Sunday

Decline Of The ‘Cosmetic Only’ Dental Practice

A dentist recently asked me about the decline of the "cosmetic " only type of dental practice.

Here is my response with some enhancements…

Cosmetic is the icing of dental treatment - never will be much more - never has been much. See stats to back this up below.

About 50% of the population doesn't go to the dentist – while many don't because of price, they are also held back for reasons such as pain/fear/time and other worries.

Cosmetic dentistry is down at the bottom of the list – under deeply ingrained and established dental value system. If we don't think about 'fear or pain’ when we think about dentistry, we think about “basic dental concepts’ like preventive health, cleanings, fluoride, etc." – because it is often connected tightly to insurance – which means they probably go every six months and mostly because it is paid for.


And therefore, these people have little need for more than one or two teeth of restorative work, which makes them less likely to value cosmetic dentistry in any big way. The closer a consumer is to needing a smile makeover – the more likely they will “value” the cosmetic element of dental care.

Other reasons people "think basic dentistry"... fixing a broken tooth, toothaches and then dentures. This leaves very few people who think about jumping the fence of those ideas/issues to get to "beauty". So, if 50% of dentists are pushing "cosmetic" in some way (in your area) and a few are really promoting it publicly - the pickings get very small. While the economy hammered it even more – pure cosmetic dentistry marketing had little potential to be successful - whether you are "doing it right" or not.

What happens is the pipeline is narrowed too small when cosmetic dentistry is seen as the “focus” of a dental practice. While a narrow focus is good to help a specific service standout, the reality barrier needs to be given its due.

Once a dentist goes a very specific cosmetic dentistry route, they could have trouble avoiding the problem of: If you are a hammer (cosmetic focused) everything is a nail (everyone really should want a cosmetic makeover). The dentist can start seeing it “everywhere” and believing more people should want it. These dentists could get in over their head - recommending treatment without considering all the implications, doing it too fast, before the dentist really knows what is possible or even getting beyond of their experience.

What needed to happen with cosmetic dentistry was for a designation like "pediatric dentists" to develop where a "specialist certificate" could be attained. Now all parents want to take their kids to Pediatric dentists. Instead, every dentist could become a cosmetic dentist. Of course, children's dentistry has an ACE in its hand from a acceptance perspective - because parents will do a lot for their children.

Anyway, cosmetic dentistry has many benefits in promoting dentistry and for the dentist and the patient. Dentists love the effect and artistry - the consumer on a limited basis has another more positive entry point for going to the dentist. Good "cosmetic dentists" can get patients from either those dentists who don't do it or those who really aren't that good at it. But this strategy is very limited and promoting cosmetic dentistry too much changes the dynamic the other way - you get less of the other basic dental patients (which there are many – not going to the dentist as of now) and even confuse current patients.

Most people are like us. They don't do "cosmetic things" to any large extent; makeup, hairstyles and tanning are a long way from going to a doctor for a cosmetic change. As we have discussed before, if cosmetic changes were ingrained in people like us - the first thing I would need to do is get a nose trim.

So what can be done? Open up the pipeline - by talking about the overall value of advanced dentistry - make sure consumers know you do things right - get health right and then move to esthetic issues. Most dentists still do middle of the road - a few swing to the other side of the spectrum, and a few try the cosmetic boutique practice.

We need to tell people things are different overall – show them some boutique concepts - but avoid the hype, and talk a lot about comfort, health, value, lifelike, etc.

Let them know you have the "icing" services and expertise - get a few more of the "all esthetic" group of consumers - get a few more "never thought I would do something like this smile makeover type patients" – which will greatly improve the numbers of patients that want dentistry - but only if it is done well and is mostly about health.

No one thing will work – marketing or services - and some might be dead ends - but getting too far ahead of the consumer - even though your expertise is - should be avoided. You will get your cosmetic cases and your smile makeovers - more and more of them - because we will move them in that direction - but mostly you will work with people like me - who won't ever trim their BEAK - but will come to you because you are an "expert" in understanding them as well as keeping them healthy.

Think of your cheap relative (we all have them) that pays all your fees - but never really does what they should and keeps coming to you because they trust you - even though you keep reminding them that they are not flossing regularly and will probably need dentures soon and finally come around after 3 or 4 teeth fall out.

While even the cheap relatives will appreciate cosmetic dentistry, there is just no way to push them much faster than the schedule they are on. Fortunately, your cheap relatives and mine only makeup a small portion of potential patients who need all types of dentistry.

The marketing we do will be nice - but will also "coax" consumers to do the right thing, finally.

And REMEMBER - if we consistently communicate the value you, your office and advanced dentistry offer (which includes a beautiful natural looking and feeling smile) the numbers will add up.

There is NO magic marketing formula (no matter what the videos on youtube.com promote) except that there are people out there that don't know about how you do things. The overly hyped cosmetic dentists crowded out dentists like you to some extent, but they also went in a direction that had only a small base to draw from. Plus these dentists also confused the consumer about dentistry – making it something that it will only be on the margins: a cosmetic service.

But if these people knew about your approach to dentistry, many of them would come to you - it just might take time to find them - or get them to understand that it is really true, which means vigorously building trust and effectively showcasing and explaining value.

For Complete Dental Marketing Consulting and Dentist Coaching Services Contact...
Dick Chwalek of Niche Dental

DENTAL VISITS STAY FLAT STATS
Cosmetic dentistry and all the other advancements in dentistry don’t seem to have done much to move people beyond the basic dentistry model most of us are aligned with.
Here is a stat that backs this up. "Overall, there was no change in the percentage of the population with a dental visit from 1996 to 2004." SeniorJournal.com

Friday

Build Your Marketing Portfolio: A New Dental Office

Members of the Northern Dental Alliance sat down with Micah Taintor of Ymker Building recently to discuss the value of the right kind of dental office.

The following video - in just a few short minutes - provides dentists with exceptional reasons for creating a better dental treatment environment. Effective Dental Marketing is a comprehensive process. Micah explains how your dental practice can perform as a base for a successful "marketing" platform.



Also Find dental office "marketing" video here...

To collaborate with the best in the business, visit NicheDentalCollaborate.com.

The Right Dental Office Location: A Ten Step Process

> By George Vaill

Thankfully, finding a dental office location and negotiating for it is something you’ll rarely have to do. I say “thankfully”, because the process is one with which you probably have little familiarity and it can be fraught with difficulties and rude surprises.

At the very least, it’s very time consuming and generally takes you through lots of unfamiliar territory. So, when you’re faced with these challenges, having a well-thought out plan and following it deliberately will result in a substantial savings in time and money and a significant reduction in the hassles and stress normally associated with the dental office location choosing process.


The Ten Step Process

A good location search and negotiation plan is one that combines (i) thoughtful establishment of the location, site, space and lease terms criteria; with, (ii) coordinated search, evaluation and negotiation procedures and techniques. None of these elements, however, should be developed without input from various professionals who have experience in the required disciplines. Your office location plan can be summarized in the following 10 sequential steps.

Planning Stage

STEP ONE: Select professional team members. Among others, these should include equipment, finance, dental practice management consultants, design, real estate, construction, legal and accounting experts. With early input from these professionals, you are better prepared to proceed through the remaining steps. Find out at the very start when they think the best time is to bring them in.

Let professionals be your guide.

STEP TWO: Establish goals. Develop your lifestyle plan and your corresponding workstyle plan. Establish short and long term goals for your dentistry practice in general and, specifically, for the location search, evaluation and negotiation process.

Meld your personal and professional goals.

STEP THREE: Define your criteria. Where do you want to locate - geographically? What type of setting - strip mall? high rise? professional building? free standing? How large a space? Do you require any special amenities? How much parking will you require?

This is your future. Think through it carefully.

STEP FOUR: Conduct the search. Employ brokers, drive the area, search the internet, scan the newspapers, check online listings, and ask family, friends and your equipment/sales reps to keep an eye out.

Focus on and be truly faithful to your criteria.
What type of dental patients do you want to serve?

STEP FIVE: Evaluate the opportunity. Is it where you want to be? Is it the right size? Is it in the type of setting that will best project the public image you desire? Does it have sufficient parking and signage? Is it available in your time frame?

Leave your rose-colored glasses at home.

STEP SIX: Inspect the space: Do the dimensions work? Is the space handicap accessible? Are the utilities of sufficient capacity? Can you run the plumbing as needed?

Check every detail carefully.

STEP SEVEN: Gather the lease information: How long a lease term is the landlord seeking? Are there renewal options? What is the starting rent? When does it increase? What’s included and what’s not? What’s the delivery condition? How much will the landlord contribute toward your leasehold improvements?

Get it all in writing.

STEP EIGHT: Negotiate the lease: Your professional lease negotiator will negotiate the economic terms before the landlord drafts a lease document. Once the economic terms are agreed upon and inserted in the landlord’s form lease, your lease attorney will negotiate the dozens of legal concepts that define the landlord/tenant relationship.

The key is to employ an expert negotiator.

STEP NINE: Design the layout: Secure the services of a professional dental office designer. Only someone with this specific experience will know all of the ins and outs of dental office design. That knowledge will make a whole world of difference between a facility that serves you well over the course of your occupancy and one that is a constant source of aggravation for you and your staff.

Design in the present. Plan for the future.

STEP TEN: Construct your facility: Secure the services of a professional dental office contractor. Only someone with this specific experience will know all of the ins and outs of dental office construction. That knowledge will make a whole world of difference between a facility that serves you well over the course of your occupancy and one that is a constant source of aggravation for you and your dentistry staff.

Build it right the first time.

The foregoing is not meant to address every single phase of the process. However, it does provide a basic outline for you to follow. As your dental office lease is one of the largest and most important contracts you will ever sign in your life, it’s critical that you employ every measure at your disposal to reduce the possibility of making choices that do not serve your long-term goals. Plan thoroughly, leave your rose-colored glasses at home when evaluating a location opportunity and, most importantly, recognize your limitations.

© George Vaill 2001 - 34 Edward Drive, Winchester, MA 01890
george@georgevaill.com - 800-340-2701


George D. Vaill is president of George Vaill Dental Office Lease Negotiations. He specializes in negotiating the economic elements of office leases for dentists throughout the United States. Additionally, George reviews, and in many cases renegotiates, leases as part of dental practice transitions. George can be reached at 800-340-2701 and can be found at www.georgevaill.com.

To improve your practice in many ways, visit NicheDentalCollaborate.com