New Dental Practice

maka_2

Morning all

does anyone here work in the dental industry or marketing or a memeber of the public??? lol. i am trying to get some idea's together for my partner to get new patients through the door at a new private dental practice:D . At the moment they are offering free check ups and later to today i will be doing some cold calling to local business offering half price cosmetic work. If any you work in a dental practice any 1st hand ideas would be great, as a memeber of the public what would get you to visit a new dental practice would 50% of cosmetic work get you interested ie teeth whitening normally £500 now £250.

all ideas very welcome:D

Biggles

It depends what you think your 'target market' might be. Are you mainly going for the cosmetic work or for routine dental treatment?

I'd have thought the market for the former was limited in most areas but, if you were aiming for the latter, I would produce flyers showing how your costs aren't too much more than NHS charges and that you can get appointments far more easily with your practice.

My experience has been that people think private dental treatment is far too expensive for them (even though they've never asked the prices) but that they have trouble getting appointments with NHS dentists.

Richard019

Without knowing what businesses you're calling or the scale of the area you're in to know whether it's practical, have you considered going to them rather than calling?

Somewhere such as Tesco for example you might find that if you're offering the staff a promotional price they'll also let you advertise for free on any customer notice boards they have which would give you a lot more exposure. (off the top of my head I don't know if they have rules about businesses advertising or not but they might bend them)

Where you're talking smaller businesses you might be able to get more mutual referral agreements with them.

In both cases I think you're likely to be more successful doing it in person.

maka_2

Biggles wrote: »

It depends what you think your 'target market' might be. Are you mainly going for the cosmetic work or for routine dental treatment?

I'd have thought the market for the former was limited in most areas but, if you were aiming for the latter, I would produce flyers showing how your costs aren't too much more than NHS charges and that you can get appointments far more easily with your practice.

My experience has been that people think private dental treatment is far too expensive for them (even though they've never asked the prices) but that they have trouble getting appointments with NHS dentists.

Hi thanks for the reply the target market will be routine dental treatment but with as much cosmetic work on top you have hit the nail on the head in regards to prices we are only acouple of pounds more exspensive then NHS. The problem being in the gdc the body of the dental industry state you are not allowed to advertise your prices out side the practise as you are not allowed to be in direct competition with other dentist in the area.

Also one of the main trends in the uk seem to be we as a population dont tend to spend money on our teeth were as in america say it is something they are big on.

Toothsmith

I would agree completely with Biggles.

Starting a private practice from scratch is certainly a difficult task - but you have to have a business plan - and go for the sort of patients you want to attract.

Ultimately, a private practice will not thrive if the patients it attracts are the ones that go for 'free' stuff or 'half price' stuff.

You want people who appreciate service, quality and time spent on them.

There is someone I have worked with at my practice who I can thoroughly recommend. PM me if you want details.

Not cheap ( but not VERY dear!), but then if you're trying to build up a successful private practice, the investment would be worth it.

It's all about having a consistant message which every member of the team has bought into, and gives out in all their dealings with the public.

From the advertising, to the first telephone contact, to the first visit, the message the practice gives out about the way it does dentistry........... right through to the patient leaving so impressed that they recommend all their friends to come.

It' not as simple as 'free' this or 'half price' that - but if it's done right, she'll be very busy in no time at all.

Toothsmith

maka wrote: »

The problem being in the gdc the body of the dental industry state you are not allowed to advertise your prices out side the practise as you are not allowed to be in direct competition with other dentist in the area.

I would double check that if I were you.

I don't think there's anything wrong in putting the price of an initial check up on an advert.

xxlaurissaxx

Where about are you looking to open up this practice? xx

maka_2

Toothsmith wrote: »

I would double check that if I were you.

I don't think there's anything wrong in putting the price of an initial check up on an advert.

|Hi toothsmith just double checked this with my partner who is at uni for her dental nurse and practice manager course and she had a talk on tuesday just gone from the GDC and she asked them then, they also said you can not say you are better or even say it is easier to get an appt through us than the NHS. its a pain you really cant say much.

we have a radio advert running and this is getting patients in but not as many as we thought

maka_2

xxlaurissaxx wrote: »

Where about are you looking to open up this practice? xx

we are open in the north west in cheshire in Macclesfield

Toothsmith

What's your position in the organisation Maka?

maka_2

Toothsmith wrote: »

What's your position in the organisation Maka?[/quot

nothing my partner is the practice manager and im on my days off so trying to help as much as poss