The Hidden Truth Behind Why Some People Change Dentists

The most familiar reason a new patient comes to your practice is because they’re “new to the area.” That makes sense; people move, and they need to find a new dentist. But investigate a little deeper and you find that their motivations might not necessarily be so clear-cut.

According to a 2010 Census report, about 12.5% of the population moved during the year. That’s a lot of mobility! But here’s what I find interesting: 70% of those people moved within the same county. Only 18% moved to a different county within the same state, leaving just 12% moving out of state. So a lot of patients out there who are going to a new dentist because they’ve moved are really saying their previous dentist just wasn’t providing a special enough experience to make it worth traveling a few miles farther.

Think about your own practice. You can probably point to quite a few loyal patients who drive a good distance to see you. But at the same time, how many have you lost because it was just easier for them to go to a new dentist who was a bit closer?

So when a patient comes to you because they’re new to the neighborhood, ask them where they’ve moved from. If it wasn’t that far away, they’re telling you something. They’re saying that something happened in the last practice they went to … or something didn’t happen. Either way, they couldn’t be bothered to keep going there. The practice just wasn’t special. And that’s good intelligence to have as you set out to give them an experience worth staying for. Be special.