Dental Marketing and Practice Management

Whether you're a dentist, surgeon, or airline pilot, checklists can dramatically improve performance. In fact, Russell Taichman, professor of dentistry at the University of Michigan, has co-authored a study with two pilots about how airline crew resource management (CRM) checklists can be applied to dental care.

This study of CRM and dentistry proposes breaking the dental visit into five distinct stages, each with its own explicit checklist.

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Most dentists with dental websites have a website consultant or internet dental marketing company that handles site maintenance, this survey found.

In a recent survey, we discovered that 3 out of 4 dentists have a dental website.

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When it comes to dental marketing, not all press is good press. Just ask the orthodontist who was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune’s "What’s Your Problem?" section.

The newspaper has recently covered a mother’s plight to have her son’s braces removed.

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The safety of dental materials has been in the news due to concerns about BPA in sealants and composite and reports of dental crowns manufactured in foreign dental labs that may be contaminated with lead.

So we asked dentists who should be responsible for the safety of dental products. One third said the FDA, one quarter said dental labs should police themselves, and 41% said dentists should take responsibility.

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Tooth whitening products that could harm teeth are a little harder to buy online, thanks to the efforts of Which?, a British consumer watchdog group.

The group discovered teeth whiteners available on major websites such as eBay, Amazon and Google that contain dangerously high levels of hydrogen peroxide – up to 350 times what is now permitted in the European Union.

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Is the best braces dentist a GP or a specialist? It all depends on who you ask.

Three out of four general dentists think it’s appropriate for GPs to do orthodontics, but a mere 4% of orthodontists surveyed agree. In fact, 41% of orthodontists say they’re the ones who should be doing virtually all ortho work.

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Toothbrush technology just took a major leap forward with the introduction of a solar-powered toothbrush that cleans with electrons rather than toothpaste.

Canadian researchers teamed with a Japanese manufacturer to create the "Soladey-J3X," which uses light to send electrons down the bristles. Plaque breaks down when the electrons react with acid in the mouth.

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Most dentists (81%) paying their dental hygienists a base hourly wage. Only 19% say their dental hygienist payment includes commission.

“Hygienists are a critical aspect of any practice,” said one prosthodontist who pays on commission.

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Over the past weeks I've shared some of my favorite Google search tips. Now I’d like to show you how to use Google to monitor the health of your website.

The first and most important thing for any website owner to know is their site’s Google ranking. But that’s far from the end of it!

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Dentists are split over dental marketing and management — almost half hate those responsibilities, but just as many say they sometimes enjoy them.

“I hate the management, but like the marketing,” said one dentist.

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What if a person's genes could be used to predict their risk for gum disease? A new study at the University of Michigan will examine just that issue.

Genetic testing will be done on some 4,000 patients, and the data will be correlated with levels of tooth loss and periodontal disease.

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Almost all dentists (nine out of ten) say mouthguards can improve athletic performance, according to this survey.

The claim is made by the inventor of the Pure Power Mouthguard (PPM), a neuromuscular device designed to improve breathing (and therefore performance) by allowing the airways to relax.

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Last week I shared ideas on 10 cool things you can do with Google. This week, I’m back with nine more hot tips.

If you’re not familiar with Google’s Advanced Search page and features, then you might not be getting as much out of your web searches as you could…

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Professional dental marketing is an excellent way for a dentist to encourage patient referrals from other professionals. However, our survey found that only one in three dentists is marketing themselves to other professionals.

"I get lots of referrals from the 3 local MD's. I should market more to them. I see them some socially, but nothing direct. I do some co-marketing to patients with my chiropractor," said a Texas dentist.

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Medical and dental credit cards are being investigated by Andrew Cuomo, New York's Attorney General, for allegations of predatory lending practices.

His office has received complaints from hundreds of patients who were convinced by their doctor or dentist to sign up for a medical or dental credit card, only to find themselves beset by high interest rates and surcharges.

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About half of general dentists place dental implants. In this survey, 53% of general dentists said they do dental implant placement themselves.

“I pick and choose," said a Virginia prosthodontist. "Those patients who need a more complex treatment are referred to our in-house oral surgeon or periodontists."

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Last week we discussed why, with two-thirds of the search engine market, Google is the only search engine you need to worry about.

One of the reasons Google is #1 is because it’s incredibly smart. Here are some of the neat tricks you can do with Google:

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Dentists aren’t sure whether to be optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the dental profession. In this survey, 37% of dentists said they are optimistic about the future of dentistry, another 37% are uncertain, and the remaining 25% are pessimistic.

When it comes to dentists’ future, some of the things that worry doctors include government control, corporate takeover, insurance intrusion, Obama’s health plan, and mid-level dental providers.

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It turns out that tongue piercings can be bad for one's teeth. While this is hardly a surprise to any dentist, it's been confirmed by a recent study from New York's University of Buffalo.

Researchers had previously found that teens with pierced tongues tend to "play" with the barbell-shaped piercing, often pushing the end of the stud against their front teeth — a habit that might leave them needing braces to fix the damage.

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Many dentists would approve of gender profiling at dental schools – that is, of favoring male dental student applicants under the theory that will, statistically, more work total hours over the course of their careers. But the slight majority oppose giving preference based on gender.

“Live with it, people," declared a male orthodontist. "Discrimination in any form is un-American."

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When it comes to internet marketing, search engine positioning is your most important concern. And while there are lots of search engines out there, the savvy web marketer knows that Google is the only one that really matters.

The latest numbers from June show Google controlling 63% of the web search market, with about 10 billion searches per month. That means that two out of every three web searches went through Google.

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Botox is big business – and dentists think it’s appropriate for them to be a part of it. Two out of three dentists don’t have a problem with a dentist offering cosmetic Botox, Restylane or other dermal fillers, this survey found.

“Who on the face of this planet gives more injections and has more training in head and neck anatomy than dentists?” asked one dentist. “No one!”

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Dentists, like other professionals, are not immune to claims of “wrongful discharge” headaches from former employees.

While most dentist respondents to this survey (72%) have not had such claims leveled against them, 9% have been sued for wrongful discharge, and another 19% have been accused of it or threatened with legal action.

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Dentists are offering vampire veneers for about $200 a set for Twilight fans and other vampire-crazed teens.

Dentists say the fang veneers do not interfere with normal eating or speaking, though the size and shape of the patient's mouth will determine how long the fangs can be.

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Four out of five dentists are open to driving an electric car. In fact, 16% of dentist respondents say they already own an electric or hybrid car.

In this survey, 23% of dentists said they would love to get an electric car, and 42% would consider purchasing one. 

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