How to build patient loyalty within your dental practice

As a dentist, your patients are your greatest advocates and the best resource you have to grow your practice. Targeted campaigns and analytical insights are great, but not even the most effective and high-tech marketing strategies can match the impact of a passionate and sincere referral from a longtime patient.

Choosing your dentist is an important decision, after all, and people like to make those decisions based on what those close to them are saying – not on what they read on a billboard. In fact, when referred by a friend, people are 4x more likely to make a purchase. This is why patient satisfaction is so important. It builds loyalty which in turn leads to referrals and grows your practice.

Here are some key points to consider on building patient loyalty within your dental practice.

How do you build patient loyalty?

Loyalty is not something that can be bought from patients. It’s something earned over time, and it starts with the patient experience, including:

• Working with patients to understand their needs and the best way to provide treatment
• Building trust
• Offering flexibility and a welcoming environment
• Having a team that knows how to communicate
• And more

Patients should ultimately feel like friends of your practice, which means reaching out not just when it’s time to schedule an appointment, but on birthdays and other special milestones. Keeping patients up-to-date on your practice also helps them feel involved year-round and keeps your practice in their mind more than just twice a year during cleanings.

Loyalty doesn’t happen overnight

You can’t expect a new patient to come in for one appointment and then to immediately go around town handing out fliers for your practice. Loyalty is an investment that takes years to build, but it’s something you should have in mind every time you or a member of your team interacts with a patient.

Even if it’s just an email, phone call, or appointment reminder – each positive interaction is another step towards fostering that loyalty that will translate into the growth of your practice.

Loyalty impacts both growth and retention

Patients who value your practice and serve as advocates are not only more likely to refer but they are also more likely to remain with you for years, doubly impacting the growth of your practice. The relationship needs to be maintained for both of these reasons.

Build patient loyalty with White & Associates

White & Associates Practice Consulting has the tools and expertise to help you foster patient loyalty on a daily basis. We’ll work with you to integrate habits and processes within your practice that eventually make proper decision-making second nature. Contact us today to get started.