What Is Your Dental Practice Brand?

What makes your practice special? What do you do that other dental practices in the area don’t? What can I expect from a visit to your practice that I couldn’t get anywhere else?

These are the basic questions that drive success at the higher levels of dentistry. It’s what we mean when we talk about differentiating ourselves from the competition. In dentistry, it means going beyond clinical competence. It means offering a unique experience.

As is often the case when the discussion turns to re-inventing expectations, Apple is an instructive example. It’s no coincidence that every Apple Store is designed to call to mind the Apple brand. It’s an environment that says: clean, uncluttered, bright, simple. The people who serve you there are not just clerks and cashiers – they’re “Geniuses” (suggesting that they have all the answers) – and they are all friendly, casually dressed and trained to deliver the most efficient helpful service you are likely to find in any retail store. It’s obvious a lot of thought has gone into creating the right customer experience – one that exemplifies the Apple experience.

So how well does your practice communicate your value? I don’t just mean the physical environment, although that is important too. What do you do to deliver an experience that really stands out?

It’s not enough to say that you care about your patients. Most dentists do. It’s not enough to say that your team is friendly. Most teams are. Patients expect that. What differentiates you – what defines you as a brand – is what you do that they don’t expect.

So the next time you have a really significant case, think about how you can make it a truly special experience for the patient. Schedule the appointment for a special time – an evening or weekend day when the practice can be completely devoted to that patient. Send a car to pick them up and deliver them home afterward. Let them invite family along. Provide child care if necessary. Put out refreshments.

And when the procedure is complete, make a big deal about it. Have them take selfie photos or videos to post to Facebook. Call in the team to celebrate. Arrange for the patient to visit a professional portrait studio to capture their new smile. This is where you have an opportunity to connect with the patient in a personal way that taps into their emotional responses.

These are just some of the ideas I know that practices have used in the past with great success. You need to decide which of these – or which other ones – would best suit your practice brand.

Some dentists will object that this is going far beyond what dental practices should be expected to do.

And that’s the point. 

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