There is Hope for Dental Practices during COVID-19

Figuring out how to navigate these unprecedented circumstances is a unique challenge for the entire dental community. After all, we haven’t seen a global pandemic of this magnitude for over 100 years. So although we don’t claim to have all the answers, we’d like to provide our receommendations to support dentists during this time.

To provide hope and perspective, it’s important to note that many successful businesses thrived during times of economic crisis. The key to success is your willingness to adapt and grow when there is a fluid situation occurring. Blockbuster could have bought Netflix, but they weren’t willing to adapt to the streaming Netflix model. We can all see how that turned out.

So, to help dental offices adapt, here are some recommendations to minimize the negative impact of COVID-19 on your dental practice. 

Communication is Key

Because the COVID-19 situation is developing day by day, it’s critical to overcommunicate with new and existing patients. It’s better to provide too much information, than too little. So make sure to post a message on your website, send emails or texts, and make phone calls where needed. Make sure to update your office schedule on Google My Business as well.

These efforts will go a long way with your patients. It shows them that you care and that your office is on top of this health crisis. This strategy will help keep your existing and potential patients engaged, which will ensure a strong patient surge when the pandemic ends.

Use Downtime Wisely

Although you may be taking a break from dentistry, you don’t need to take a break from the business side of things. Take advantage of any downtime by evaluating the current status of your practice. Here are a few questions/ideas that can keep you busy:

• How many new patients did we generate through marketing? How were we able to track that data?
• What can I do to build a stronger culture with my dental team?
• How much has my practice grown over the past few years? What goals should I set for the future?
• Check your patient satisfaction by sending out a survey. Make sure to implement good feedback.
• Conduct performance reviews for your staff.
• How is my online presence compared to my nearby competitors? What can I do to stand out?

This is a great opportunity for your dental practice to get organized, so don’t let it go to waste! Often times, we are so busy, many of the housekeeping items get pushed back. Well… it may be time for you to do some Spring Cleaning (metaphorically speaking).

Maintain Momentum

Instead of cancelling all of your marketing efforts, redirect them. The ADA has recommended dentists only see patients for hygiene or emergency appointments. So if you’re running ads, direct them to those types of services. It’s very likely that the number of new patients will go down during this time, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up completely.

People still need dental care, especially if they’re in pain. This shift will help you maintain marketing momentum, while still doing a public service. If you stop all your marketing efforts completely, it can take a long time to start back up again, which could have lasting negative impacts on your practice.

Adapt and Evolve

If your practice doesn’t see the need for technology and an online presence at this point… you’re in trouble. With thousands of people across the U.S. working from home and social distancing, the Internet Age is booming. Many people have put off basic healthcare needs like dentistry becasue they’ve been too busy. But now that they work from home, they can be more flexible about taking care of themselves. This gives people a chance to do some research and schedule appointments for the future.

If you want to make the online patient experience even better, your practice will need to adapt and evolve. For instance, if your practice isn’t already offering online patient forms… now is the time to change. Make it easy for patients to schedule an appointment or fill out healthcare forms before they arrive to your office. This will make it easier to get these patients through the door when the pandemic ends. You should also consider offering free online consultations via video chat services such as Zoom. Many people are much more comfortable with a virtual appointment than physical, which is a practice you can continue even after the health crisis ends.