Orthotown, By Dr. Richard Maness and Jessica Wynne
Educators and board members at Georgia School of Orthodontics share their advice and suggestions
For many orthodontists, owning their own practice was a longtime dream that was finally realized after considerable planning, effort, sacrifice and patience. The initial success is exciting and invigorating. But as any astute entrepreneur understands, constant cultivation leads to sustained success. That means, of course, not resting on your laurels. Just as when opening an orthodontic practice, proper foundation and follow-through are essential elements of a comprehensive plan to grow it.
“With the competition for orthodontic services at an increasingly high level, what one practice does to stand out above the rest can mean the difference between success and failure,” said Jessica Wynne, Georgia School of Orthodontics (GSO) board member and industry consultant. “Being mindful of the opportunities to grow the practice and making the best use of resources toward that objective are fundamental ingredients to success.”
Dr. Richard Maness, an associate professor at GSO, maintained a private practice for 47 years, expanded his thriving business to four locations in Louisiana, and knows what it takes to grow and thrive in a highly competitive industry.
“While there are myriad considerations—financial and otherwise—to be mindful of, it takes planning, persistence and patience to grow your practice. Everything you implement, from investing in state-of-the-art technology to hiring the right people, needs to focus on making your patient experience the best it can be,” said Maness.
Based on both Wynne’s industry knowledge and Maness’ practice experiences, here are six top tips to expanding your practice.
Jessica Wynne, GSO board member and industry consultant
Dr. Richard Maness, GSO associate professor
1. Hire the right people
The people you hire are the most important drivers of your practice’s ultimate success. Your staff defines your culture, and your culture makes a first impression and leaves a lasting impression on your patients. When hiring, keep in mind that while skills matter, personality matters more. Negative energy can cost you referrals and the ability to keep your best employees. Actively seek good employees. Have a formal hiring plan in place and remain flexible. Someone may be exceptionally intelligent, or have years more experience, but if the person is a poor communicator, that will negatively affect your staff and your patients. Look for irreplaceable attributes such as punctuality, courtesy, willingness and genuine concern for others. Motivate the team with events, positive reinforcement and praise for performance. Address poor performance immediately. Instill the understanding that if staff members have a problem, they are encouraged to bring with them a potential solution.
2. Build patient trust, instill confidence
Professionalism is a cornerstone of any orthodontic practice. It is necessary for the long-term success of any business, but especially for a patient-centered practice. Not only is it important to have a staff that is pleasant, reliable and well-mannered, but it also must start with the orthodontist. Professionalism embodies all that an orthodontist should strive for. It’s about expertise, knowledge and experience, certainly, but also confidence, trustworthiness and overall demeanor. It’s that professionalism that grows the patients’ trust and confidence and, as a result, grows the practice.
3. Harness technology
Most people want to work at a company that keeps up with the latest technological trends and continues to invest in them. Orthodontic practices are no exception. Patients, too, notice the level of sophistication employed. But as any orthodontic practitioner knows, keeping up with technology can be expensive—especially today, when technological advances seem to emerge daily. Make sure a strategic approach to implementing technology is patient-focused. Consider those investments that improve the quality and ease of care. For example, digital scans are much less invasive than traditional impressions. And 3D digital imaging is more accurate and more comprehensive. (But remember, no matter how advanced your equipment is, it can never take the place of a compassionate employee.)
4. Drive marketing
When it comes to marketing, it’s critical that your messages are well positioned to reach your patients where they are—primarily on mobile devices and tablets. The most important marketing vehicle is your website. Make sure it’s configured for mobile viewing and routinely optimized for high-ranking placement on search engines such as Google, Bing and Microsoft Explorer. That means content is king. A marketing plan that includes a finely tuned website, digital advertising and a strong public relations program will ensure your marketing dollars will reap the best ROI. But don’t overlook the power of reputation marketing via patient-driven reviews on platforms such as Yelp and Zocdoc. Positive comments or unsavory reviews can make or break your reputation quicker than you can blink an eye. Your marketing efforts should include monitoring online feedback and thoughtful, prompt responses to positive and negative reviews.
5. Invest in your community
Regardless of the size of your orthodontic practice, developing a sustainable program that focuses on giving back to your community can have a significant impact on the growth of your practice. Not only is it simply the right thing to do, but demonstrating a culture of giving also builds employee morale and pride, which plays a role in quality staff recruitment and retention. It also boosts the reputation of the practice, paving the way for additional new patients. For example, GSO’s Gift of a Smile program provides free orthodontic care to children as part of the school’s pledge to provide $100,000 in orthodontic care to children who need braces but may not be able to afford them. Partnering with local middle schools and high schools is an inexpensive way to build your new patient base and, by doing so, gives you an opportunity to establish brand awareness among teachers, administrators, parents and their children.
6. Cultivate referrals
Outreach designed to build strong, loyal relationships with dentists, dental staff and patients is vital to grow your orthodontic practice.
Invest time developing authentic relationships with dentists in your area who are like-minded and share your “patient-comes-first” philosophy. Consider reaching out to your local dental society and requesting an opportunity to speak at a chapter meeting. Offer consultations and intelligence-sharing sessions with key experts within the dental community. Make yourself an accessible resource as time allows.
Don’t underestimate the influence that staff has on a doctor. Your staff should be friends with your referring doctors’ staffs. You’ll be amazed by how this pays off in referrals
Be keenly attuned to the role your patients can play in expanding your practice. Patient referrals are, in fact, your most valuable source of growth. Do everything in your power to ensure your patients have a positive experience each and every time they interface with you and your staff—on the phone, in person, in the community. You’ll be judged and remembered, positively or negatively. Positive experiences lead to quality recommendations. People like to refer someone to a business they’ve had a good experience with because it makes them feel important and smart.
With the many ways technology has facilitated the opportunity for sharing one’s opinion about a business—be it on the phone, via email, on review sites—or even through good old-fashioned word of mouth, managing your reputation precipitates positive growth.
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