (in California), we’re back into mask mandates (again). Now the Delta Variant started spreading en masse. Our collective sigh of relief as the vaccine continues to roll out turned into frustration and virus fatigue. The dental industry has been especially impacted by the pandemic’s ups and downs. The most glaring effect of the pandemic has been on dental revenues. “Forty-six percent of dentists agree a drop in revenue has been the number one impact of the pandemic on their practices.”[1]
Many dentists and orthodontists across the nation (and the world) are struggling to keep their doors open. Some dental practices closed up, and those practices that remain look toward a grim future. “If patient volume remains at current levels for a few more months, dentists say they’ll give serious consideration to raising their fees, including for insured patients, as well as cutting jobs or selling their practices, according to the ADA.”[2]
Many patients say they won’t go to the dentist during the pandemic, which impacts oral health. Even though the American Dental Association issued standards and guidelines in 2020 to protect both dental staff and patients, many people remain cautious. “Due to cancellations during the second and third quarters, many practices saw holes in their schedules during the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. Usually a practice would have 80% or more of their schedule filled. This year is much different, with the average schedule only 50%. This dip occurred in part because some appointments in the first half of 2020 were cancelled due to the pandemic and then the appointments were not immediately rescheduled.”[3]
People are continuing to avoid the dentist unless it’s absolutely necessary. Most experts cite anxiety and nervousness over potentially contracting Covid-19. Even though dentists have clearly taken precautions, people continue to stay away. Patients are avoiding the basics (e.g., annual teeth cleanings and non-urgent treatments) to avoid any exposure to the virus. In the meantime, experts also cite that allowing oral health to go untreated can actually increase likeliness of contracting the virus.
It doesn’t help when the mass media actually tells people to avoid the dentist during the pandemic. “New research in the Journal of Clinical Peridontology suggests COVID-19 patients may have a higher risk of going to the ICU, needing a ventilator, or even dying; if they have gum disease. Overall oral health has already been linked to chronic disease. Dentists recommend going in for a regular cleaning every six months.”[4]
Dentists can’t change their present circumstances when it comes to the pandemic, but they can look at what they’re doing to communicate with their patients and stakeholders. The practices that survive the current hardships created by the pandemic will have to try new and innovative methods to grab the attention of dental patients to lure them back. This requires dental professionals to invest in communication and marketing programs aimed at presenting messages that reassure patients with one simple idea: It’s safe to go back to the dentist. At the same time, these ideas need to competitive, fresh, and based on sound safety practices for the post-pandemic world.
How can dental professionals not only position their practices to beat the competition that is likely ramping up their marketing and communication programs too, but also help people overcome their fears of going to the dentist? You’re about to find out some answers in this Guide that aims to not only reinforce the principles of the primary book The Sustainable Dentist, but also provide tips and tricks to position your practice to not only survive the pandemic, but also thrive.
Sustainability offers dentists a new, innovative approach to practicing dentistry in such a way as to reinforce healthy and safe ways to not only protect their staff, but also their patients. The messages inherent to sustainable dentistry naturally create an environment conducive to helping our planet and overcoming climate change, but also provides what are called “virus-secure” zones.
The sustainable principles you can read about in The Sustainable Dentist help guide dentists to design and implement procedures and practices, and create healthy, safe, and secure environments. A place that patients don’t worry about contracting a deadly virus. An office where they know their family dentist cares about their health and wellbeing – and most importantly a place that contributes to the greater good of this planet we call Earth.
It’s up to dental practitioners to not only come to understand the value of sustainability can be that one key market differentiator that sends the kinds of messages out into their communities to attract back their clientele, but also build an entirely new one. It’s important that you realize if you’re not sustainable – or your audience doesn’t know you’re using sustainable practices – you’re going to lose out. Your prospective audience is ripe and open to not only work with a sustainable practice, but will pay more to do so.
Patients will pay a little more for a practice that embraces sustainability because it aligns with their values and principles. “According to CGS 2019 U.S. Consumer Sustainability Survey, more than two-thirds of Americans consider sustainability when making a purchase and are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Gen Z shoppers led the way, with 68 percent having made an eco-friendly purchase in the past year.
“CGS surveyed over 1,000 U.S. consumers on how sustainable products and business practices are driving their buying preferences. Despite price still being a big factor in purchasing decisions, consumers are putting an emphasis on sustainability and are also increasingly focused on shopping with brands whose mission they care about.
“Nearly 70 percent of all survey respondents said that sustainability is at least “somewhat important” to them when making a purchase and 47 percent would pay more for a sustainable product.
“Probing how much more they would pay, about one-third (35 percent) of all respondents indicated they would be willing to pay 25 percent more than the original price for sustainable products. Gen-Z was found to be willing to pay 50 percent-to-100 percent more compared to other age groups.”[5]
Thus, your goal as a dental practitioner is to first build that sustainable space and work with sustainability-friendly stakeholders (see The Sustainable Dentist), but share and communicate in ways that help the public understand “who you are in the New Normal.” How you achieve these goals is through effective marketing campaigns that engender concepts and cement your brand image as a Sustainable Dentist.
[1] Oral health, “The Biggest Impact of Covid-19 on Dentistry,” February 8, 2021, https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/features/the-biggest-impact-of-covid-19-on-dentistry/
[2] USA Today, “Dentists could raise fees, exit family practices as pandemic keeps patients away,” Nathan Bomey,” Oct. 19, 2020, https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/10/19/dentists-coronavirus-pandemic-ada-cdc/3653734001/
[3] FYI: Dentist Blog from Delta Dental, “How Dentists Recovering from the Pandemic?”, Feb. 5, 2021, https://fyi-online.com/2021/02/how-are-dentists-recovering-from-the-pandemic/
[4] News – Health, “Avoiding the Dentist Could Increase Risks of Covid-19,” Tim Spears, Mar. 26, 2021, https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2021/03/26/avoiding-dentist-could-increase-risks-of-covid-19
[5] SBG Media, “Consumers Willing to Pay Up for Sustainability,” Thomas J. Ryan, April 23, 2019, https://sgbonline.com/consumers-willing-to-pay-up-for-sustainability/
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