Joanne Bishop

Dental offices have a lot in common. Most want better community awareness, more quality new patients, and stronger patient loyalty and trust. According to Precedence Research, the North American dental market is set to grow by 12% in 2025. This growth is being fueled by the rising prevalence of oral illness, increasing demand for cosmetic treatments and clear aligners, and complex procedures like dental implants. In addition, less than 40% of working adults visited a dentist last year, and 75% of adults “plan” to visit a dentist inthe coming year. Considering this data, timing couldn’t be better for dental offices to invest in brand awareness and growth to gain market share, build momentum and increase practice production. Plan for growth The modern dental patient journey is complex. Awareness. Consideration & Research. Buying Decision & Conversion. Experience. Advocacy. Successful dental clinics have discovered that brand awareness doesn’t start at search. Businesses must be proactive in making their audiences aware of them. It’s the first and most important step in the patient journey – especially when you consider that consumers will not generally consider purchasing from a brand they’re not familiar with. Without brand awareness, local businesses, like dental offices, remain invisible to the vast majority of their target audience. Brand awareness is considered the foundation for overall success. Tactics winning dentists employ to build visibility include strong branding, signage, targeted direct mail, Google and Meta ads, community participation, and more. When effectively executed, these tactics will work in tandem, helping dental offices become and stay top-of-mind with potential patients when they begin to consider purchase decisions. More importantly, a well-run dental brand awareness campaign can educate the audience on the benefits of dental treatment and the solutions that solve their problems or pain points, proactively gaining visibility and driving activity to the phone, website, and door. The dental landscape is constantly evolving. From advancements in technology to changes in competitive levels, shifts in consumer behavior, and the emergence of new platforms and tools, there's never a dull moment in dental marketing. At Patient NEWS, we are dedicated to staying ahead of the curve by continuously monitoring the latest advancements and emerging trends. This commitment ensures we can help our clients maintain a competitive edge and achieve long-term success in an ever-changing landscape. Getting your practice in front of your primary target audience will not only capture those already considering a dental service, but also prompt consumers to act sooner rather than later. Dentistry has always been resilient. You know that people need dental care. You know that the market is projected to grow , and you know that the majority of adults are planning to see a dentist . But who will they choose in your neighborhood? The average practice will also lose around 20% of their active patient base in 2025, and they have another 25% that’s already lapsing. That’s not a bad thing. It gives you the opportunity to pick up market share and new treatment. Some attrition gives you space in your schedule so that you can onboard more high-value new patients in their place. Remember, new patients are often 2X more valuable than existing ones. Plan for growth With shifting patient expectations, the demand for more convenience, better customer service, fast responsiveness, and knowing that consumers are looking for more cosmetic and complex procedures, you have an opportunity to shape your awareness and new-patient acquisition campaigns to hit the target right where they need it. Addressing their needs and wants in your communication strategies. One thing is in your back pocket, and that’s how you look at marketing to women. While women remain key decision-makers in over 85% of all spending decisions, studies show that the healthcare industry flops in connecting with them. We find that dentists get this, and that makes a significant variance in results. When looking at the marketing strategies you have in place now, could you do something more to attract these important eyeballs, these super consumers who have the balance of purchasing power and very strong influence? The answer is yes. And it lies in content marketing. Relationship marketing. Women want credible information to make good decisions for their families. Today, consumers are aware that looking up information online can lead to misinformation, so hearing from the healthcare professional directly is preferred. Awareness campaigns do just this. When your practice lands in mailboxes with quality information, in prospects' Facebook feeds with quality content, you become recognized as an authority in your field – a provider that is trusted in your community. You can share more details on oral health, details on the cosmetic solutions you offer, and the amazing experience you and your team provide with conveniences that resonate with your target audience. Dentists who implemented strategic, content-rich marketing programs like neighborhood newsletters, SEO, and paid media with our company have experienced 37% practice production growth over the past three years. These clients attracted 25% more new patients than industry average. You can leverage this market opportunity by leveraging your existing reputation and current success in a strategic, data-driven marketing plan. You’ll want to make sure that your plan is proactive and designed to have patients looking you up by name – not waiting for someone to search ‘dentist-near-me.' You’ll want to ensure that your plan is precisely targeted to the core areas and demographics of your ideal patients. You want your plan to build such strong awareness and desire with your audience that they prioritize a buying decision with you over the other purchases on their wish list. Is the dental implant more important than the all-inclusive vacation? Clear aligners or new car? Wait. Where do they find clear aligner treatments in your area? Who will they choose? How do you stand out and win when the opportunity is there, but other dentists are out there competing for the market? We want to help you STAND OUT and GROW production. We can help you win. Start a conversation with our team today. Learn more about the extensive preparation we invest in your success before you invest in us. This free session will outline how our solutions can propel your practice forward, and you can also find out how rich insights in our Reveal Report will empower you to make great decisions for your practice. Regularly $795, this incredible report is provided at no charge, with data a practice owner could only dream of seeing in full color. Schedule your initial call here! P.S. Get exclusive use of your neighborhood for our direct mail system. No other dentist can use this program when you have it secured for your practice. NOTE: There may be some juggling of available meeting times over the holiday season, so book as soon as possible to get into the queue.

“Carrie, I don’t think I ever passed along the number of [positive] messages we received from our patients for the last newsletter. The “thanks” focused on what we’re doing to provide a high level of dental care and for the staff introductions. Of course, the messaging would fall flat if the presentation and quality weren’t also top-notch, so it’s obviously the whole package. I hope you pass along the pat on the back from all of us.” Do your patients know your value proposition? Ask yourself: have we done everything we can to show our patients how important they are to us in a tangible way? Now is the perfect time to send a holiday newsletter to remind patients why they chose your practice, that they made the right decision, and that they should stay with you for 2025. Let’s discuss content for your New Year’s special edition! A major misconception that causes dental offices to experience attrition, miss out on attracting new patients, and lose out on elective service sales is thinking people just don’t read their mail anymore. The fact is, direct mail is statistically proven to improve repeat business. Given the competitive dental advertising ecosystem, how do you keep your patients connected to your practice – outside of transactional exchanges? With a holiday patient newsletter that hits doorsteps , that’s how! Wouldn’t you love to hear accolades from your patients like Carrie’s client did? With a 90% open rate, consumers of all ages actually prefer direct mail, and 70% feel it’s more personal than a digital transaction. It is the most trusted advertising format at decision-making. It is the only way to reach 100% of your audience. It is tactile and sparks curiosity and interest. It’s proven to drive more action than any other marketing medium. You may be amazed at how a little thing like a New Year’s newsletter can help you stand out from the crowd in your own patient households. Some dental clinics give lip service on how much they value their patients but then rarely take any measurable action. With little effort, you can reinforce the value your patients get from your dental practice. Stand out while highlighting: Key initiatives and achievements in a Letter from the Dentist. Your industry leadership and technology. Innovations you’re providing to offer more convenience and comfort. Enhanced patient services and special offers. Your commitment to supporting and empowering patients into 2025! This one small step will remind patients that you’re their trusted partner. It will also show patients that they’re important and that you care. Worth the investment? Another yes! Here’s why: An active patient contributes $1,200 per year on average. The average practice has 1.6 patients per household – room for growth. A household represents a minimum of $2,000 per year (we only mail one newsletter per household). The cost of one newsletter is usually less than or around $2 per household, including envelopes AND postage ... and we’ll give you a no-obligation quote. The average practice has around 2,000 active patients, but … On average, 25% of active patients haven’t had a visit in 9 months. This also gives insight into OPPORTUNITY! To reactivate lapsing and inactive patients To increase referrals of family and friends To introduce and generate more elective service sales To improve retention and support practice security To improve patient satisfaction and loyalty! For most dentists, sending educational content to patients aligns with the core values of the practice. Plus, you can include a special recipe or a holiday game for kids – you name it, and we’ll do it! This small initiative is a good thing on so many levels. You’ll be giving something back to your patients and investing in the future of your practice. Have ideas for content you’d like to include in your holiday New Year’s special edition ? We’re here to make it come alive! If you haven’t mailed a patient newsletter in some time, just think of the surprise and delight patients will feel and the wonderful appreciation you’ll receive. Mailings available for January 15 th and 31 st are booking now. Don’t miss out – contact us today!

You’re already a successful business owner, so you know that growing production requires a strategic approach blending prep, implementation, and follow through. Drawing on our 30+ years of helping dental practices increase production and looking at the proven processes that have helped our clients consistently grow production year over year, we’ve drilled it down to these essential elements: Identify current trends & benchmarks. Set realistic goals & expectations. Identify areas for improvement/focus. Utilize a comprehensive & competitive marketing plan. Execute with regular review of results for continuous improvement. If you’re a Practice ZEBRA® subscriber, you can immediately pull your Benchmark Report to capture your current trends and metrics, patient and new patient values, and net gain/loss results. You can also dig into the Predictive Analytics module to see which levers you can quickly focus on to increase production. Better yet, schedule a call with your Account Manager, who will pull this all together for you and ensure you are set for success as we hit the year-end! If you’re not a Practice ZEBRA user yet, find out more with an initial session to discuss your 2025 goals, and get access to our Reveal Report, a custom 24-page document that provides a clear visual on everything you want to know to strategically plan for growth in 2025. Schedule a session now Getting an honest assessment of current results helps us identify the wins, the not-quite-theres, and which areas of focus will deliver the results we want. My CEO always says we can’t continue doing the same thing and expect a different result. So, if you want a different or better result as we head into 2025, the question is, is your practice focusing on the right metrics? Are you onboarding a sufficient flow of new patients while controlling attrition? Do you know what might happen if you added more high-value new patients versus focusing on retaining active patients? Do you know how many new patients get scheduled for subsequent visits? Do you know how many of your active patients are actually lapsing? What is the magic mix that will increase your production to the level you want? Predictive Analytics is an excellent tool for determining this. The following graph is of a real, successful solo practice currently achieving $1.6M in annual production. When you utilize Predictive Analytics, it gives you a clear visual of where to find growth. In this case, you’ll see the practice doesn’t have to move mountains to have a substantial revenue increase. Using the calculator we just looked at, what would happen if they added 10 more new patients per month, increasing from 32 to 42 new patients? That’s 2-3 more new patients a week. Most offices have at least capacity to add this number. In fact, the last ADA HPI survey revealed that 93% of dental offices are accepting new patients. If the office in the graph hits this target, it adds up to $162,240 in additional production in the first year, and by year two, it adds over $500,000 to the topline! Just by prioritizing a couple more new patients each week.

Direct mail is the preferred channel of communication for adults of all ages, it’s more persuasive than digital marketing, more trustworthy, easier to understand, and more memorable. It’s also one of the most effective tools available to dental offices that want to stand out and grow. Schedule an initial call today Consumers value something they can see and touch. The proven 4-page newsletter format we recommend provides dental offices a vast opportunity to connect with and educate readers while elevating practice awareness and building and strengthening the practice authority and reputation. At Patient NEWS, direct mail has evolved into a strategic, tech-driven solution that delivers a very strong ROI. On average, our clients achieve a 6x return within year one. Direct mail delivers something that digital marketing just can’t match. It’s precision-targeted and is the only way to reach 100% of your targeted audience, with 95% of consumers checking their mail daily. A large study revealed that recall was 70% higher among participants who were exposed to direct mail versus digital ads. These are just a few reasons direct mail is 10-30x more effective. It’s highly customizable, highly trackable, and highly effective at deepening the connection between a local dental practice and the community it serves, driving an increase in overall monthly new patient flow. Direct mail and digital campaigns work better together than alone. Direct mail is more action-oriented because its physical presentation stimulates the underlying mental processes that direct behavior. The average Patient NEWS practice grows by 20% over two years.

Dental patient satisfaction is increasingly being shaped by personalized care. While current satisfaction rates are relatively high, with reports indicating that over 90% of patients feel that maintaining their oral health significantly contributes to their overall well-being​, perceived indifference is a significant factor in patient attrition for dental clinics. ORGANIZE YOUR HOLIDAY NEWSLETTER NOW The perception of indifference is caused by a variety of factors, including a lack of communication beyond transactional, impersonal interactions, which can occur when dentists or staff members don’t take the time to personalize conversations or prioritize responsiveness, causing patients to feel ignored. A gesture like a customized seasonal holiday newsletter, which will reach 100% of patient households and is not perceived as spam, shows patients you care about building lasting relationships and strengthening patient trust and loyalty. In today’s competitive healthcare environment, make sure your patients feel valued and cared for with your holiday newsletter. The team at Patient NEWS will make it super easy and super personalized, and you can sit back and feel good on your holiday break because you’ve done a good thing. FYI: Printed newsletters offer several advantages over email – particularly for dental practices that want to connect meaningfully with their patients. Printed materials receive more focused attention as people spend more time reading physical mail compared to email, which is often skimmed or ignored. Your holiday newsletter will have a shelf life in the home of 17 days, making it more likely to be seen, and there is less competition in the mailbox. A newsletter also feels more personal and intentional than a generic email or holiday card, and it has a much higher perceived value than a card or email, which makes recipients more satisfied with the sender. The average dental office is also missing around 27% of patient emails, so even with an amazing open rate of 45%, an email will only reach around a third of patients, while your holiday newsletter will reach 100% of patient households. 100%! Order a holiday patient newsletter today . It’s the right investment for successful dental practices. Your holiday newsletter can also include information on your top services, new technology, special offers, referral requests, staff highlights, games and/or puzzles for the family, plus practice updates. Of course, it will also include a delicious and healthy recipe! Stand out in patient homes this holiday season and boost visits into the new year! #seasonsgreetings #merrychristmas #happyhanukkah #kwanzaa #happynewyear! #make2025thebest